Fawning Obsequiousness

I have stayed away from personal attacks on President Obama because I think they are not only unproductive, but also wrong (not to mention, they make me cranky). As the President of the United States, Barack Obama is my President, and as such, his words and deeds deserve at least the respect due his office even when I am in complete disagreement with them.

If only the President shared my respect for his office.


This picture (found at The New Clarion) is one of the most disturbing things I have seen in a long time. This is the bright and articulate leader of the free world, who won the the hearts and minds of millions of intelligent American voters on the nebulous platform of "Change" actually bowing deeply to the King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (who was named #4 on Parade magazine's list: Worst Dictators in the World).

While touching Queen Elizabeth's back may be a sign of the casual stance of the new First Family, or it may be attributed to nerves - neither of which is terribly important - this waist-deep bow by the President of the United States to the leader of a totalitarian Islamic country speaks volumes about his intentions as our leader. But why wasn't this news? Why is Michelle Obama's fashion more important than our President's prostration before the Saudi King?

Why was this reported in the New York Times when President Clinton made a slight bow to the Emperor of Japan in 1994? Why was Bush's literal hand-holding with the Saudi King in an unofficial, but supposedly friendly capacity (just weirdly icky if you ask me) at his Texas ranch touted as "This administration, under President Bush has persisted on showing fawning obsequiousness toward Saudi officialdom", in the Huffington Post, but mention of this kowtow, which occured last Thursday, was not reported by either outlet?

This following brief video juxtaposes Obama's body language when meeting the Queen of England with that during his meeting of King Abdullah. (The Vince Guaraldi-like music is covering the fact that the report is from a foreign news outlet.)





Even if you think this bow can simply be excused as a mistake of protocol, why did he do it? What in his character caused him to think this was a good thing to do as the President of the United States on the international stage? And, most significantly to critical thought about the state of our nation, why was it not widely condemned by the media?



I am otherwise speechless.

Comments

Realist Theorist said…
When Roosevelt first met the Saudi king, the poor bedouin was eyeing Roosevelt's wheelchair and making comments about how he would love to have one. Roosevelt ended up gifting his spare wheel chair to Ibn Saud.

The west has made that family what it is today.
April 8, 2009 at 7:02 AM
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