In other words, supposing you suddenly found yourself face to face with George Bush, in which camp would you fall?
a) I love George Bush! I would shake anything of his!
b) I don’t love George Bush, but would be honored to shake the hand of a living U.S. president, however low his approval ratings.
b) I hate George Bush, but respect is due the office, so I would shake his hand, though in a grudging and not particularly manly way, and I would probably also smile feebly, shuffle my feet and wish I were elsewhere.
d) George Bush will feel the pain of my ostracism! No handshake for you, you undescended testicle of a president!
Put me firmly in Camp D. I wouldn’t go so far as to spit in his face, though.
I once destroyed an opportunity to have my picture taken in front of 10 Downing Street because I refused to remove my “Thatcher Out” badge. So, I hope I’d refuse.
That said, I’d probably be so intimidated that I’d shake his hand, elbow, wang, or any other appendage he proffered.
I managed to botch the lettering scheme, which Larry Borgia was kind enough to ignore, non-confrontational type that he is. The third option should of course be read as Option C.
I would choose D. unless we are talking about Papa Bush, in that case B.
This President and his cronies have greatly reduced this Reagan Voting, Navy Serving, Patriotic Republican’s strong belief in America and the system of checks and balances we have to prevent the abuses I have seen in the last 5 years.
Papa Bush was not too bad and served honorably enough, probably more honorably than the more effective Presidents that immediately preceded him and followed him. His biggest disgrace his helping his misbegotten son get elected. I wonder if he has any regrets at all about this?
Yes, I would refuse to shake his hand, just as I refused to shake the hand of the governor of my state when he came to my workplace. It’s not a matter of politics-- I just don’t want to be sociable with someone I feel is morally bankrupt.
See my answer above. Seriously, he has played havoc with our rights, our standing in the world community and on issues like torture. I have no respect for the man and he has brought more disrespect upon the office that even Nixon did.
At Nixon was a competent POTUS.
I’m with Lissa, although I haven’t refused to shake hands with anyone yet. (Could I extend that to the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh whom I’m more likely to meet?)
In some ways, it’s a more honorable option than option C. I mean, wouldn’t honestly, quietly, refusing to shake his hand be better than doing so while making it clear that you’re doing so and would rather be shaking anything else, including an appendage of a particularly slimy bottom-feeder? Of course, I hope I don’t do anything in a particularly manly way.
Edited to add there are some circumstances under which it would be B, but only if I had little other choice.
Bush is probably the only politician in my lifetime that I feel strongly enough about to actively not want to shake his hand. Even so, I wouldn’t snub him, I would simply avoid a possible hand-shaking situation as much as possible. Fade to the back of the group I’m in, wipe a booger on my hand, put on a fake mustache, whatever it takes.
If after all that he walked directly up to me and stuck out his hand, I would be polite and shake it.
I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to shake his hand. Unless maybe he had just done something I could sincerely congratulate him for. (Like say, “I have serious qualms about how the 2000 election was handled, and I am turning over the presidency to Al Gore for the rest of my term”?)
If I bumped into the guy in the hallway and he held out his hand, or I became a big star and he invited me to the White House, or something like that, I’d probably do C.
What Giraffe said is pretty much what I’d do. I’d avoid the situation, which should be all it really takes. If I couldn’t avoid it, I’d shake his hand, I suppose.
Option B is closest. I have a deep respect for the office of the president, regardless of the individual who holds it; no matter how much I agree or disagree with the politics, the president is still someone I’d like to meet. For a particular president whom I truly detested (think on the level of Liberal and Andrew Jackson; FWIW, I do tend to agree with his sentiment), I could imagine I might be closer to option C (much more likely, my new option, below).
Regardless, I think option D is just silly; it makes you look obnoxious, classless, and potentially self-defeating of the reasons you’re not shaking his hand. Refusing to shake the president’s hand, like you’re causing him some shame or something? Meeting the president is an experience for you (good or bad as it may be); where he meets new people virtually on a daily basis, many of whom I’m sure despise him. I don’t view shaking hands as an endorsement of policy or even implying you like the guy, but just a custom of society.
Instead, for those of you who feel compelled to option D, I propose option E. Respectfully, with a stern “manly” grip, shake his hand; and rather than the typical pleasantry like “It’s a pleasure to meet you”, give him a quick sentence or two that concisely expresses your discontent and disgust in a civil manner or some other clever retort. Example, Him: “It’s a pleasure to meet you”, You: “I assure you, the pleasure is all yours.” or “Quite a grip there; it’s a shame you’re not as good at [managing the war in Iraq | supporting First ammendment rights | (other random political statement goes here)].”
I dealt with the situation with the governor by doing what you suggested (sans boogers.) I stayed in the back of the room, concealing myself behind large potted plants and pillars.
I suppose if I had been confronted with him, I would have said, “Excuse me, I’m not feeling well,” and exited the room before he actually stuck out his hand. (I wouldn’t want to be rude in actually refusing to take the outstretched hand.)
