# Would you shake George Bush's hand? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 23, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191 "2007-03-23T15:31:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/101 "2007-03-24T22:24:45Z")
[QUOTE=BlackKnight] I also do not understand the concept of having respect for “an office”. It sounds suspiciously like the idea of lordship and royalty. [/QUOTE] I think that a person in the office should have respect for the office. The people not in the office should judge the officeholder. To me, Bush is exactly the same as any other celebrity I don’t respect. I wouldn’t want to shake Roman Polanski’s hand, just to pick a famous person at random. ---
**Author:** ![Grey\_area](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Grey\_area](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey_area)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/102 "2007-03-24T22:38:37Z")
Hell yeah I would shake his hand and I would do it with a big grin and a thumbs up. What a picture opportunity. Still think he’s a god-awful, immoral, self-serving monster of a president, but hey, don’t know how many other chances I’ll get to shake hands with one of the most powerful people in the world. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/103 "2007-03-24T23:45:04Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] You wouldn’t have to bow (or curtsey if you really are a Lisa), it’s not a general requirement these days. The Queen certainly wouldn’t care. Although I admit the panic and nervousness of the situation probably determines peoples behaviour… [/QUOTE] Yeah, Princess Margaret was much more concerned with stuff like that than the Queen. From what I’ve heard all the bobbing of heads up and down makes some of the Royals a bit queasy. ---
**Author:** ![BobPi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@BobPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobPi)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/104 "2007-03-25T00:43:36Z")
D. It is precisely because I do respect the office of the president that I world refuse to shake Bush’s hand. Respect is something that has to be earned, and W. has earned my contempt by doing more to injure this country than any president since, well, since all of them. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/105 "2007-03-25T00:58:04Z")
“Well, I know he’s a racist windbag about to invade Poland and drag my country into a war that will get millions of us and 10s of millions of others killed, but I have enough respect for the office of The Chancellor that I’d shake his hand.” Yeah, I made the comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/106 "2007-03-25T01:22:13Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] Yeah, Princess Margaret was much more concerned with stuff like that than the Queen. From what I’ve heard all the bobbing of heads up and down makes some of the Royals a bit queasy. [/QUOTE] I suspect that the main players in the Royal Family have become aware of the need for things like media management. Our old Queen can get by on longevity and respect (the transition from teenage revolutionary to reluctant monarchist is a common one here, I think and largely due to her Maj who after all wasn’t born to the role but has done the figurehead thing wonderfully). Charles will be at most a short term King. I think that there is also a lot of sympathy for the two young Princes - Harry is the stoned nutter who is going to a war zone and will provide much gossip in years to come, and William is the future King who seems to be in love with a nice girl. It’s not the way that anyone would set up a country from scratch, but the various parts of the UK are surprisingly bound to the orthodox and willing to let the heterodox run free. ---
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/107 "2007-03-25T13:38:47Z")
B. I’d hope that his handshake wasn’t anything like the KOTH episode made it out to be. I hate those kind of handshakes. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/108 "2007-03-25T14:06:24Z")
Can’t I just give him a [neck rub](http://youtube.com/watch?v=wUYcHKqXSAo) instead? If I had full presence of mind, I’d just firmly but politely say “No, thank you.” I guess that’s about a C+ with a little B thrown in. If caught off guard or if he shook my hand anyway, I’d wash as soon as possible. God knows how many other hands he would have shaken that day. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/109 "2007-03-25T14:40:19Z")
I’m another B. Political disagreement is no excuse for incivility or disrespect. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/110 "2007-03-25T15:17:09Z")
