Did Obama check his bow to Abdullah? – UPDATES!

Let me say right off the bat, I have never thought, as apparently many still do, that Barack Obama was a Muslim. Obama said he was a Christian, and – although it is difficult to believe he sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for 20 years and never heard him utter racist or anti-American sentiments – I tend to take people at their word, until their behavior informs me otherwise.

Such is the case, here. President Obama’s own behavior has me wondering.

I don’t like this video. Spin it any way you like, Obama’s knee is bending, and the head is going very low, almost low enough to kiss a ring, but then Obama’s smooth movements become awkward and stilted, reflecting interrupted momentum – like a batter checking his swing. This looks very much like a man catching himself in mid-bow and suddenly remembering that he should not.

I recall the press making a big stink when President Bush held hands with a Saudi Prince; we were told by all the pundits that it was a “very revealing” gesture, one that “demonstrated” Bush’s fealty to the oil-producers.

I’m quite certain, however, that we’re going to hear Obama’s action – which certainly looks like a checked bow, to me – explained away, with a sniff of disdain. “Actually the president looking for something on the rug,” or “anticipating a step” (which would make no sense, given Abudullah’s height). Perhaps we’ll be told that Obama “has a head cold” and “was stifling a sneeze” or “was suppressing a cough,” or “is very, very tired, and momentarily betrayed his exhaustion; saving the world is very tiring.”

I think it was a checked bow.

What does it mean? Nothing good, I don’t think. Is Obama a Muslim? That is less important to me than whether or not he is lying about it.

The American President does not bow to a King; they are supposed to be equals. I am really reluctant to join the “Obama is a Muslim” club, but he did not help himself by betraying his inclination, here, to bow. Nor, did he dampen down those flames when he banned the press from covering his White House reception for a federation of African-American community newspapers, (including, it seems, newspapers for and by the Nation of Islam) which was giving the president an award. The swooning lapdog press – even if it whines now and then, will never ask the president about that closed meeting. They’ll never ask the president if he was bowing, either. It would be pointless to, of course, but the press won’t even ask. They’ll be too busy trying to explain it away for Obama.

After all, as Chris Matthews said, it’s their job to make straight his path, or whatever.

We saw that this morning, when the stupid, insanely biased press rolled their eyes at those in the UK who minded Michelle Obama breaking protocol and touching Queen Elizabeth. How dare those English criticize an Obama? Now that the Bush’s are out of office, don’t these people realize that anything the American President or his Spouse does is beyond critique? Hey, if it weren’t for us, they’d all be speaking German, and they’d better get with the program!

Is Barack Obama secretly a Muslim or – if not a Muslim – somehow beholden to Muslim interests? I don’t know. Still can’t say. But it’s a fair question, now. And I keep remembering this quote from a writer in the NY Daily News, which is hardly a conservative bastion:

During the campaign, a fellow journalist confided that “I know Obama is a Manchurian candidate, I just can’t figure out what for.” I laughed then, but no more.

**
American Digest has the lowdown (with pics) on how those stupid, graceless Bushies gifted the Queen of England when they met:

President and Mrs. Bush gave Her Majesty a bronze statuette “High Desert Princess” with a personal inscription on the bottom of the base. It is a replica of the original life size statue that is located in front of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth, Texas.

President and Mrs. Bush gave The Prince Philip an exclusive sterling silver eagle box by Tiffany & Co. with personal inscription on the inside lid.

President and Mrs. Bush gave Their Majesties a leather presentation box filled with a collection of documents from the National Archives. One of the items was a copy of an original letter from President Roosevelt to her father, King George, written in 1938. There were also photos from previous royal visits and a DVD of the footage from the Queen’s visit to the United States when she was Princess Elizabeth in 1951.

Informative. Instructive. Some people project everything they are onto others. Over and over again.

Heh. Maybe the Obama’s mean to give these awful gifts they keep bestowing on our allies. Perhaps they’re sending a message. To whom? The whole world, baby. The whole world.

And if they’re not sending a message, then they really need to fire their Chief of Protocol.

UPDATE I: After watching this video by Ed Morrissey, I’m more inclined to think, yes…he bowed. He bowed deeply, to the Saudi King.

UPDATE II: No, he was not “picking something off the floor.” Nice try, but Ed demonstrates that Obama’s right hand was engaged with Abdullah’s, and his left continuously at his side. He wasn’t picking up a gum wrapper. Wasn’t looking for a contact lens. Obama was bowing. Press will ignore.

UPDATE III: Once upon a time, the American Press – in the form of the New York Times would take a president to task for making even a quasi-bow to another foreign head. This wasn’t that long ago. The president was Clinton. Ed has more.

We know next-to nothing about this man, Barack Obama, because the lapdog press would ask him nothing beyond, “what makes you so great?” We’ve never seen so much as a college transcript or a college essay. We only know who his friends were, and they…well, they were not great friends to America. And he bowed to the Saudi king. Deeply. And he is moving fast to control about 30% of the economy.

That, umm…almost doesn’t matter anymore. In his first 100 days, Obama will have dismantled our economy and our capitalist structure for the other model. I told you the coup would be nearly painless, and here we are.

Oh, and while Obama was in Europe, it was the 60th Anniversary of Truman signing The Marshall Plan. But no one mentioned that at the G20. The greatness and generosity of America went unremarked upon. “Submission Accomplished”. But boy, he sure does have a great smile.

**[Note – inserted there was a link to this satirical bit by Jonah Goldberg that I was remarking on, but I hit “publish” instead of “save,” and just decided the hell with all that – at this point, everything seems like satire! And I’m spastic, sometimes. – admin.]

More:
What Obama was bowing to.
Rachel Lucas watching from England
Willfully ignorant amateurs
Michelle Malkin
Clarice Feldman
Powerline
Jawa
Radio Patriot
Aussie Press