Conservatives, WH Spar Over Saudi "Bow"

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Did President Obama bow to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at last week's G-20 meeting?

Conservatives say yes – and some aren't happy about it. The White House, meanwhile, says the president did nothing of the kind.

Ben Smith has the story. As he notes, the president met Abdullah last week in London and appeared to bow to the Saudi leader, prompting outrage from some conservative quarters.

"The President of the United States executed a bow to a monarch so deep that he literally had to take a step back to balance himself," wrote Hot Air.

"No American President should ever make such an obsequious display to any monarch — ever," added the blogger.

(Memeorandum has links to much more reaction here.)

Here, thanks to CQblogger, is video of the moment:



A White House aide, speaking anonymously, told Smith that the president's movement "wasn't a bow" – and suggested that it resulted from a height disparity.

"He grasped his hand with two hands, and he's taller than King Abdullah," the aide said.

Was the motion, as the conservative Washington Times suggests in an editorial, a "shocking," protocol-breaking "display of fealty to a foreign potentate" "befitting a king's subjects, not his peer?" Was the White House's explanation satisfactory? And if the president did bow – does it matter?

(Liberal Alan Colmes says no. Conservative Power Line says the bow is less the issue than the White House's denial, which the blog deems false.)

[democracy1]

Honestly, who cares? Remember all the neocon fuss about "breaking protocol" when Michele Obama (GASP!) touched the Queen?

Now they're freaking out because Obama just MIGHT have been showing respect and following protocol?

Remember Bush holding hands?

Talk about making mountains out of molehills!

It's called "grasping at straws" which is all the Party of No has left.

[CLoverNYC1]

In America we shake hands when we greet national leaders. A handshake and a nod would have sufficed at the G20.

President Obama was sending a message to the muslim world that he is ready to bend over in order to meet the concessions of partnership.

And throw America and Israel under the bus in the process.

[CLoverNYC1]

President Obama represents the United States of America and as such he should never bow before any other national leader. Period. They are peers.

What is most disturbing is that the WH lied about it.

[raza1400]

Bush's bow

[raza1400]

http://www.aawsat.com/2008/01/15/images/front1.454177.jpg

[kristi_bit]

its called showing respect, and it's clearly not Obama's leg "stepping backward because he bowed so low".. its the man standing in the background.

[debhilliard1]

let's not be naive
he didn't bow like that for nothing
you can be sure he was coached in
proper protocol

[summerfey]

I applaud President Obama for bowing to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia! He showed honor and respect, which should encourage other countries to show honor and respect for us. I think he made a beautiful gesture to the King. As wogerwabbit said, the conservatives are too haughty to show respect for anyone. Kudos to President Obama!

[cafben]

I don't know what the big deal is? Saudi Arabia is a country that still has a large slave population. The Arabs have historically been prolific slave traders. For an inferior, slave race to greet the king upright would have been arrogant. Obama actually did the right thing. Had Obama not bowed to the Saudi king it would have been a great insult. God knows the last thing we want to do is make the peace loving muslims mad.

[radiddy1]

You know... Obama is a man who is really trying to set the United states on its rightful path, and have its rightful place in America as far as respect.....He is not a perfect man, I will be the first to admit... But for the 1st time in a long time, I am excited about a person, who is actually putling the american people first. The bow to me was a show of respect, also to show that United states respects other countries. But he can never do anything right!!!! if he ate oatmeat, you would be mad that it wasn't cream of wheat. !!!! i know we have diffrences, but please people ...please lets try and support him and see what happens. ...we are not in a position to de divided at this point..