Ledger DC Journal - News, Politics & Crime

President Barack Obama bows as he is greeted by Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and all hell breaks lose in the United States as criticism is hurled at the president for his gesture. Is it inappropriate? Many believe so and are not afraid to voice their opinions.

Obama & Bow - Is the Outrage Legit or Nonsense? (Image: WENN)

The Week notes in a report that one person believes, Obama is denigrating America's global standing 'by teaching Americans "to bow before monarchs and tyrants.'" He cites Scott Johnson at Powerline, a political blog with a conservative view as the source of the quote.

Doug Heye of the Thomas Jefferson Street blog at US News and World Report has an item titled, "Outrage Over Obama's Bow to Japanese Emperor Is Silly," but even with that headline notes, "Coming just months after a similar bow to Saudi Arabian King Abdullah, it is for many an overt sign of Obama's over eagerness to please foreign leaders."


William Kristol said: "I don't know why President Obama thought that was appropriate. Maybe he thought it would play well in Japan." The conservative pundit added on Fox News Sunday, "But it's not appropriate for an American president to bow to a foreign one."

The Week Magazine has the picture here. An AFP report from the Washington DC bureau notes that Democratic activist Donna Brazile came to the president's defense.

"I think it's a gesture of kindness," she told CNN, adding that the bow appeared intended to show "goodwill between two nations that respect each other".