it wasn't a bow.............

[Seraega]

King Abdullah IS Saudi Arabia.

You bow to him, you bow to Saudi Arabia.

Whether it was designed to "improve relations" or not is irrelevant.

The mere fact that a U.S. president is bowing to anyone, Islamic monarch or no, is quite disturbing in terms of the message that it sends.

That message is in effect, "we submit to you".

Yep, when I spar with my partner at Taekwondo, I'm really saying "I submit to you".

Bows are a sign of respect, not deference, not submission, not whatever else you have put in your head. It's just respect. There's nothing wrong with showing a little respect to other world leaders.

so back to the original question.. why deny it? doyathink?

If I had to chance a guess, I'd say because they knew exactly how the wingers would react. Neocons believe in absolute American Superiority and any little nitpicky thing that they can find to cast Obama as Unamerican is going to be used to the max.

Why make jokes about the special olympics? It was a mistake in appearance, a chink in his armor. He has shown so few, that even the most minor gaff is going to get plenty of air time by Fox and Rush.

 

[C-101]

It sure looked like a bow to me. I don't see it as America bowing down to Saudi Arabia though. It's more like, "Hi, we're going to change our relations with the Middle East just as promised. I'm not an arrogant oil man like my predecessor."

King Abdullah IS Saudi Arabia.

You bow to him, you bow to Saudi Arabia.

Whether it was designed to "improve relations" or not is irrelevant.

The mere fact that a U.S. president is bowing to anyone, Islamic monarch or no, is quite disturbing in terms of the message that it sends.

That message is in effect, "we submit to you".

Yep, when I spar with my partner at Taekwondo, I'm really saying "I submit to you".

Bows are a sign of respect, not deference, not submission, not whatever else you have put in your head. It's just respect. There's nothing wrong with showing a little respect to other world leaders.

Bowing can also imply submission.

Webster Dictionary:

2: to bend the head, body, or knee in reverence, submission, or shame

Seeing how no other world leader bowed to the Saudi King, it is not common respect but rather submission.

As you say, both people in Taekwondo bow. The Saudi King, however, did not bow to Obama.

Because Obama bowed and the Saudi King did not, it is a gesture of submission.

 

[WillowTree]

Yep, when I spar with my partner at Taekwondo, I'm really saying "I submit to you".

Bows are a sign of respect, not deference, not submission, not whatever else you have put in your head. It's just respect. There's nothing wrong with showing a little respect to other world leaders.

so back to the original question.. why deny it? doyathink?

If I had to chance a guess, I'd say because they knew exactly how the wingers would react. Neocons believe in absolute American Superiority and any little nitpicky thing that they can find to cast Obama as Unamerican is going to be used to the max.

Why make jokes about the special olympics? It was a mistake in appearance, a chink in his armor. He has shown so few, that even the most minor gaff is going to get plenty of air time by Fox and Rush.

They don't give a rats ass about how the wingers react.. we're irrelevant remember.. man you just gotta stay on message here!

 

[mzzzandrea]

Who cares? There are photos of Bush kissing Arabs....... I didn't see the Faux minions get up in arms about that! No one (from the CONservative camp) got up in arms when the bin Ladens were allowed to leave the country right after 9/11......

 

[Seraega]

so back to the original question.. why deny it? doyathink?

If I had to chance a guess, I'd say because they knew exactly how the wingers would react. Neocons believe in absolute American Superiority and any little nitpicky thing that they can find to cast Obama as Unamerican is going to be used to the max.

Why make jokes about the special olympics? It was a mistake in appearance, a chink in his armor. He has shown so few, that even the most minor gaff is going to get plenty of air time by Fox and Rush.

They don't give a rats ass about how the wingers react.. we're irrelevant remember.. man you just gotta stay on message here!

Sure they do. They need to keep at least some of you pacified so that at least a couple GOP senators can break ranks on the big issues.

 

[AnnECUCherry]

It was courteous. Courtesies convey to the recipients of courtesies that one is a courteous, as opposed to an unmannerly, person.

So everyone except Obama at the G20 summit was an unmannerly person?

