# George Bush giving German Chancellor a Backrub? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 22, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575 "2006-07-22T04:20:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/1 "2006-07-22T04:20:23Z")
Sorry, I really couldn’t figure out where to post this. It feels to me like a GQ post, but as you’ll see, it’s hard to imagine what objective criteria for an answer there could be. Yet it’s not intended as a “debate” per se. I’m just wondering whether a certain portrayal of a certain action I’ve recently seen in the media is, in fact, a portrayal of what it looks like its a portrayal of. Well, anyway, what I saw appeared to be Bush sort of sneaking up behind the German Chancellor (I forget her name) and initiating a shoulder rub. The Chancellor reacted by cringing and shrinking away, making a very displeased face as she did so. Then Bush just moseyed on along. I guess my question is, is my description of the event itself accurate? What I’ve described is my impression after seeing the portrayal. Is my impression correctly reflective of the actual event itself? -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/2 "2006-07-22T04:23:52Z")
I’ve seen the video of it, and yes, you right. I’ll try to find it for you. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/3 "2006-07-22T04:47:57Z")
There’s already a five-page [Pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=380227) unravelling about this. I vote for skeevy. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/4 "2006-07-22T06:15:57Z")
Angela Merkel. [From the Daily Show.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE3QDQI4NBo&search=daily%20show%20merkel) You can skip to around 50s where it starts. I guess he is trying to be down to earth but it just ends up seeming a little creepy. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/5 "2006-07-22T07:24:34Z")
That’s a Merkel. Merkel ('mir-k&l)- Modern Merken, from the Modern German _merken_ to shrug off the hands of tyranny; mark with unease. 1: A diplomatic Faux Paux 2: Texan hospitatlity. 3: Better…or else. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/6 "2006-07-22T16:31:11Z")
I don’t know why some men seem to think that kind of touching is their right, but they certainly do. My landlord, to whom I have shown no warmth or friendliness to, did the same thing to me once when picking up the rent at my house. I was using the computer and hubby was discussing some repair that was needed, and he sauntered over and did the same damn thing to me. I stiffened and shrank away, but he continued for several seconds. I was horrified, and after he left I showered. It still makes me shudder to think about it, and he never gave any indication that he knew the action was innappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/7 "2006-07-22T18:02:58Z")
I guess he was REALLY looking forward to the pig roast, later that evening. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/8 "2006-07-22T18:11:41Z")
I can’t imagine doing that to anyone unless I was extremely close to them, my SO, maybe my mother or sister. Isn’t this considered a classic ‘sexual harassment’ ploy? ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/9 "2006-07-22T18:16:40Z")
How can he possibly think that’s appropriate behaviour? I mean, I think his policies are idiotically destructive (and self-destructive) and his entire system of government needs an overhaul, but I was willing to grant that he wasn’t a \*stupid \*man… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/10 "2006-07-22T20:37:15Z")
I guess some men just haven’t got rid of the subconscious idea that women are property… ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/11 "2006-07-22T21:33:28Z")
The company for work specifically forbade neck rubs in their sexual harrassment training, but did so not because they were always innappropriate, but because they were not always appropriate, and if something is not clearly an appropriate interaction it is to avoided. Neck rubs seemed to hold a unique position, as no other action like this was specifically forbidden. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/12 "2006-07-22T22:49:24Z")
It’s much too close to someone putting their hands around my neck - very disturbing ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/13 "2006-07-22T23:30:23Z")
pres. carter did kiss the queen’s mum. she was very much not amused. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/14 "2006-07-22T23:44:37Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] I guess some men just haven’t got rid of the subconscious idea that women are property… [/QUOTE] Admittedly I haven’t met many but of Texans I have met, this seems par for the course. \*Doper Texans don’t count as real Texans of course. 🙂 \* ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2006, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/15 "2006-07-23T01:11:42Z")
As tacky as Bush was, it doesn’t approach [Vladmir Putin kissing a small boy on the stomach.](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/06/ap/world/mainD8IMPPN01.shtml) I think Putin and Michael Jackson may have a lot in common. I see George Bush as a kind of Allman Brother. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-bush-giving-german-chancellor-a-backrub/365575/16 "2006-07-23T01:33:00Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] I think Putin and Michael Jackson may have a lot in common. [/QUOTE] Michael Jackson ran the KGB? 🙂