WW Political Analysts.. please weigh in

HisEarth.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091116/pl_afp/japanusdiplomacyasiaobama

VarunaTT

My political analysis:This is fucking stupid.

Wonderw1fe

This is beyond stupid. Our egos are too damn fragile. At least he didn't throw up in his lap at a state dinner.

fishgirl77

Seriously?  Did they miss that our economy is in the toilet?  They're wasting oxygen complaining about random political gestures?

hmonkey

i concur with varuna's analysis.  also, this is clearly a situation of too much western thought, and not enough eastern understanding. my addition: as someone who comes from a bowing culture, i do think it's a little low.  children bow like that -- low and at the waist.  adults make it more subtle.oh -- and nixon bowed to hirohito. 

ReturnOfKuus

Whuh? Isn't this kind of like shaking hands, minus the icky touching?

MinM

Nixon also threw up the peace sign, which didn't mean the same thing in the country he was visiting.

VarunaTT

And honestly, not even Republicans think Cheney is nice.  So, comparing the fact that Cheney didn't bow to Obama bowing?  B/c the Bush foreign policy was obviously AWESOME, right?I'm all for trying a little respect for other cultures at this point.HMo, is right, it's a bit low, but maybe he meant it as a farkin' apology for the US worldwide mess.

Wonderw1fe

Again, please see Bush 1st yakking into the lap of the prime minister of Japan.

hmonkey

a bow isn't really the same as a handshake, in that you don't do one or the other -- you do both.  it's a sign of respect -- for yourself and the other person. westerners seem to confuse a bow of submission and a bow of respect.  it's two separate and different things -- i mean, you handshake and slap someone in the face with your right hand, but that doesn't make them equal. as for what he meant -- i doubt obama meant to apologize for anything.  he was probably just being respectful -- because that is the kind of leader he is.

MinM

I would like very much if we could all just bow instead of shake hands. Kuus is right, it would cut out all of the yucky germs. As for this stupid story....must be a slow news day and/or when you are in a position with as much power/prestige as Obama, people are going to pick everything you say and do apart. I mean, just ask that chick in all the Twighlight movies. She'll tell you.

VarunaTT

Yay!  I can finally post.HMo, I obviously had a sarcasm fail there.