Being President doesn’t make you a saint, nor does shaking someone’s hand mean that you are giving them a ringing endoresement. It is, however, protocol. And if I found myself in the presence of a head of state or a respected religious figure, then I’d follow protocol. To do otherwise would be gauche. And, of course, if I didn’t want to shake his hand based on some personal repugnance, then I would excuse myself prior to him offering up his hand. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/111 "2007-03-25T15:45:26Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] I’m another B. Political disagreement is no excuse for incivility or disrespect. [/QUOTE] Perhaps it’s no excuse for incivility when you’re dealing with your next-door neighbor. But when you’re dealing with someone who has the power to actually make and enforce policy, I see nothing wrong with making your disapproval known. And \*respect \* is supposed to be _mutual_. When he shows me that he has some respect for anything that _I_ believe, I’ll offer him the same courtesy. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/112 "2007-03-25T15:50:58Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] Being President doesn’t make you a saint, nor does shaking someone’s hand mean that you are giving them a ringing endoresement. It is, however, protocol. And if I found myself in the presence of a head of state or a respected religious figure, then I’d follow protocol. To do otherwise would be gauche. And, of course, if I didn’t want to shake his hand based on some personal repugnance, then I would excuse myself prior to him offering up his hand. [/QUOTE] Non-Catholics are not expected to kiss the Pope’s Ring and non-Commonwealth citizens are not expected to bow to the Queen. She toured the USS Ranger before I served on her. Sailor’s saluted her, they did not bow. According to **Struan** , it would appear even British citizens have no need to bow to her. Remember part of America being America is we do not have nobility and royal families. This is one of the problems I actually have with the Bush’s and Kennedy’s. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/113 "2007-03-25T17:47:29Z")
The point is moot for me – because of my personal beliefs, I would never be in a situaton in which I would be offered the president’s hand to shake. At least, not this president’s hand. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/114 "2007-03-25T18:07:40Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Non-Catholics are not expected to kiss the Pope’s Ring and non-Commonwealth citizens are not expected to bow to the Queen. She toured the USS Ranger before I served on her. Sailor’s saluted her, they did not bow. [/QUOTE] I _am_ a Catholic. And I know that non-Brits used to bow before royals. Tennis players competing at Wimbledon curtsied or bowed before the royal box after they came out of the locker room. If protocol has, indeed, changed, then I would follow it. Is it protocol for officers to salute all heads of state? ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/115 "2007-03-25T18:19:11Z")
I don’t hate George Bush, but I do think he’s done a pretty lousy job as president, so I guess I’m somewhere between b) and c). And I did shake his hand once, but that was before he’d been in office long enough to screw things up too badly. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/116 "2007-03-25T18:29:22Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] I _am_ a Catholic. And I know that non-Brits used to bow before royals. Tennis players competing at Wimbledon curtsied or bowed before the royal box after they came out of the locker room. If protocol has, indeed, changed, then I would follow it. Is it protocol for officers to salute all heads of state? [/QUOTE] Well, then I understand the Pope part. It makes sense. As far as the Queen, I only know the that the Ship’s Officers and Men saluted her. No one bowed, not even the Admiral or the Captain. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/117 "2007-03-25T19:21:47Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] I _am_ a Catholic. [/QUOTE] Well then, please don’t take my comment about your Pope personally. I’ve nothing against Catholics as individuals, I just had a bad experience with a Pope back on October 13, 1307 (it was a Friday, as I recall). ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/118 "2007-03-25T19:42:15Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] Well then, please don’t take my comment about your Pope personally. I’ve nothing against Catholics as individuals, I just had a bad experience with a Pope back on October 13, 1307 (it was a Friday, as I recall). [/QUOTE] Oh, an undead Templar, are you? ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/119 "2007-03-25T20:17:13Z")
[QUOTE=zagloba] Oh, an undead Templar, are you? [/QUOTE] “Undead” is such an ugly word. Before that, tho - for Phaoroh’s little kiddies I built all the pyramiddies And to the Sahara carried all the sand ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191/120 "2007-03-25T21:14:43Z")
[QUOTE=Sal Ammoniac] 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. [/QUOTE] C. I despise Mr. Bush with the heat of a thousand cliches, but I’m an American and he is my duly elected president. I will treat him with respect, if necessary physically defend him from harm, and, of course, mock his policies for the idiotically confections of bilirubin they are. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shake-george-bushs-hand/397191.md?page=7)