November 16, 200916 yr "At their 1971 meeting in Alaska, the first visit of a Japanese Emperor to America, President Nixon bowed and referred to Emperor Hirohito and his wife repeatedly as 'Your Imperial Majesties.'" "Yet, (and?) Nixon gets the bow right. Slight arch from the waist hands at his side. "Obama's handshake/forward lurch was so jarring and inappropriate it recalls Bush's back-rub of Merkel. "Kyodo News is running his appropriate and reciprocated nod and shake with the Empress, certainly to show the president as dignified, and not in the form of a first year English teacher trying to impress with Karate Kid-level knowledge of Japanese customs. "The bow as he performed did not just display weakness in Red State terms, but evoked weakness in Japanese terms....The last thing the Japanese want or need is a weak looking American president and, again, in all ways, he unintentionally played that part. Nixon's bow Link
November 16, 200916 yr Nixon's bow Link In related news President Obama brushed his teeth this morning and didn't squeeze the toothpaste from the end of the tube...... Come on RTS can the man do anything right with you?
November 16, 200916 yr Do we critique other leaders' handshakes as much as this? Only when they make exaggerated gestures designed to show subservience to other leaders to whom they should be at least equals.
November 16, 200916 yr Only when they make exaggerated gestures designed to show subservience to other leaders to whom they should be at least equals. Absurd.
November 16, 200916 yr Absurd. What is absurd is his continual apologizing for the US being the great nation it has become. This is just on top of his refusal to defend Harry Truman's use of the atomic bomb. After much discussion, Harry made a decision. At least he was capable of a decision without checking the polls and wind direction.
November 16, 200916 yr Do we critique other leaders' handshakes as much as this? Do other leaders bow to each other like this?
November 16, 200916 yr Having worked for a Japanese company the past 18 years I learned that the bow is a sign of respect. The lower the bow the more respect.
November 16, 200916 yr I challenge you to provide a better explanation. A show of respect. End of story.
November 16, 200916 yr Is the issue here HOW he bowed or is THAT he bowed? I don't know if it's an issue or not. Do other world leaders bow to each other? Do American leaders bow? Is it just to certain world leaders?
November 17, 200916 yr Having worked for a Japanese company the past 18 years I learned that the bow is a sign of respect. The lower the bow the more respect. Then you should also know that social status plays an important part in how much one bows and how long one bows. The person of lower status is expected to bow lower and longer. You probably also know that bows which approach 90 degrees (like Obama's) are rare and are often done to show extreme humility after committing some transgression.
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