By GI Korea on April 8th, 2009 at 11:44 pm

What Did Lee Myung-bak Think of This?

• In Seoul
  5:16 pm on April 8th, 2009 1

  DISGRACEFUL

• Lemmy
  6:02 pm on April 8th, 2009 2

  Come on, what did you expect? I won't be surprised when BO has tea with Osama Bin Ladin in the White House. I proudly announce to the world "I Lemmy – did not vote for BO!"

• The Clam
  6:09 pm on April 8th, 2009 3

  This is pathetic. Only would the American right make a big deal about this. He was being polite. Maybe it wasn't the best thing to do, but let's not forgot about Bush and the King holding hands. Neither one of them matter. It's called tact, and both Presidents did something odd. Get over it.

  Lemmy…you must be so proud. Now you can claim to be part of the MINORITY that is inciting violence. Good for you, pal.

• ChickenHead
  8:53 pm on April 8th, 2009 4

  Give Obama a break.

  Carter kissed Brezhnev yet he still managed to be a fine president and strong leader… who gained the love of Americans as he led them out of recession… and who commanded respect from the leaders of other nations who feared his iron will.

  Especially during Carter's second term where… uh… wait… bad example. That's not what happened.

  "but let’s not forgot about Bush and the King holding hands"

  Yes, Clam, let's forget about Bush. He is not the subject here. Obama's actions are the topic. Bush's many embarrassing actions don't excuse Obama… especially when I was specifically promised Hope and Change.

  Obama bowing to royalty is not polite. It is fantastically impolite… to Americans.

  It is disrespectful to the United States of America which was founded upon the idea of an elected government and the rejection of royalty and the oppression under it… of which the Saudi monarchy is a pretty perfect example.

  America has maintained a tradition of specifically NOT bowing to royalty… until now.

  If one wishes to take it one step further, once can compare servitude under royalty to the masters of slavery. Certainly nobody would excuse Obama with "politeness" if he bowed to a slave master…

  …yet that is exactly what he did. Slavery and near-slavery in Saudi, especially among the royal family, seems rather common.

  And don't forget the issue of the White House denying that Obama bowed… even after pictures swamped the Internet. I thought the Lie About Everything Mentality was done when Bush left office.

  Where is my Hope and Change?

• Pete
  10:33 pm on April 8th, 2009 5

  He was just checking out the Kings's shoes – the King is probably a big tipper.

• Pete
  10:48 pm on April 8th, 2009 6

  Bad joke – I apologize.

• The Clam
  11:58 pm on April 8th, 2009 7

  First of all Chickenhead, you need to eat your own words. You lectured me about mentioning Bush immediately after you finish your pathetic diatribe on Carter.

  Bush holding hands with the King was much more of an endorsement of the Saudi Slave Master than a handshake/bow. Save your rant.

  It is odd that the WH denied it though.

  As Stewart said recently, save some of your bitterness. It's only been 10 weeks.

  http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?vid…

• ChickenHead
  4:38 am on April 9th, 2009 8

  "First of all Chickenhead, you need to eat your own words. You lectured me about mentioning Bush immediately after you finish your pathetic diatribe on Carter."

  No words will be eaten here. The Carter thing was obviously a joke and unrelated to more serious thoughts on Obama. You are smart enough to recognize this. Don't play dumb and indignant.

  Carter was the only completely honest and sincere man to ever be president… and it will never happen again. That may, or may not, be too bad.

  "Bush holding hands with the King was much more of an endorsement of the Saudi Slave Master than a handshake/bow."

  Once again, you try to mix separate issues. Bush was an idiot, too. Happy?

  "save some of your bitterness. It’s only been 10 weeks."

  There is a lot of truth to that. Every president has a learning curve. Obama is handicapped by a true lack of executive experience and an unbelievably poor group of advisers and co-workers… or would that be lackeys and henchmen?

  In the end, none of this matters. How many LCD TVs and SUVs Joe Sixpack can afford in the next 3 years will be be the most important indicator of Obama's success as a president.

  Did you have any serious thoughts on how America should present itself to dictators, monarchs and figureheads?

• SRS
  4:54 am on April 9th, 2009 9

  Hey, leave Jimmy Carter alone, at least he waited until AFTER he was President to bow to Kim Il Sung

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MOntziNNl4

  minute – 5:42

• Sonagi
  6:53 am on April 9th, 2009 10

  According to international norms of protocol, heads of state do not bow to other heads of state, including kings. The Obamas did NOT bow or curtsey to Queen Elizabeth. Our president's display of obsequious reverence for the Saudi king was probably not unconscious sexism but a calculated attempt to cultivate a positive image among Muslims. Bowing to the king of a country where religious intolerance and gender inequality are enshrined in law is not just a violation of protocol but a greater affront to our values than Rummy shaking the hand of Saddam Hussein. We need Saudi oil, so we can't spit in their faces, but our president should not be bending the waist at a 45-degree angle to any leader, let alone one who uses religion to deny women full citizenship and shows disrespect for other faiths by allowing no organized worship.