Every other leader just shook hands with the Saudi King.

Bows are unexpected and it is therefore, perfectly courteous to shake hands with the king rather than bow to him.

No other world leader bowed to King Abdullah.

This hysteria has been limited only to U.S. conservatives. Does that not tell you something?

Not necessarily. It was after all a CNN reporter that prompted Robert Gibbs to lie about the bow and claim it to be merely a "reach down for a handshake."

Why the White House would lie about being "courteous", as you put it, is beyond me.

Obviously the White House considered the bow to be a blunder or they would not have gone to the trouble of perpetuating a lie about it.

If it was mere "courtesy" they would have labeled it so, the liberal media would have fawned over it, and then they would have moved on.

??? So now you people are concerned about what U.S. liberals think about it? Well, now, that's certainly a sea change, isn't it? Originally, right-wingers claimed that Obama's greeting had dire implications for U.S. influence abroad.

Why is that no longer important to you people? Do you now agree with me that how Obama chose to greet the Saudi king will have no negative effect on how the U.S. is perceived in the world?

 

[C-101]

??? So now you people are concerned about what U.S. liberals think about it? Well, now, that's certainly a sea change, isn't it? Originally, right-wingers claimed that Obama's greeting had dire implications for U.S. influence abroad.

Perhaps you should read my response more carefully.

Here's the quote from you:

"This hysteria has been limited only to U.S. conservatives."

and my response:

"Not necessarily. It was after all a CNN reporter that prompted Robert Gibbs to lie about the bow and claim it to be merely a "reach down for a handshake."

Now explain to me how CNN is a hysterical conservative organization and I'll accept your original statement as the truth.

Why is that no longer important to you people? Do you now agree with me that how Obama chose to greet the Saudi king will have no negative effect on how the U.S. is perceived in the world?

You should take the time to actually respond to my post, specifically the first half of it before asking more questions.

 

[AnnECUCherry]

King Abdullah IS Saudi Arabia.

You bow to him, you bow to Saudi Arabia.

Whether it was designed to "improve relations" or not is irrelevant.

The mere fact that a U.S. president is bowing to anyone, Islamic monarch or no, is quite disturbing in terms of the message that it sends.

That message is in effect, "we submit to you".

Yep, when I spar with my partner at Taekwondo, I'm really saying "I submit to you".

Bows are a sign of respect, not deference, not submission, not whatever else you have put in your head. It's just respect. There's nothing wrong with showing a little respect to other world leaders.

Bowing can also imply submission.

Webster Dictionary:

2: to bend the head, body, or knee in reverence, submission, or shame

Seeing how no other world leader bowed to the Saudi King, it is not common respect but rather submission.

As you say, both people in Taekwondo bow. The Saudi King, however, did not bow to Obama.

Because Obama bowed and the Saudi King did not, it is a gesture of submission.

As you point out, "bowing can also imply submission." A bow certainly does not only denote submission.

The parts of the definition of "bow" you omitted prove that:
To incline the body or head or bend the knee in greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.

To bow does not mean all of those simultaneously. To bow can demonstrate nothing more than a greeting.

 

[C-101]

Yep, when I spar with my partner at Taekwondo, I'm really saying "I submit to you".

Bows are a sign of respect, not deference, not submission, not whatever else you have put in your head. It's just respect. There's nothing wrong with showing a little respect to other world leaders.

Bowing can also imply submission.

Webster Dictionary:

2: to bend the head, body, or knee in reverence, submission, or shame

Seeing how no other world leader bowed to the Saudi King, it is not common respect but rather submission.

As you say, both people in Taekwondo bow. The Saudi King, however, did not bow to Obama.

Because Obama bowed and the Saudi King did not, it is a gesture of submission.

As you point out, "bowing can also imply submission." A bow certainly does not only denote submission.

The parts of the definition of "bow" you omitted prove that:
To incline the body or head or bend the knee in greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.

To bow does not mean all of those simultaneously. To bow can demonstrate nothing more than a greeting.

