Nick Anderson for November 19, 2009

Call me superficial. Call me silly. But I do understand some of the criticism Obama’s received for this.

You’re the President of the United States, Obama. You ain’t supposed to be bowing those asinine fools who call themselves kings or emperors. They don’t deserve it.

(A note: I loathe the very idea of monarchy.)

Still, I suppose it would be nice to owe less money to China.

One. Great cartoon.

Two. Are you F…….g crazy. Wtih all the problems we have, the economy, two wars, health care, you want us to waste our time talking about a President bowing to the leader of another country?

Forget it! Way waste our time on such nonsense, if you want to be upset about a President and what he did how about the one who put us in this mess, started a unnecessary war, in which people are still dying, and is the one who put us in debt to China for billions!

Scotty’s in his lala land once more ;oD

This incompetent represents the US? Am I the only one to remember the brouhaha over Bush’s pronunciation of nuclear?

The Chinese creditors are facing the wrong way. It’s not the feet that he should be represented as kissing.

I thought bowing was the accepted form of greeting in both places…not an act of obesience(sp)

I think he just bowed to the emperor to take some of the heat off for bowing to the (muslim) king of Saudi Arabia.

What is wrong with respect? Respect is sadly dying in our culture. I think the President being repectful is a powerful message to the world.

Paying respect to our allies? What an idiot. You have to spit them in the face. Just ask Bush.

I am so glad to hear Americans get angry about this too.

Canadians have to have this discussion every time the Queen of England comes. But in the end, they’re just powerless monarchs. It’s not subservience, just role-playing with people who represent someone who used to be important. Makes nice for the camera. Not exactly the same as when he bowed to the Saudi King.

I spent two years on Okinawa in the 60s. As a GI, I often bowed when dealing with the local population. They don’t shake hands, they bow.

Get over it. Obama did the right thing. I know you can’t deal with the idea of a black man doing anything right, but you couldn’t be more wrong.

Why weren’t you as upset when the idiot Bush invaded Iraq which has resulted in the deaths of almost 5000 American and who knows how many Iraqi? He belongs in prison for war crimes. No difference between what he did and Hitler’s invasion of Poland. Get off your dead butt and put him where he belongs.

Yeah, she’s our head of state…..That depends on who you ask though. More and more people are questioning her role in our country, just like Australia. Not ‘cause we hate her, but let’s face it we haven’t been British for a long time.

Is it just me, or are things like “balanced budget” and “paying off the national debt” starting to be popular issues? Dare I hold my breath? LOL!

Ken …Ken….there there…. I must say your comment about bigger fish to fry than President Obama bowing to the Japanese Emperor is partially true, but not totally. I feel this is part of his ongoing effort to ‘make nice’ in the world, as part of our contrition for being regarded as ‘ugly Americans’ by the international community. One thing to consider, that post war Japan was governed by none other than Douglas MacArthur. I don’t believe he ever bowed to the emperor of Japan, for those of you who feel it’s the accepted form of greeting for a head of state. Furthermore, consider this; Douglas MacArthur was revered by the Japanese. Go figure huh?

dennis03 said, about 2 hours ago

in part, you said…..”Get over it. Obama did the right thing. I know you can’t deal with the idea of a black man doing anything right, but you couldn’t be more wrong…”

Huh? Your turn to ‘get over it’, for suggesting that President Obama is critized for his being black, and apparently nothing else.

Back to you Ken, Lucky you. We surely disagree on what battles to fight, so no point rehashing the causes of the ‘unnecessary war’. I do want to mention the billions owed to China. I believe by following the thread of your comment, that you meant to say President Bush was responsible for that too? Wrong my friend. The problem was spawned with our trade agreements. We are buying cheap Chinese products and NOT more expensive domestically produced goods. In simplespeak. …Chinese goods heading WEST …American $$$ heading EAST Thus the balance of trade favors the Chinese. Ah…but WAIT! Lets say the Chinese decides to ‘call in the marker’ and decide they want our Dollars NOW! All of a sudden, the US Dollars value drops precipitiously… The CHINESE Yen gains great value…and THUS….. our thrifty fellow Americans can no longer afford cheap Chinese goods…and the Chinese no longer have a market for what is now MORE EXPENSIVE stuff! Now I ask of you, how do you explain that President Bush was responsible for this, hmmmmmmm? Better go back and vent on your righteous indignation about such trivial matters as bowing being discussed on such an intellectually charged forum as this. ~laughs~

I know this sounds like weird conspiracy stuff, but have you considered how many decisions they’re going to demand your government makes in exchange for that debt money?

Ever consider you might end up being told to go drill in ANWR and send them that oil directly?

I know it sounds crazy, I assure you I’m not nuts, but that is A LOT of money you owe them…Not that Canada isn’t over-debted too, but that’s an impressive amount of interest they’re going to earn.

i would have hoped that we would be used to a president with class, in spite of the previous eight years….

Do the Chinese still accept dollars, or do we have to pay in Euro’s?

And you correct, the sad thing what we are buying from them is trash, we’ve sold ourselves not for gold, but for $1.00 wash cloths.

Guys…a subject kneels before his emperor. In traditional diplomatic practice, peers bow. In other words, as an American, Obama is equal to the emperor, because the emperor embodies sovereignty, but sovereignty is invested in the American people for the US. Any American should bow as a greeting, since we are equal to any king or emperor. In the case of the Japanese, the depth of the bow indicates who is more senior, not the fact of bowing.

Making a big deal over something like our president demonstrating a common courtesy is mindless and just plain silly . It’s just another way to distract our present administration from concentrating on restoring our country politically and economically . Sometimes I feel that there are segments in this Democracy who will do anything to sponser the failure of any policy that attempts to bring about change for the good of all Americans.So anything these idiots can find to delineate the progress the country is making is very clearly an attempt to undermine and to condemn. It is clear and plain and anyone can see it .

GHW barfed in the Prime Minister’s lap. Then he kissed the Saudi King’s assignation, then his son also played kissy face.

Some countries, as noted, shake hands, others bow, it is called courtesy, something lacking in Americans in general, and right wing nut cases in particular, especially those who dodged service to their country and demand instead profit and privilege without personal risk.

Scooterthefrito and his ilk have a lot to learn.

Thanx dtroutma – I was going to say at least he didn’t puke in his lap – always bad pr.

The Japanese introduced a word for barfing in public: Bushuru.

I am no fan of Mr Obama’s, but I suggest that he did a brilliant job of representing the United States in both Japan and China by desisting from the bullying and hectoring tone with which high representatives from the former country were wont to deal with representatives of the latter two. Given, times have changed and the United States no longer finds itself in a position to deal out orders to all and sundry, but the grace with which Mr Obama seems to have accepted this fact does him credit. If only he could apply the same insight and realism to his war of aggression in «Afpak» !…

Henri