What is up with Obama's habit of bowing to some foreign leader's and not others? The real puzzling thing is why he feels the need to bow at all? American president's had a completely consistent record of not bowing to royalty, as that was the form of government we rebelled against and sought our independence from. But this guy uses the bow like a wink at at a poker game. It's not a diplomatic formality, it's a message!
| Royal Leader | Obama | Any other President | |
| Saudi King |  |  | |
| British Queen | | | |
| Japanese Emperor | | |
Is it a sexist thing? Even if you think that maybe bowing to Royal figure heads is just a nice warm and fuzzy diplomatic ritual that we should begin to observe, why is it that he does not bow consistently? Saudi King; OK, no women allowed so nothing really there to observe. British Queen; OK, he learned his lesson about the whole bowing to royalty thing, so he's not going to do that again! Japanese Emperor; Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! We kicked these guy's asses! They owe us everything! and he is bowing to their figure head leader? Even more telling was the deep, and far bow he gave to the Emperor, and the lame nod of the head, hardly even qualifying as a bow, that he gave to the Empress.
What's the logic/message here?
Is it "get in your Burka and shut up!"?
