Charles Johnson posts that Pres. GW Bush bowed to King Abdullah, and posts a video.
In the video, George W. Bush is leaning down in order to receive a medal King Abdullah.
I am more than willing to criticize Bush’s hand-holding and receiving medals from the Saudis, as the US persists in remaining dependent on Saudi Oil. However, Obama’s bow was, as Jules put it, a
gratuitous abasement of the office of the presidency.
Fie on both of them.
Eh. I think Charles was overreacting there, something he’s been doing more and more of recently. Bush had to bend over to receive the medal, as he’s a fair bit taller than Abdullah. It was to avoid embarrassing the giver. And the hand-holding was not a sign of submission in Islamic culture, unlike Obama’s bow.
Context is everything, and if someone can’t see the huge difference between former President Bush stooping to accept a medal, from a relatively shorter head of state vs. voluntarily bowing before a head of state at their own initiative, well, then that says much about the willful ignorance of that person making the claim that there is no difference between the two situations.
Greetings:
President Obama wasn’t bowing; he was just opening his Barack Hussein Obama Presidential Library and Lifetime Financial Security Campaign.
Can you post this video on youtube so it can be downloaded, or provide a downloadable link to it?
Thanks
Oh for those subtle differences. Bush in this case kissed both cheeks of the king, a tradition firmly established by his father with regard to Saudi Arabia, indeed with attendant funding for a Presidential library. When the Presidential Medal of Freedom or Congressional Medal of Honor is awarded at the White House, it is placed around the neck from behind, and when the Queen of England bestows knighthood honours, she personally hands the boxed decoration to the recipient. Any video footage out there of how Bush conducted himself before the Pope? Any kissing of rings?