Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


29

White House Denies Prez Bowed to Saudi King

President accused of royal breach of protocol at G20 summit

Share

(Newser) – The White House denies President Obama broke centuries of protocol by bowing to a foreign monarch at the G20 talks, Politico reports. A video from the summit showing the president dipping as he greeted Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has infuriated right-wingers who believe the movement was a bow. The deep dip won praise for the president in parts of the Arab world.

"It wasn't a bow," said a White House aide. "He grasped his hand with two hands, and he's taller than King Abdullah."

President Obama meets politicians from Saudi Arabia during a reception for G20 leaders at Buckingham Palace in London last week.
President Obama meets politicians from Saudi Arabia during a reception for G20 leaders at Buckingham Palace in London last week.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, Pool)
President Obama meets with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at the G-20 summit at the ExCel Centre in London last week.
President Obama meets with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at the G-20 summit at the ExCel Centre in London last week.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
This video (not in English) shows President Obama greeting the Saudi king at 0:53.   (YouTube)

View larger videos >>
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »
OFF THE GRID
11.6.09
Galleon Scandal: Shocked, Shocked by Insider Trading
11.5.09
Rupert Murdoch Is Mad but Cute
29 comments
VIEWING:
 
IN RESPONSE:
ObamaBinBiden
Apr 11, 09 3:45 PM CDT
What did it mean when Bush tongue kissed the king? What did it mean when Obama can't admit it was a bow?!
Vote up! Vote down!
0
NutsInNY
Apr 9, 09 5:50 AM CDT
Huh? Isn't this the guy Bush was known to engage in hand holding and kissing with? (And possibly heavy petting when the cameras were off?) Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
Doctor_Zaius
Apr 9, 09 6:08 AM CDT
Bush got to third base with the king on numerous occasions and THIS is a controversy? If I had any doubts that Right Wingers weren't hysterical dim-wits before I would certainly lose those beliefs now.
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
NutsInNY
Apr 9, 09 7:13 AM CDT
"Third base" -- LOL.
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
Doctor_Zaius
Apr 11, 09 3:28 PM CDT
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n158/codename_009/BushKissingSaudiPrince.jpg
Vote up! Vote down!
0

View all 29 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

882 Stories

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

Tuesday Proves Obama Victory Was a Fluke

Reports of a great liberal realignment are greatly exaggerated

Nov 6, 09 7:37 AM CST
(Newser) - The outcome of Tuesday's elections dispel the myth of a great political re-alignment supposedly heralded by the election of Barack Obama last year, writes Charles Krauthammer . Believers swore young and minority voters would establish a new liberal majority and bury the GOP. But Republican victories in Virginia and New Jersey... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • New Jersey • Virginia • election • conservatives • President Obama • Creigh Deeds • Bob McDonnell • election day November 2009 • realignment

Joe Klein

 Tension Builds Between 
 Hillary, Obama 

Clinton a strong secretary, but not yet administration's voice

Nov 5, 09 6:50 PM CST
(Newser) - Ask Hillary Clinton or her staff about President Obama and they’ll praise him and tell you the relationship between the two really is strong. But the tensions between the State Department and White House are starting to show, writes Joe Klein . The president’s foreign policy hasn’t yet... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Middle East • Pakistan • State Department • secretary of State • Benjamin Netanyahu • Obama administration • President Obama • Obama Cabinet

Arianna Huffington

 Hey, Barack: Yes, You Still Can 

Plouffe book recalls a historic campaign that got lost in transition

Nov 3, 09 10:24 AM CST
(Newser) - 'Yes, we can" was the rallying cry of a game-changing campaign that swept Obama to victory on the shoulders of a grass-roots tidal wave one year ago—and President Obama would do well to remember Candidate Obama, writes Arianna Huffington in a lengthy look at David Plouffe's new campaign memoir.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Obama 2008 • memoir • David Plouffe • Arianna Huffington • Barack Obama supporters • President Obama • Obama campaign • The Audacity to Win

HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT?

Dems Chip Away at Agenda, One Bill at a Time

GOP keeps its eye on the prize, lets smaller bills sail through

Nov 2, 09 7:10 AM CST
(Newser) - Health care reform may not be sailing through Congress, but a wave of smaller bills that Democrats have been eying for years have done so under President Obama—in most cases without much fanfare or objection. Republicans, focused on bigger fish, are giving a pass to legislation they once forcefully... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • legislation • bills • congressional Democrats • President Obama • hate crimes

Charles Krauthammer

Time to Act Presidential on Afghanistan

After 'yearlong drift,' Obama can't keep passing buck to Bush

Oct 30, 09 11:40 AM CDT
(Newser) - President Obama loves to blame things on George W. Bush, and on Monday he did it again, referring to the “long years of drift in Afghanistan.” He must be trying to “explain away his own, well, yearlong drift on Afghanistan,” writes Charles Krauthammer . In March, Obama... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • Bush administration • Barack Obama • Iraq war • George W. Bush • Afghanistan war • Obama administration • President Obama • Charles Krauthammer • counterinsurgency

882 Stories


'Bow' video creates royal controversy
Daily Telegraph (UK)

Blogger: Bush bowed, too
Little Green Footballs


Politics  •  World 
TwitterFollow @NewserPolitics on Twitter

 
Barack Obama • Saudi Arabia • King Abdullah • royalty • G20 • President Obama

from our news partners