• a listener
  7:36 am on April 9th, 2009 11

  #2 "Come on, what did you expect? I won’t be surprised when BO has tea with Osama Bin Ladin in the White House. I proudly announce to the world “I Lemmy – did not vote for BO"

  Well President Bush did have tea in the white house with Saudi Prince Bandhar the night before 9/11. your argument is done sir.

• a listener
  7:43 am on April 9th, 2009 12

  This better have been a trip of the foot or another object not seen in the camera angle. Otherwise Im sure photos of him politely bowing to other royalty around the world at the event are lying around. The Saudi king of course would be the one picked for propaganda.

• Sonagi
  10:11 am on April 9th, 2009 13

  Photos of Obama bowing to QE II do not exist because he did not bow. His and his wife's handshake greetings were noted by firsthand press observers at the time.

• a listener
  10:17 am on April 9th, 2009 14

  Well Sonagi was QEII and the Saudi king the only 2 royalty there? Im searching for the entire video right now.

• a listener
  10:20 am on April 9th, 2009 15

  Searching through history to seeif this is the first time a U.S. president has done this either by mistake or courtesy would also help. the is 200 plus years to sift through since the witchhunt has officially begun.

• a listener
  10:21 am on April 9th, 2009 16

  there is , excuse the typo.

• Sonagi
  10:24 am on April 9th, 2009 17

  I just watched the linked Youtube video at Gateway Pundit. The Obamas gave a slight nod of the head as they shook Queen Elizabeth's hand. Barack Obama then makes a deep bow at the waist as he meets the Saudi King. The little big bow isn't going to cost him votes, but it does make delicious fodder for his opponents.

• Sonagi
  10:27 am on April 9th, 2009 18

  FYI, I voted for Barack Obama in November. Not that it matters. Knee-jerk defense is no better than knee-jerk criticism.

• Mark
  10:47 am on April 9th, 2009 19

  The right hand over the heart with a low bow is the traditional Arabic greeting. It does not show any oath of fealty whatsoever.

• In Seoul
  11:23 am on April 9th, 2009 20

  In Korea the subordinate bows and the superior does not reciprocate. Is this different in Arabic culture, Mark?

• In Seoul
  11:40 am on April 9th, 2009 21

  Correction: Arab culture

• Mark
  11:45 am on April 9th, 2009 22

  It should be reciprocal, after the handshake. The President screwed it up and did it as he was shaking hands.

  A kiss on the shoulder is something a subordinate would do and the superior would not reciprocate.

• Hamilton
  11:46 am on April 9th, 2009 23

  The right fist held high palm towards heart with middle finger extended is the traditional United States Greeting to tyrants, kings and dictators. All very appropriate in this circumstance.

• Sonagi
  11:56 am on April 9th, 2009 24

  Photos of world leaders greeting Arab kings and sheiks and Arab leaders greeting each other routinely show men embracing and kissing each other's cheeks. One leader does not bow deeply to another. Obama's bow does not show loyalty but it does show subordination. It was a well-intentioned yet awkward faux pas. Now let's move on.

• BobDole
  12:42 pm on April 9th, 2009 25

  It makes me sick to see him grovel like that. The office of the US President used to be dignified and honorable, now it has been debased.

• The Clam
  1:40 pm on April 9th, 2009 26

  "The office of the US President used to be dignified and honorable, now it has been debased." 2000-2008

• In Seoul
  3:31 pm on April 9th, 2009 27

  Thanks for the useful feedback.

• BobDole
  5:05 pm on April 9th, 2009 28

  – It really must kill the leftists that Bush is no longer the President. I sometimes hate to remind those guys that Bush is gone. Looking in their dull empty doe eyes, and telling them the boogie man is gone breaks my heart. Bush is gone Clam, time get over it.

  Sonagi, you said it quite well: "Knee-jerk defense".

  Even with all the media heaping praise on everything Obama does, eventually American are going to expect results. I personally hope he does well, but so far he has been an abysmal failure. The G20 summit had no meaningful results. Harold Koh wants to apply international law in the American courts. The main stream media praises his every move, even when he basically does nothing. He is looking more and more like an empty suit.

• In Seoul
  5:29 pm on April 9th, 2009 29

  “Harold Koh wants to apply international law in the American courts.”

  If true, a significant concern indeed, BobDole.

• GI Korea
  9:42 pm on April 9th, 2009 30

  I appreciate Sonagi's comments because as she said people shouldn't just reflexively defend someone for ideological purposes. Obama screwed up, which isn't the first time and won't be the last. I doubt he will be bowing to any Saudi kings or thinking people in Austria speak Austrian ever again.

