About "the bow"-you'll never believe who gave a fully rational & intelligent explanation on Fox News

[underpants]

Geraldo

This afternoon (can't find video or transcript yet) the "Live Desk" was covering it in the typical Fox News way (lots of "questions" "it is controversial") and on came Geraldo

He explained that since Obama spent so many years with a Islamic stepfather and more importantly in a Muslim world it is completely understandable that he would bow. Obama understands that that is the custom when meeting a person of the stature of King Abdullah. Geraldo gave the cultural example of the practice of Spanish men to always kiss their grandmother on the cheek-whenever they are in the same room. He also pointed out that the Saudi king is not only the governmental head of a country but that "he is the defender of the Mecca and Media, the holiest places of the Muslim world" every Arab leader in some way defers to whomever is the current Saudi king on many matters.

For what its worth. It was a clear and lucid explanation of what is really a non-issue, Geraldo basically said just that. The hosts just nodded and said "that's interesting" until Geraldo was gone.

[parasim]

1. Geraldo said that? Wow.

So I agree with him on one thing. That's cool.

[asphalt.jungle]

4. no message

nm

[underpants]

8. I think the point was that his stepfather (practicing or not) was of that world

so Obama had to learn the customs and such from both his father and being in that world.

[parasim]

16. hmmm... what'd I miss?

[asphalt.jungle]

28. nothing. i meant to reply to the original message. what was posted here is now post #6. n/t

nm

[Xipe Totec]

2. Even though I am a lapsed Catholic,

I still treat Catholic priests with the utmost respect and deference.

I do it as an acknowledgment that I understand and respect the Catholic faith, even though I no longer follow it.

[Phx_Dem]

3. Hello? Obama spent almost NO time with his father. He met him once

when he was ten.

Geraldo sounds like he's trying to push the Obama is a muslim theory.

[underpants]

5. Wait wait wait- I edited the post. He was talking about his stepfather

Sorry

[asphalt.jungle]

6. who is this islamic father he spent so many years with?

the indonesian step-father that was non-practicing? wasn't that only about 4 years early in his life?

geraldo is talking shit.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Except that Obama didn't spend "so many years" with an Islamic father.

His father took off when he was two and he only saw him once or twice after that. His Indonesian stepfather raised him in a secular household. Geraldo is an idiot, as usual.

[rfranklin]

9. Were they upset when Bush kissed and held hands with Arabs?

That to me seemed like going a bit too far! We may have to figuratively "kiss their asses" for oil but that was going a bit too far.

[FrenchieCat]

18. Better question; who did Bush Jr. learn that kissing and holding hands with a king

was the way to go? His dad? so where did his dad learn that? :shrug:

Someone should ask Geraldo!

Since he's got all of the answers, according to you. :rofl:

[Sparkly]

10. I'm sure he understands customs

whether from experience or briefings -- doesn't much matter. You do what's appropriate to the person you're meeting.

In Europe, there's the double kiss (or triple kiss), there's ring-kissing, there's bowing. Chimpy's hand-holding, long after the kisses, seemed a bit excessive... But a greeting? He's leader of the free world, it's hardly going to diminish his stature. Seems like the issue is a conservative insecurity problem.

[elleng]

11. Or something,

and some seem to have it here.

Respect is due.

[Clio the Leo]

12. For crying out loud! Are they STILL talking about that? NT

[swt_nd_smpl]

19. I know the party of NO just have this obession with this stupid non issue.

And we shouldn't keep bringing this nonsense of a story up.

[jenmito]

13. Geraldo must've voted for Obama. He's ALWAYS sticking up for him/fighting the others on Faux

about nearly every subject that comes up.

[spanone]

14. faux is a dangerous propaganda machine...check this

REPORT: "Fair and balanced" Fox News aggressively promotes "tea party" protests

Summary: Despite its repeated insistence that its coverage is "fair and balanced" and its invitation to viewers to "say 'no' to biased media," Fox News has frequently aired segments encouraging viewers to get involved with "tea party" protests across the country, which the channel has described as primarily a response to President Obama's fiscal policies. Media Matters has compiled an analysis of Fox News' promotion of these events.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200904080025?f=h_top

[beac]

21. Get involved? Hell, from that graphic it looks like their nattering twits are HOSTING the

damn parties.

And clearly poor Greta won't be able to provide the same level of... um.... teabagging as her male colleagues. Maybe her Sarah-Palin-promoting husband will be doing the honors for Greta. :shrug:

[masuki bance]

15. He did not bow, the White House confirms he did not bow

And for you to bring in geraldo on faux snooze to back up your false claims is mind boggling.

[ksoze]

22. He did bow - regardless of how inane the issue is

The fervor over the issue is ridiculous, BUT anyone looking at the video can see he bowed. The more the denials of a bow the more it feels like we are what the right say we are - blindly worshiping with eyes wide shut.

[masuki bance]

23. He was looking at something ground level.

[ksoze]

24. Where is your satire icon?

He was bowing using the traditional physical description of the word, but who cares? The more the denial the more we feed the BS meme that we are starry-eyed worshipers and do not believe our own eyes.

[Dreamer Tatum]

25. Which is simple to do when you're bowing

which he fucking well did.

He bowed. It's over. Deal with reality and get over it.

[PBS Poll-435]

17. I am not surprised at all

Most of my favorite late 80s/early 90s (middle & late 90s :-) )daytime talk-show hosts are quality, thoughtful people.

Geraldo, Phil Donahue, Jerry Springer.

[Catshrink]

20. I spent time at a relative's house yesterday...

one of those duty visits. Fox was on all the damn time and they kept showing the video over and over again. I couldn't hear the commentary and didn't want to. The wingnuts are going to use this to question Obama's love of country again -- and it will show prominently in the '12 election cycle.

[slipslidingaway]

26. Obama bowed - Gibbs lied n/t

[Honeycombe8]

27. I doubt that was the reason. First....it emphasizes O's "muslim-ness," of which there IS none.

Second, it goes on to emphasize the King's special place in the Islam religion. I doubt that was running through Obama's mind at the time, any more than it would run through your or my mind. Obama is American and of the Christian faith. He has been exposed to Islam more than many other Americans....but nothing more than that. (Also....I am unaware that O spent "years with a muslim stepfather.")

I think he bowed because someone in his administration got the protocol wrong. O and wife had been accused of not being formal enough with the Queen, so they were going to make sure that THAT didn't happen again, and they got it wrong. (Probably the same guy who has been deciding on what gifts to buy foreign leaders.)

[troubleinwinter]

29. SO?!!! Queen Elizabeth is the head of the Church of England. No bow for her!