Exactly, which is why I went to the trouble of listing examples of context concerning the bow which indicate that the submission definition applies while the reverence definition does not.

Read my entire post, please.

 

[AnnECUCherry]

??? So now you people are concerned about what U.S. liberals think about it? Well, now, that's certainly a sea change, isn't it? Originally, right-wingers claimed that Obama's greeting had dire implications for U.S. influence abroad.

Perhaps you should read my response more carefully.

Here's the quote from you:

"This hysteria has been limited only to U.S. conservatives."

and my response:

"Not necessarily. It was after all a CNN reporter that prompted Robert Gibbs to lie about the bow and claim it to be merely a "reach down for a handshake."

Now explain to me how CNN is a hysterical conservative organization and I'll accept your original statement as the truth.

Why is that no longer important to you people? Do you now agree with me that how Obama chose to greet the Saudi king will have no negative effect on how the U.S. is perceived in the world?

You should take the time to actually respond to my post, specifically the first half of it before asking more questions.

The CNN reporter attached no importance to it. As he admitted, he asked only because people are talking about it.

Now, what "people" have been talking about it?! U.S. right-wing crackpots and people talking about right-wing crackpots talking about it.

...LOTHIAN: When the President met with King Abdullah, there was something that took place which I believe the White House explained was just the president being taller than the king. We took a look at the video, and it does appear that the president actually bowed to King Abdullah. Did he bow or didn't he?

GIBBS: No, I think he bent over with both, to shake -- with both hands to shake his hand, so I don't--

LOTHIAN: -- one hand --

GIBBS: Well I... [laughter]

LOTHIAN: Did he bow or didn't he?

GIBBS: No. But I think this meeting was like a week ago, right?

LOTHIAN: That's right but this is something a lot of people are talking about today.

GIBBS: I can only imagine it is of great cause and concern for many people struggling with the economy....

Obama "Bow" To Saudis: CNN Reporter Asks White House To Clarify

 

[Yurt]

It sure looked like a bow to me. I don't see it as America bowing down to Saudi Arabia though. It's more like, "Hi, we're going to change our relations with the Middle East just as promised. I'm not an arrogant oil man like my predecessor."

King Abdullah IS Saudi Arabia.

You bow to him, you bow to Saudi Arabia.

Whether it was designed to "improve relations" or not is irrelevant.

The mere fact that a U.S. president is bowing to anyone, Islamic monarch or no, is quite disturbing in terms of the message that it sends.

That message is in effect, "we submit to you".

Yep, when I spar with my partner at Taekwondo, I'm really saying "I submit to you".

Bows are a sign of respect, not deference, not submission, not whatever else you have put in your head. It's just respect. There's nothing wrong with showing a little respect to other world leaders.

i see....so the queen of england must be a white belt and the king of muslim arabia is a black belt....

why can't you or any other lib defending this answer why obama did not give the SAME bow to the queen of england or any other head of state....

 

[Yurt]

listen up folks.....according to cherry....unless the liberal media talks about it...

it means nothing

 

[DvDud1]

listen up folks.....according to cherry....unless the liberal media talks about it...

it means nothing

Wrong again, Buckwheat.

What Ann has been saying is that this so-called "bowing" business means nothing, and she's absolutely correct...well, it doesn't mean anything EXCEPT to a small minority of diehard wingnuts who are desperately looking for some way to try to make Obama look as stupid as the dickhead they supported these past 8 years.

Obama will no doubt make mistakes, and it remains to be seen what kind of a President he'll turn out to be, but at least he doesn't embarass America every time he travels outside the country or speaks in public.

And he can pronounce "nuclear", too.

"Bowgate"...ROFLMAO. I gotta tell ya, this thread has really cracked me up.

 

[Maple]

You did not see what you saw, lol, it looks like he came very close to kissing the king's ring but thought better of it.

 

[AnnECUCherry]

Bowing can also imply submission.

Webster Dictionary:

2: to bend the head, body, or knee in reverence, submission, or shame

Seeing how no other world leader bowed to the Saudi King, it is not common respect but rather submission.

