The usual suspects get freaked out over an act of protocol.
As with much of the punditry in Tea Bag land, the columns above lack one thing as they lavish their criticism-context.
Bowing is an accepted social custom when first meeting someone in Japan-and is especially expected when meeting Tenno-sama. I’d also point out that many American officials have met the Emperor and have bowed-as well as -plenty of lower minions have met other government officials, such as myself. You can bet I bowed when meeting important people.
Plus when you see the actual meeting in the motion of real time-not just a frozen still shot-Obama’s bow is not in the least unusual, and its quite similar to others I have seen when meeting an important Japanese dignitary.
Its not that different from anyone else. That the Emporer did not bow back is also not unusual-the President was on Tenno-sama’s “home turf”. If you do a Google search or an index on You Tube you can find plenty of other heads of state who have done the same thing when meeting the Emperor.
And I suppose no remembers the Commander of US Naval Forces in Japan bowing deep to members of the Japanese goverment?
It won’t stop O’Reilly and Hannity and the rest of the mentally retarded commentators from having kittens over it though. But, as it typical for them, they will be wrong.
Move along-there is nothing to see or talk about here.
If his only mistake, while president, is bowing too low to other heads of state, then we will be in pretty good condition.
Of course, others, who lamented at the criticism of the former president Bush over things like warrantless wire taps, enhanced interrogation techniques, et. al. are all over this. Seems sort of silly.