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More Groveling By Obama

he's done it so often that it has become a reflex

By: streiff (Diary)  |  January 31st, 2010 at 08:46 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA


(h/t Gabriel at Ace of Spades)

For the life of me I really don’t understand what in Heaven’s name is going on here. When I first encountered it at Ace of Spades I thought they were pulling my chain. But the AP cut line makes clear what is going on:

U.S. President Barack Obama bows to Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio at MacDill Air Force Base on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 in Tampa, Fla.

The mayor of Tampa isn’t a Third World potentate, totalitarian dictator, or terrorist leader so I can’t understand why Obama would be in full-bow mode. Is bowing now the standard way the President greets people these days? Is he misoriented, for some reason, and thinks Tampa is a terrorist stronghold or an enemy of the United States? Does the US owe Tampa a boatload of money and the bow just good business practice?

COMMENTS

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  • CowboyUp4419

    … to just being funny. That’s good for my blood pressure but not much else.

    On an unrelated note, who’s that guy in the blue tie off to the right of the photograph?

    • http://itsaboutfreedom.proboards.com Conservative Phantom

      Check out this photoshopped version:

      http://itsaboutfreedom.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=90&page=1#609

      • joayn

        but now I’m rollin’!!

        Ahhh, may wonders of the One never cease ….

        • http://beaglescout.wordpress.com Beaglescout

          I used to wonder why he was bowing all the time too. Then I realized the man holds a huge party every three days, has a demanding wife and two kids, gives an average of three speeches every two days, plays golf daily, meets in smoking-prohibited back-rooms to scheme about healthcare with union thugs and senators and other unsavory types, plays basketball, bowls, travels all over the world and apologizes to everyone for all the people who he worked so hard to represent as President. Plus he has a full-time job! The man is tired!

          He power naps when he goes in for the handshake. It isn’t bowing! It’s napping!

    • sharonmcp

      Charlie Crist, the mistake we made in the last election for Florida’s Governor.

      He’s also delusional enough to think he’s going to defeat Marco Rubio in the upcoming Republican primary for the Senate.

      btw, FOX & Friends is having a little fun with the pic of Obama bowing to Mayor Iorio. They’re also showing all the pics of his other known bows. A good start to a Monday morning. LOL

    • GenEarly

      Charlie Rino Crist , current govenor of Florida who appointed a bench warmer to hold his future Senate seat until the 2010 election. One little problem Marco Conservative Rubio is currently leading in the polls for the republican primary. Not to worry Charlie(it’s all about me) will run as an Independent in the general election after he loses the primary.
      Obama and Charlie get along well and Charlie makes McCain(Rino) look conservative.
      By the way Florida state government is headed for a financial disaster and the dumb a_ _ republicans (majority) are now considering whether to ban plastic and paper bags at the grocery store.

    • terrisimandl

      That is the Governer of Florida

      • izoneguy

        “You are sure I am not in this photo?”
        I am sure you will be cropped out Governor….
        “Good, I don’t want those Rubio supporters looking at this photo of me wearing a blue tie standing next to Obowma.”

        • muffin

          this is close enough. YES!

    • blooch
  • http://www.dienekesplace.blogspot.com Dienekes’ Place
  • Republican_Michigander

    No, actually real believable for this weakling.

  • gekster

    It could be:
    Look, a quarter on the ground. I could use that to help pay of the debt.
    or:
    Asking the Mayor; Can you tell if my bald spot is getting bigger?
    or:
    Oops, your right. My fly is undone!

    • rickindenver

      show the mayor kicking him in the ………. ?

  • Tbone

    Maybe they taught him that in Indonesia?

    • izoneguy

      Guys that bow like that look like PW mommas boys.

      That is what BHO is – a PW mommas boy.
      Now it is Michelle Obowma who is PWing the OBOWMA…….

      No REAL man would bow like that.

    • writeblock

      …It seems alien culturally. Just plain odd for someone whose every action–as he should know by now–is carefully scrutinized for hidden significance. He doesn’t put his hand over his heart for the National Anthem either–and this has seemed strange for a president. It feeds into a vague suspicion about his motives. His obvious coddling of terrorists doesn’t help.

  • smagar

    Wonder what he’s thinking…

    FYI, according to CENTCOM’s website and the Navy rank insignia chart I just looked at, I’m pretty sure that admiral is not part of the CENTCOM staff. According to this rank insignia chart, the admiral is a full Admiral, four-star rank. And, according to CENTCOM’s leadership webpage , they only have one four-star…guess who.

