The Bow that Stopped the World…

Written By: guyjin on November 17, 2009 No Comment

…or so you would think…

President Obama’s bow to Emperor Akihito in Tokyo over the weekend has made so many waves from Japan to the US that California should probably be on Tsunami warning… So much has already been said about it, but I thought I would just call it what it was – a gaffe.

Was the bow a mistake? Yes. Was it an uncomfortable moment? Yes. Does it matter…? No.

I must say I am far more interested in Obama’s policies and what he does with his presidency than I am about his bow to the Emperor. Although it could certainly be said that this was an embarrassing moment for Obama, and one which the opposition back home are not likely to forget very quickly. It turns out that even ‘rock star’ presidents like Obama can embarrass themselves on the world stage. For every gaffe that the left went wild about under President Bush, it turns out that Obama has his own mislabeled Russian gift, DVD gift to a country that can’t play US DVDs, and out of place bow….

For the record, I wouldn’t have a problem with a short bow of the head in acknowledgement and respect for the Emperor. But protocol and custom suggests that bows should only be exchanged in these situations where both sides reciprocate, or where one party is apologizing or acknowledging their lower status. In particular, a bow as low as Obama’s is unheard of in situations such as this, and is a definite sign of naivety from the US President. I’m sure it was his intention to show respect, but that is not what he did. It is also a no-no to bow and shake hands at the same time, just as it is frowned upon to look at the ground and shake hands. So three out of three for Obama….

Anyway, enough said. If you really want to heap insult on injury, check out the Youtube video that a conservative group have put together showing how 46 other world leaders have recently greeted the Emperor… And here is an ANN report showing the bow that started it all… By the way, the Japanese presenter here says nothing about the depth of the Obama bow…..