Politics of it aside - what's with Obama bowing?

[oxcoug]

Why is he, as a head of state, looking at his counterpart's feet in situations like this - when his counterpart is trying to look him in the eye? What's the deal? Does he not get that whatever his thinking on it is, the optics are terrible?

What's hard about standing up straight, shaking hands and looking the other dude in the eye? Is he still pretending to think that it's a gesture of respect?

Any Obamaphiles want to give me the happy spin on our President's compulsive bowing reflex?

[wuapinmon]

Why is he, as a head of state, looking at his counterpart's feet in situations like this - when his counterpart is trying to look him in the eye? What's the deal? Does he not get that whatever his thinking on it is, the optics are terrible?

What's hard about standing up straight, shaking hands and looking the other dude in the eye? Is he still pretending to think that it's a gesture of respect?

Any Obamaphiles want to give me the happy spin on our President's compulsive bowing reflex?

Are they fraternity brothers? I know that Harvard has some weird rituals.

[landpoke]

Why is he, as a head of state, looking at his counterpart's feet in situations like this - when his counterpart is trying to look him in the eye? What's the deal? Does he not get that whatever his thinking on it is, the optics are terrible?

What's hard about standing up straight, shaking hands and looking the other dude in the eye? Is he still pretending to think that it's a gesture of respect?

Any Obamaphiles want to give me the happy spin on our President's compulsive bowing reflex?

He's the Manchurian Candidate.

[SloanHater]

Why is he, as a head of state, looking at his counterpart's feet in situations like this - when his counterpart is trying to look him in the eye? What's the deal? Does he not get that whatever his thinking on it is, the optics are terrible?

What's hard about standing up straight, shaking hands and looking the other dude in the eye? Is he still pretending to think that it's a gesture of respect?

Any Obamaphiles want to give me the happy spin on our President's compulsive bowing reflex?

I reserve judgment until I've seen a pic of Hu's Shoes.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Did you see that picture of Obama's awful Asics? Perhaps he was checking out the dude's kicks to see if he could stop embarrassing his core with awful shoes.

[Katy Lied]

Not an Obamaphile, but it looks as if he's giving the old combination bow + handshake.

BTW, Obama did something I approve of yesterday. He's revisiting regulatory rules. Looking to remove regulation that doesn't benefit the customer.

[SloanHater]

Did you see that picture of Obama's awful Asics? Perhaps he was checking out the dude's kicks to see if he could stop embarrassing his core with awful shoes.

Hack.

Also, why are Republicans so obsessed with Obama's mannerism of bowing slightly upon shaking hands? In my opinion the slight bow is better than shaking with a perma-goofy-grin.

[beefytee]

I wish our head of state would go back to giving foreign leader's back rubs.

[Donuthole]

Not an Obamaphile, but it looks as if he's giving the old combination bow + handshake.

BTW, Obama did something I approve of yesterday. He's revisiting regulatory rules. Looking to remove regulation that doesn't benefit the customer.

[YOUTUBE]7BpwdhAhep0[/YOUTUBE]

[Non Sequitur]

Politics asides, it's not an issue. The only people that seem to have a problem with it and bring it up are people who don't like Obama.

[Jacob]

Politics asides, it's not an issue. The only people that seem to have a problem with it and bring it up are people who don't like Obama.

The question wasn't "is it an issue" it was why does he do it? I find it odd.

[Non Sequitur]

The question wasn't "is it an issue" it was why does he do it? I find it odd.

The only people who bring it up are Obama bashers. No one else cares. So why be disingenuous and throw in the "politics aside" qualifier?

[oxcoug]

Politics asides, it's not an issue. The only people that seem to have a problem with it and bring it up are people who don't like Obama.

Actually not the case -

(a) I voted for Obama (though you're right that I don't particularly like him after seeing him operate for a couple of years)

(b) I have a friend who is a loyal Democrat at State who I spoke with on this very subject and he said "yeah, I don't know what that is, but I know it doesn't look good."

Politics aside: It's weird. There's no good reason for it. It looks bad. I'd say the exact same thing if I saw David Cameron or Paul Ryan or some other politician I like doing it.

[SloanHater]

Actually not the case -

(a) I voted for Obama (though you're right that I don't particularly like him after seeing him operate for a couple of years)

(b) I have a friend who is a loyal Democrat at State who I spoke with on this very subject and he said "yeah, I don't know what that is, but I know it doesn't look good."

Politics aside: It's weird. There's no good reason for it. It looks bad. I'd say the exact same thing if I saw David Cameron or Paul Ryan or some other politician I like doing it.

So why are you using a picture from April?

[creekster]

Actually not the case -

(a) I voted for Obama (though you're right that I don't particularly like him after seeing him operate for a couple of years)

(b) I have a friend who is a loyal Democrat at State who I spoke with on this very subject and he said "yeah, I don't know what that is, but I know it doesn't look good."

Politics aside: It's weird. There's no good reason for it. It looks bad. I'd say the exact same thing if I saw David Cameron or Paul Ryan or some other politician I like doing it.

It certainly doersnt seem to be a good use of non-verbal cues. Unless he meant to. And I can say this 'politics aside.' If you want to control a situation or a room you don't go in and bow or show obeisance. You walk in and assert yourself. But maybe he didn't want to do so.