It would be protocol if he wanted to admit that America's leader was inferior to Japan's royal couple:
A senior administration official said President Barack Obama was simply observing protocol when he bowed to Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko upon arriving at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Saturday.Here are examples of how other world leaders greet the emperor of Japan (here's a link to a video of 46 world leaders not bowing). I think it's time Obama had world leader remedial training so that he doesn't keep making this kind of embarrassing gaffe (one Clinton almost made in 1994 and was rebuked by the NY Times for doing so -- here's what the Times is saying about Obama's full out bow)
Notice how the royal couple respond to his gesture:
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Anonymous reincarnate,
"i especially enjoy your logic that leads you to stupid comments"
Let me guess, you were Emily Post in your past life. No? I didn't think so from your erudite and civil commentary. Perhaps a relative of Roseanne Barr or Andrew Dice Clay? You certainly were no Rhodes Scholar, or you would have read my statement in the context in which it was written. I won't bother trying to teach you literacy.
Perhaps in your next life you might return as a pleasant person, reared in civil discourse. Perhaps the hope of such an iteration might even be transformative in this life.
Get Well Soon.
Dick Cheney has now weighed in: "The American President doesn't bow to anyone." Said by a man whose arrogance makes Newt Gingrich look modest.
This is a non-issue, at worst a faux pas.
BTW, this is the reason I'm changing my voter registration from Republican to "Independent." I'd rather miss out on voting in the primaries than align myself with the Republicans (or the Democrats). After decades of registering Democrat, I decided to try out the Republican Party, and it took only a couple of years for Republican foolishness to wear me out. Every stupid, overblown criticism of Obama increases my respect for him. The good news is that the "Party of No" will soon become the "Party of No One." It can't happen soon enough, in my book.
"civil discourse"
gerard, based upon your previous comment (the one equating our first african american president to a "servant boy") you wouldn't know civil discourse if you saw it. oh, did you think you were conversing only with other obama-haters? so sorry to disappoint. your comment does not invite civil discourse, sir. you deserve to be handled as the ignoramus that you are, wothout pampering. if you put on the boxing gloves, expect to get a bloodied nose.
perhaps in your next life you can be promoted from republican ideologue to a swine's ass-pimple. i'll pray for you.
good day, sir.
and to set the record straight, those here who claim that u.s. presidents do not bow to other leaders are simply wrong. there is ample photographic evidence to the contrary. there is no protocol that says the president must bow, nor is there any which says that he should not bow.
The only people in Japan to bow that low are servants, Obama's roots notwithstanding.
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