Experience is over-rated. JFK was a greenhorn and Krushchev thought he'd set up base in Cuba. But the greenhorn told him to pack up and leave, or else.
Maybe it isn't etiquette to bow to another head of state. Big deal.
I've just had a closer look and it certainly doesn't look as though Obama was checking his shoe laces. It was a decent-sized bow.
But notice Abdullah's far-outstretched hand long before Obama got near him - and raised high too. An obvious gesture or enthusiastic welcome [as you'd expect when somebody is meeting their biggest customer who is talking about switching to some other product aka alternative fuels].
Note too Obama getting up from his deep bow and crashing straight into Abdullah's personal space, leaning over him and talking close to him. That's hardly a diffident approach. On the contrary, it's quite a dominant approach, even aggressive.
So the body language was "Oh oh, here comes Obama. I'd better be on my best behaviour and give him a great welcome. Hand way out, smiling and keen".
Obama can swooping in, "Cool, here's the King of all the Moslems, keeper of the main stuff. I'll make a friendly bow to show him I'm harmless and make a good impression and acknowledge his high position." But straight afterwards, he couldn't help but assert his dominant and tough, albeit friendly, attitude.
I doubt very much indeed that Abdullah got the impression that Obama is a greenhorn pushover. I'd say on the contrary.
Etti Quette is no doubt a lovely lady, but she's not the boss. People stuck fearfully in formality and protocol are the weaklings. Somebody confident enough to bust out in directions they choose are the tough guys.
Looking a bit further in YouTube, here's the tale of two bows = Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip compared with Abdullah.
youtube.com
Notice the high level of respect and polite reserve with Queen Elizabeth II. Notice the matey relaxed bow to Abdullah and then the intrusion into Abdullah's space.
It's amusing how people get such different views of the same situations. It looks to me as though Obama got it right at both meetings. A deep bow to Elizabeth and Philip would have looked silly. A polite nod of the head was about right. Notice Philip back off after his perfunctory hand shake, keeping his reserve.
Mqurice |
