Without adding any kind of judgement for or against Obama (this video says it all), his recent visit to Japan stirred up the silliest controversy ever. The other day the Drudge Report ran a headline showing the Leader of the Free World bowing to the Japanese emperor, who is clearly not bowing back (and doesn’t…ever, apparently). The reaction? HORROR!
There was even a micro discussion on Fox News Sunday where the panelists (pro-State hacks from both political parties) actually criticized the president for bowing because (and I’m paraphrasing) “American presidents just don’t bow to foreign leaders”.
Do American presidents shake people’s hands, or are they not supposed to show any kind of friendliness? How arrogant is it to assume that shaking hands is the default “normal” way to greet people around the world? I have meetings and human interactions every day where I don’t touch a single person, but bow to plenty (not a deep one, mind you), and it’s not because I’m supplicating myself. That’s just how it’s done around here…you know…in JAPAN where Obama came to visit. I would hope that he’d at least make an attempt to bow to everyone he met, not just the emperor.
If Obama went to France and kissed the cheek of Sarkozy, would Obama be accused of coming on to him?
Am I wrong here?
UPDATE: I actually thought I was a bit late in writing this post, but the fervor continues! There are actually people who are “outraged” at Obama bowing to a Japanese person. These critics better not ever come to Japan, lest they witness the embarrassing spectacle of tens of thousands of Americans living here and bowing to their clearly inferior underclass of conquered Japanese on a daily basis!
Money quotes:
Bill Bennett: “It’s ugly. I don’t want to see it. We don’t defer to emperors. We don’t defer to kings or emperors.”
Gosh Bill, even powerless ones?
Bill Kristol: “I’ll bet if you look at pictures of world leaders over 20 years meeting the emperor in Japan, they don’t bow.”
Maybe not to the emperor, but I seem to recall the first president Bush bowing pretty deeply into the prime minister’s lap back in 1992 though!
In this photo, Dick Cheney can’t even summon the courage to look the emperor in the eye, let alone bow to him, and opts for checking out his package.
Michael is the Editor of JapanTrends.com and Director of the 
No big deal Obama bowing to the Emperor.
I think you are right. Mr. Obama tried to greet in Japanese way (a bit too deeper. lack of practice) and the emperor greets back in western style, handshake. He usually does not shake hands with Japanese, but he has more chances to practice proper hand-shaking with foreign guests than U.S. president does Japanese bowing. I felt beautiful mutual respect from the picture.
@Akky
Exactly. Obama’s bow looks bad because he’s not used to doing it. It’s the same reason that a get sloppy dead-fish handshakes from many Japanese who aren’t used to shaking hands.
I thought the weirder news of the week was that Exile performed for the emperor at his anniversary party.
I definitely agree, and as a far left Socialist I am generally pretty critical of the President. All that is happening in this photo is an honorable exchange between two people. Since Obama comes from a more Western oriented country anyway, wouldn’t it be “kneeling to other world leaders” that we should be concerned about?
oh come on, this discussion can’t be serious! I don’t mean you guys posting, but those other people arguing Obama did something nearly comparable to a deathly sin.
And if you ask me…I actually wouldn’t have done it any different from Obama :/ On top of that, isn’t it so very polite to show his respect for another culture’s/nation’s traditions and customs by adapting them with best intentions?!
PS: I hope you don’t mind any grammatical faults, but English is not my mother tongue.
I think people quickly forget how Americans felt during the second World War about the Emperor. I of course know the war is long over but the symbolism of an American president bowing before the man holding that old position makes a few of us wince.
I am not a one world citizen. I do not bow before Emperors, Kings nor any other titled nobility. Supposedly, that was one of the things we got rid of when we declared independence.
This latest pretender to the false throne of the “Presidency” merely illustrates how low we have fallen.
To those who rationalize so called “Leaders” bowing for us, I say you deserve everything you get. There is not room enough on this site for me to express fully my contempt for so called “Americans” who bend their knee to a foreign power.
Wow, I’ve never read an article comment that expressed so well the way I feel about the current administration. Thanks for posting this.
Both Randall and ezgranny are missing the point entirely. Bowing is what you do in Japan when you meet ANYONE, not just the emperor. Obama just overdid it and did it poorly with bad form, as can be expected from someone who doesn’t know how to do it properly.
You shouldn’t assign any particular signs of Obama declaring any kind of allegiance to the imperial throne of Japan just because you come from a culture where bowing would be seen as such.
He over did it just a little.
I’m an American and despite the fact that stop believing in the powers of Monarchs when i grew up, I will still show a degree of respect to someone of another country no matter who they are,Emperor, or peasant. I was rasied to show respect anyone you meet, no matter who they are.
But, President Obama almost looks like he’s asking him where he got his shoes.
I’m not really biased one way or the other. It was nice that Obama was trying to honor their customs, but he was, in fact, Doing It Wrong.
I would be fine with Obama bowing to signify his respect for Japanese culture, however, that is not why Obama bows. Obama bows everywhere he goes over seas. He’s trying to “even the playing field” by lowering the United States to a subjugates level.
Thats just your personally analysis ezgranny.
I can imagine a reverse scenario where Obama simply nods to the emperor (as so many American critics would seem to have him do) and trigger a backlash among the people Japan crying “disrespect”, etc, which would really, really be bad in the current climate. Critics are looking too deeply into this.
I have to capitulate to the heading of this article. My remarks are under the pretense that Obama’s actions precede anthropological significance.
It’s a shame that people ridicule this man for respecting another country’s customs. “We don’t defer to kings,” well don’t roll-out the carpet for any monarchy including those the monarchy known in Europe. When did we become a country so insensitive to respect? Our country probably wouldn’t bow to Jesus (but it and all others will). We’re so full of our own arrogance, a rotting corpse regenerating from its own decay.
Wow.
Lol, granny got told.