# Does it look like President Obama bowed? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 9, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529 "2009-04-09T17:15:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/1 "2009-04-09T17:15:47Z")
Just about every programmer in my office is foaming at the mouth about President Obama bowing to the Saudi King in the linked video (at 54 seconds in). It seems that US Presidents are not supposed to bow. OK, so I looked at the video and unless the President is picking something up off the floor he surely did bow. The White House is saying that it was not a bow, that the President was merely dipping down because the king is shorter than him. That’s clearly BS, unless the President was trying to talk to the King’s shoes. So what do you think? Bow or Not? And shouldn’t the White House come up with a better excuse? I think ‘brushing some lint off his pants’ would work better. > **[White House: No bow to Saudi](https://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2009/04/white-house-no-bow-to-saudi-017442)** > > Blog: Obama's apparent bow to the King of Saudi Arabia in London has drawn fire on the right and -- in response to my requests for comment at least -- sil ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/2 "2009-04-09T17:25:09Z")
IMHO, per the forum, yes, he bowed, yes, the WH press office should just admit it, and no, I don’t care. The consistent policy of U.S. presidents since at least the formation of OPEC has been free blowjobs for all members of the House of Saud; this is especially true of 41 and 43. Given that, I have a hard time seeing a bow as a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/3 "2009-04-09T17:27:36Z")
> [@JohnM](#): > > IMHO, per the forum, yes, he bowed, yes, the WH press office should just admit it, and no, I don’t care. The consistent policy of U.S. presidents since at least the formation of OPEC has been free blowjobs for all members of the House of Saud; this is especially true of 41 and 43. Given that, I have a hard time seeing a bow as a big deal. Man, all that money and free BJs too. Seems the rich do get richer. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/4 "2009-04-09T17:28:15Z")
Yeah, you can’t even characterize that as a mild dip. It was a bow, and I understand why the WH is loathe to admit as much, but it’s still disappointing that they have to deliver a CYA lie for such a basic (and I’d venture harmless) faux pas. I’d be willing to bet that it’s probably the last bow he does as POTUS, though. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/5 "2009-04-09T18:31:38Z")
Why are US Presidents not supposed to bow? What if he’s meeting with a political / royal figure from Japan(or whatever other places where bowing is a sign of respect?) Wouldn’t it be rude not to? Someone edumacate me, please! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/6 "2009-04-09T18:34:01Z")
> [@lalenin](#): > > It seems that US Presidents are not supposed to bow. They are also not supposed to salute soldiers, or so I’ve read, but they do it all the time. It’s a mild breach of protocol at most, and anybody who gets really worked up about it has an agenda. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/7 "2009-04-09T18:37:08Z")
If that was a bow it was the worst bow I’ve ever seen. He didn’t look like he was bowing, he looked like he was trying to find something he’d dropped on the floor. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/8 "2009-04-09T19:36:55Z")
My take? He DID bow, he shouldn’t have, and somebody on his staff who knows the protocol should have told him firmly (and privately) “Sir, don’t do that again.” Presumably, he DOES know that now, and won’t do it again. Not THAT big a story here. I’m ready to forget it and move on, even if some of my friends on the Right aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/9 "2009-04-09T19:41:46Z")
'Nother day, 'nother manufactured outrage from the Right. Looks like a bow to me, and no, it doesn’t bother me at all. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/10 "2009-04-09T19:47:25Z")
Manufactured outrage, yes. I don’t know if it was a bow, but I don’t give a shit if he did. At least he didn’t tongue kiss the guy and hold hands with him like Bush always did with his Saudi boyfriends. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/11 "2009-04-09T19:49:31Z")
As a conservative, I have to say that he obviously did bow and that I really couldn’t care less. I do find it funny that the White House is trying to deny it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/12 "2009-04-09T19:49:36Z")
Heh. Just like that picture of [Bush \*père \*holding hands with the Saudi prince](http://www.slate.com/id/2117517/) years ago? Shouldn’t have been a story then, shouldn’t be a story now. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/13 "2009-04-09T20:21:38Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Why are US Presidents not supposed to bow? What if he’s meeting with a political / royal figure from Japan(or whatever other places where bowing is a sign of respect?) Wouldn’t it be rude not to? Someone edumacate me, please! I vaguely remember a piece of the US constitution declaring that the US does not have royalty, nor noble people. Some of our leaders have taken that to mean we don’t recognize _anybody else’s royalty._ I don’t see it that way. I consider it proper protocol to bow to other nation’s royals. You’re not saying, “You’re my king,” you’re saying, “You’re the king of your country.” George W. Bush made a big deal of informality, routinely first-naming world leaders who may not have been comfortable with that. He caught some criticism over that, but that was his style. A president makes his own decisions about protocol and how things happen face-to-face. That’s why president Obama’s edging back to old-fashioned formality seems like such a contrast. By the way, Obama bowed to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, too. That doesn’t mean we are colonies again. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/14 "2009-04-09T21:54:32Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I vaguely remember a piece of the US constitution declaring that the US does not have royalty, nor noble people.. I came to say it’s not in the Constitution Before I posted, I decided to check. And low and behold: > [@](#): > > No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/15 "2009-04-09T22:36:19Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I came to say it’s not in the Constitution Before I posted, I decided to check. And low and behold: Occasionally, the UK confers an OBE, MBE, or even a Knighthood on a US citizen, and that person has to go through the formality of saying it’s only honorary. The US is funny that way. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/16 "2009-04-09T23:23:18Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > George W. Bush made a big deal of informality, routinely first-naming world leaders who may not have been comfortable with that. He caught some criticism over that, but that was his style. A president makes his own decisions about protocol and how things happen face-to-face. > > That’s why president Obama’s edging back to old-fashioned formality seems like such a contrast. By the way, Obama bowed to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, too. That doesn’t mean we are colonies again. The line that the outraged are going with is more along the lines of “oh, so Obama manhandles the Queen of England, but he licks the boots of a man whose government supports terrorism? Just goes to show what HIS priorities are! Shame on him!” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/17 "2009-04-10T00:02:00Z")
It was definitely a bow, and it is bizarre that the press office would deny it. But it’s kind of strange that he would do it. Wouldn’t he be briefed on how to greet the head of state? ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/18 "2009-04-10T00:11:22Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I vaguely remember a piece of the US constitution declaring that the US does not have … noble people. Ha ha. Kind of true, I guess! ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/19 "2009-04-10T00:38:07Z")
Yes, it was a bow. No, I can’t figure out why they’re denying it. More bizarre than outrageous to me. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529/20 "2009-04-10T01:00:09Z")
It is a completely trivial matter that deserves no press or comment. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-look-like-president-obama-bowed/492529.md?page=2)