Obama Bows Before King Abdullah At G20 Summit

Not the most gracious moment in tha anals of state protocol for a US President. President Obama gives Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom a curt but proper nod of the head as fitting for one head of state to greet a member of royalty. As members of the G20 summit assemble for a group photo, Barack Obama gives the Saudi monarch the kind of bow that would be appropriate for a serf greeting the Saudi King. Could it have been the jet lag kicking in?

Here's the compare and contrast video:



Here is the original video. The audio is in Spanish. Advance the video to 52 seconds where you will see the camera widen its shot. At 54 seconds you can watch 44th President of the United States bow low before a foreign monarch. The American Revolution in 1776 was about freeing citizens from such displays of subservience before royalty. (Remember 'All men are created equal' President Obama?) Did 52% of the electorate in this country who voted for candidate HopeAndChangeWeCanBelieveIn ever think he would bow like a footman before a Saudi Potentate? Is it amateurism or fealty that we are witnessing?



The Anchoress mulls the deep bend-at-the-waist bow of Obama.

I tend to take people at their word, until their behavior informs me otherwise.

Such is the case, here. President Obama’s own behavior has me wondering.

I don’t like this video. Spin it any way you like, Obama’s knee is bending, and the head is going very low, almost low enough to kiss a ring, but then Obama’s smooth movements become awkward and stilted, reflecting interrupted momentum - like a batter checking his swing. This looks very much like a man catching himself in mid-bow and suddenly remembering that he should not.

I think it was a checked bow.

What does it mean? Nothing good, I don’t think.

The Brisbane Times carries the tale of Obama and the King: a right royal bow row.