In a Los Angeles Times blog post titled "How Low Will He Go?," Andrew Malcolm predicted Obama "could receive some frowns back home" for bowing to the emperor. The response among conservative commentators went way beyond frowns."He means to teach Americans to bow before monarchs and tyrants," railed Power Line's Scott Johnson, who charged that Obama is sending a message that the U.S. "now willingly prostrates itself before the rest of the world."
Some were especially angry that the man the president bowed to is the son of Emperor Hirohito, who led Japan during World War II. RedState's Mark Impomeni -- whose blog post included iconic photos of the Iwo Jima flag-raising and Japan's surrender along with the picture of Obama's bow -- called the president "an embarrassment" who's "bent on dishonoring" the service and sacrifice of Americans who fought against Japan.
Obama's online defenders fired back with photos of their own -- including shots of President George W. Bush bowing to Pope Benedict and kissing and holding hands with the Saudi king.
The Moderate Voice's Kathy Kattenburg saw Obama's bow as an innocent effort to be "culturally appropriate" and accused conservatives who are raising a fuss of being fixated on style instead of substance.
But it is "a big deal," argued Rick Moran of Rightwing Nuthouse, who said Americans fought for independence so they would never have to "bow to another sovereign."
"No bowing -- ever. That has been the standard American presidents have followed for 240 years," Moran wrote.
The Moderate Voice's Kathy Kattenburg saw Obama's bow as an innocent effort to be "culturally appropriate" and accused conservatives who are raising a fuss of being fixated on style instead of substance.
But it is "a big deal," argued Rick Moran of Rightwing Nuthouse, who said Americans fought for independence so they would never have to "bow to another sovereign."
"No bowing -- ever. That has been the standard American presidents have followed for 240 years," Moran wrote.
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