As you say, both people in Taekwondo bow. The Saudi King, however, did not bow to Obama.

Because Obama bowed and the Saudi King did not, it is a gesture of submission.

As you point out, "bowing can also imply submission." A bow certainly does not only denote submission.

The parts of the definition of "bow" you omitted prove that:
To incline the body or head or bend the knee in greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.

To bow does not mean all of those simultaneously. To bow can demonstrate nothing more than a greeting.

Exactly, which is why I went to the trouble of listing examples of context concerning the bow which indicate that the submission definition applies while the reverence definition does not.

Read my entire post, please.

You gave your opinion. Your opinion is only seconded by your fellow right-wingers.

If your opinion accurately describes the situation, why have you not backed it up by posting articles from the world press in which they discuss the president "submitting" to the Saudi king and the resulting negative impact on the U.S.'s position in the world?

I tried to help you out. I Googled "Obama submits to Saudi king."

Sorry. Only a bunch of forums there.

I did see that y'all missed one:

Frank Gaffney the director of the conservative think tank the Center for Security Policy was on MSNBC’s Hardball today where he accused President Barack Obama of speaking in code, and telling the Middle East that America will submit to them. Gaffney says using the word respect is code in the Muslim word for submission.
Republicans Claim that Obama is Speaking in Code | Politicususa.com

 

[Star]

listen up folks.....according to cherry....unless the liberal media talks about it...

it means nothing

Wrong again, Buckwheat.

What Ann has been saying is that this so-called "bowing" business means nothing, and she's absolutely correct...well, it doesn't mean anything EXCEPT to a small minority of diehard wingnuts who are desperately looking for some way to try to make Obama look as stupid as the dickhead they supported these past 8 years.

Obama will no doubt make mistakes, and it remains to be seen what kind of a President he'll turn out to be, but at least he doesn't embarass America every time he travels outside the country or speaks in public.

And he can pronounce "nuclear", too.

"Bowgate"...ROFLMAO. I gotta tell ya, this thread has really cracked me up.

hahaha! Cracks me up too, DvDud1.
I've seen deeper bows than that, at most receiving lines at weddings, especially when it's a tall guy shaking hands with a short guy or short woman.

I don't know about you, but what I find most funny about this thread is the righty's have -no chance- none, nada, of -proving- President Obama bowed to ainnneeeeee-one. Only President Obama would know for sure if he bowed or if he was just shaking hands with a guy that is almost a foot shorter than he is. President Obama's spokesman said, he did not bow. That's good enough for me -- prove otherwise, righty's.

I've watched the video several times, to see if I could see what hell the righty's are talking about --- I don't see it, it wasn't a bow -- not for submission, not for deference, not for respect, not for nuthin', no how. Prove me wrong righty's -- so far all you've shown on this thread is psycho-babble, i.e. repeating yourselves over, and over, and... ad nauseam.

You're entitled to your opinion, but that's all ya got --an opinion. There was no bow, just a hand shake -- If I'm wrong, prove it.

 

[SassyIrishLass]

listen up folks.....according to

Obama will no doubt make mistakes, and it remains to be seen what kind of a President he'll turn out to be, but at least he doesn't embarass America every time he travels outside the country or speaks in public.

And he can pronounce "nuclear", too.

Ah, but does he know how many states there are?

 

[InrXeyelArkvst]

....but then, i'm not sure if any POTUS has ever bowed.....

​

 

[Otter_Creek]

Bush is no longer president, I wish we had one, not some acorn appointed affirmative action hack.

He bowed and he sucks too.

 

[Just A Man]

I saw Obama bow to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. If he wants to do that, so be it. But why would one head of state bow to another head of state? The king was only willing to give a handshake to the most powerful leader of the free world. I prefer my president treat all world leaders as equals. OK, Obama did it, let him live with it. Just shows his immaturity and inexperience to all the world. Then worse than that the White House puts out a statement that it wasn't a bow, just a taller man using both hands to shake. Now we got a lie from the administration. Lets see, we get a bow then we get a denial -- both actions should restore our respect around the world and at home.