Hey, man! He's just doin his thing! You know? He's like, a rebel or something. He doesn't care what anyone thinks. He's like, "hey man! I'm gonna bow when I want and to who I want!"
There's different kinds of bows in the Asian cultures. It happens unconsciously most of the time and it's often reciprocated unconsciously. That being said and regardless of what happened during, this is an acceptable gesture.
Lori, the reason people have a problem with the president bowing is that it is nontraditional. Traditionally the U.S. head of state never bows to a foreign leader, and we never dip our flag to another flag. Some may disagree with it, but this has been the protocol for over a two centuries.
Did anyone else notice that it is at the Nuclear Security Summit… it wasn't innocent, it wasn't a coincidence, and it certainly wasn't an acceptable gesture. Remember, this is the guy that told the entire world that no matter what they do to us, we won't use nukes against them. We'll just turn the other cheek… not great foreign policy.
April 13, 2010 at 1:08 pm
I think he has a spine problem. As in, he doesn't have one.
April 13, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Just looking for a new dance move. He pretty much has it nailed.
April 13, 2010 at 1:46 pm
He's not even returning a bow, he's initiating it. I'm sure it gives him the cultural sensitivity warm and fuzzies.
April 13, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I don't think he has a spine — unless he is dealing with republicans and tea party people.
April 13, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Someone needs to put him in a "straight" jacket.
April 13, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Cultural warm fuzzies for the wrong culture. Bowing isn't really all that common in China, used mostly at funerals and sometimes when apologizing.
Maybe he did know what he was doing, and the Apology Tour continues.
April 13, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Hey, man! He's just doin his thing! You know? He's like, a rebel or something. He doesn't care what anyone thinks. He's like, "hey man! I'm gonna bow when I want and to who I want!"
April 13, 2010 at 6:04 pm
He's just taking a bow for the end of a great run of American supremacy. Nothing but grace, this one *sniff*
April 13, 2010 at 6:14 pm
There's different kinds of bows in the Asian cultures. It happens unconsciously most of the time and it's often reciprocated unconsciously. That being said and regardless of what happened during, this is an acceptable gesture.
April 13, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Maybe he's admiring his shoes…? No.. no… Obama's just an idiot. My bad! 🙂
April 14, 2010 at 1:47 am
I find it funny how he bows to these people but not the Pope! Our Great Leader does it again!
April 14, 2010 at 3:16 am
Young, Catholic, Obama did in fact bow to the Pope. I saw the video. I thought that was kind of cool — even if he didn't really mean it.
Bowing can be a sign of old-fashioned courtliness. Why do people have such a problem with it?
April 14, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Lori, the reason people have a problem with the president bowing is that it is nontraditional. Traditionally the U.S. head of state never bows to a foreign leader, and we never dip our flag to another flag. Some may disagree with it, but this has been the protocol for over a two centuries.
April 14, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Did anyone else notice that it is at the Nuclear Security Summit… it wasn't innocent, it wasn't a coincidence, and it certainly wasn't an acceptable gesture. Remember, this is the guy that told the entire world that no matter what they do to us, we won't use nukes against them. We'll just turn the other cheek… not great foreign policy.