  What this image should serve for though is a paid advertisement on why we need oil independence so no US President has to bow or hold the hand of any Saudi king ever again.

• Pete
  10:11 pm on April 9th, 2009 31

  If bowing, holding hands, kissing, or even worse, gets gas prices down a quarter a gallon then I say good job Mr. President.

• 80s 90s Troop
  12:14 am on April 10th, 2009 32

  [DELETED BY ADMIN]

• ChickenHead
  2:49 pm on April 10th, 2009 33

  GI,

  I'm going to support 80s 90s Troop on this one.

  His comment "Slave" was not intended as an arbitrary attack upon Obama based on his race (which is not black)… nor was it some irrelevant comment on America's history of slavery.

  80s 90s comments are opinionated, relevant and clear with no history of inappropriate or inflammatory language. This should be taken into account before knee-jerk deletions… and, at the least, time should be given for those with different interpretations to complain so that explanations can be given.

  I took this comment exactly as he later explained it… as an soul-selling and inappropriate act of voluntary subservience to an individual and a system which is quite comfortable with slavery and the cultivation of subordination…

  …and, in relation to Pete's comment, this subordination is traded for very little real gain… which is one of the characteristics of slave mentality.

  Therefore, 80s 90s comment was exactly appropriate.

  Anybody who would advocate trading away the dignity of their country and publicly transferring valuable and hard-earned political capital to a regime so diametrically opposed to American values… just so SUVs are cheaper to drive for a few years… is certainly a slave…

  …a slave to short-term politics, the multinational corporations which benefit and the culture of instant gratification which is now causing crippling economic instability and rapidly changing the fundamental structure of the American System.

  Despite the insistent bleating of special interest groups backed up by the media, black Americans do not have the monopoly upon slavery nor do they have the right to limit discussion or comments upon other aspects of it to avoid contrived offense and indignation.

  Don't encourage this politically correct line of reasoning by assuming all comments on slavery are meant as a insult to people with black skin.

• BobDole
  5:26 pm on April 10th, 2009 34

  It's pretty sad how the leftist wingnuts line up like lemmings all preach the same line about how a US President kowtowing and groveling is actually a good thing.

• 80s 90s Troop
  7:30 pm on April 10th, 2009 35

  Lets try this then: will sell your soul for a quarter a gallon? Black gold has made a sssss of you your soul. PC enough for Admin? Didn’t know there was an
  S word. Please send memo.

• 80s 90s Troop
  2:04 am on April 11th, 2009 36

  Chickenhead

  I've been reading your comments here for the better part of two years. I don't agree with you always, but most of the time. You have a way with the words. You are correct about my meaning in the above. The last thing I was thinking about was our President. I was thinking about a guy with no pride and willing to sell his soul on the cheap for better gas prices. I was shocked that my one word comment was deleted. Now, that I've thought about your words, I find it sad that gi's first reaction was one of racism. I have never thought of our president and the word "slave" in any way connected. His father was from Kanya. Mother from Alabama. No slave blood there. I thought gi to be a bit more enlightened. I know many people today that are slaves. Slaves to drink, slaves to dope, slaves to PC, slaves to money, it goes on. Nice to know, not all have lost their hold on reality.

  Thanks Chickenhead.

• Pete
  3:32 am on April 11th, 2009 37

  Politics and religion don't mix.

• Pete
  3:47 am on April 11th, 2009 38

  I see you have done your homework on Obama's background. Smile!

• 80s 90s Troop
  6:32 am on April 11th, 2009 39

  Common knowledge is not "homework". Please excuse my interest in my C&C

  "W" is from Texas. McCain was a POW. Mr. Clinton really liked cigars. Beats "reality" TV.

• Pete
  11:57 am on April 11th, 2009 40

  Wow: Clinton liked cigars – I wonder if he inhaled?

• ChickenHead
  7:18 am on November 14th, 2009 41

  Obama just bowed to the Emperor of Japan…

  …the photos are pretty clear… one wonders if the White House will try to deny… again.

  So Saudi kings and Japanese kings get the Full Treatment… Queen Elizabeth got a pat on the back.

  Keep it classy, Obama.

• Rei
  1:07 am on May 28th, 2010 42

  It is good that you are not a racist…

• Rei
  1:12 am on May 28th, 2010 43

  Jimmy Carter helped the Khmer Rouge keep the Cambodian seat in the UN (in order to fight the Communist Cambodians and their Vietnamese allies) and gave lots of money to horrible extremists in Afghanistan in a plan to start a war that has killed millions and is still happening (right now with American soldiers instead of the Soviet ones). But you are right that he was probably better than most of the American presidents.

• Rei
  1:16 am on May 28th, 2010 44

  BP

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