Note to self... Don't bow to foreign leaders... Don't rub on the Queen... Maybe by the end of his term he will start sailing more smoothly?He blew it, again. I'm thinking that he has failed to be briefed by the Department of State on basic protocol and etiquette. Here's the basics. Americans do not bow to foreign rulers, kings, queens or emperors. It's just not done. You can shake their hands, but that's as far as it goes. He committed a grave error in protocol.
How low will he go? Obama gives Japan's Emperor Akihito a wow bow (Updated with video) | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times
He blew it. A bow is a universal sign of subservience.
YouTube - Obama bows to Japanese Emperor
On the one hand, in Japan a bow is not a "sign of subservience," it's simply a polite greeting--their culture's equivalent of a handshake. If you'll note, Akihito also bows slightly simultaneous with Obama's bow.
On the other, however, Obama's bow is much deeper than Akihito's and the depth of the bow does indicate relative status (or things like contrition--somebody who is apologizing for something will bow deeply).
In this case, I suspect it's more a case of Obama once again ignoring the protocol advisor (does he even realize there is, or was, one?) rather than a deliberate sign of subservience. Considering his past history of snubbing the British while bowing and scraping to the Saudi's I'd expect him to snub the Japanese rather than be subservient to them. Japan's relationship with the US has been entirely too friendly for Obama.
Obama just loves to bend over for foreign leaders. Seems he just cant help himself.
“The National Enquirer now suggests Barack Obama had an underage, gay affair with a pedophile. Yup. That Frank Marshall Davis guy Barry says was his good friend? Turns out he was a perv of the first order and liked young boys.