    I’m guessing this officer is from the White House staff?

    • smagar

      Oh well…so much for leading by example.”

      • joayn
    • http://www.FranBaker.com frankieb

      WTH? Priceless!

    • gazill

      I actually researched this because I would have found it ludicrous (yet believable). I think this is Admiral Eric Olson, not a White House prop. I imagine he is wondering why his Commander in Chief is bowing to the mayor of Tampa…

      • Warrior

        Prez O’Drama should be bowing to him.

        Admiral Eric T. Olsen is a four star commander of USSOCOM (Special Ops Command), a U.S. Navy Seal, a Vietnam Veteran and wears the Navy DSM, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and also participated in the liberation of Kuwait and the Battle of Mogadishu.

        IMHO, OBambi isn’t fit to shine his boots (or fetch him coffee.)

    • rbdwiggins
    • http://itsaboutfreedom.proboards.com Conservative Phantom

      …check out the caption in this photoshopped version of the pic:

      http://itsaboutfreedom.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=90&page=1#609

    • Tbone

      AND don’t call her madam, she worked hard to become a mayor.

  • RedBeard

    She’s probably thinking, “Stand up, you whoosie! You’re making us Democrats look silly!”

    • Vladimir

      “fussy” – no
      “bussy” – no
      “mussy” – no

      Well, I’m certain there is a word it rhymes with…

      • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

        …he’d meow at them.

        • muffin

          Sarcasm can be so fulfilling! :)

  • Cheryl

    for….ok, no I’m not going to finish this, but that is Charlie right behind him.

    • redtillimdead

      But then I figured it’d be Charlie bending over for him, or him bending over in FRONT of Charlie….

  • mbecker908
    • eburke

      He’s not bowing…he’s just checking himself out.

  • http://erickbrockway.wordpress.com/ Erick Brockway

    Caption;
    “Am I going bald? I can take it…tell the truth.”

    • Beasley Beesmeal
      • 6eorge Jetson

        I think Barach just wanted a close look at her chest

        • Beasley Beesmeal
      • http://erickbrockway.wordpress.com/ Erick Brockway
      • blooch
  • Wubbies World

    Look at the picture carefully. What ethnic group does the mayor appear to belong too? I would speculate she is of Asian decent. Now if this is the case, isn’t our president engaging in ethnic stereo typing – ala racist behavior? This woman was probably born and raised in the United States and is most likely not accustomed to being bowed too. However, our president is treating her as if she is from her country of origin.

    I may be way out of line and I apologize if I am, but on first glance,that is what appears to be happening here.

    • Raven

      Very VERY wrong.

      • Wubbies World

        …. he has it totally wrong. After all he has been wrong on about everything else. He’d be batting a 1000 if this is done wrong too.

    • http://www.suvstrategery.blogspot.com SoFiMil

      All the people he’s bowed to are “people of color.” Her Majesty only got a half-a-bow. The King of Saudi?…That wasn’t a bow–it’s just that Obama is unequally tall.

    • alpharob1

      Asian. Perhaps the president thinks she is Japanese and that meets his bowing filter etiquette rule.

      For example, Japanese emporer Akihito

      Obama bows to Akihito

      A quick google shows others think it may be the case (mistaken Japanese
      identity. You can google and find mention of her Italian heritage). In fairness, she does look a bit Japanese.

      It will be interesting to tabulate as the next 3 years go by, who was worthy
      for a bow and how many times Obama was tripped up by mistaken ethnicity.

  • marshmom

    that Obama is trying to apologize and “show some respect” for all of the cruel injustice our horrible, racist, warmongering country has done to “her people”. Just another “I’m sorry, we’re trash” sort of bologna that we’ve come to expect from this spineless, deluded, narcissistic liar-in-chief.

    This truly is a new low, however.

    • Warrior

      “bologna” is a sandwich meat. Of course, he IS kind of a “meat -head”!

  • Shayelyn

    Being from the area, I was confused about people thinking she was Asian. When she smiles, her eyes squinch up (like my son’s). According to Wikipedia (we all know how reliable they are), she was born in Maine, moved to the area as an infant and her father was an Italian immigrant. Maybe he is apologizing to Italy.

    • joayn

      http://www.tampagov.net/images/employee_pictures/Iorio_Pam.jpg

  • Thomas Crown

    The woman has singlehandedly managed to keep the mayor’s office locked down in Democrat hands despite repeated calls to do something, anything, about drainage, infrastructure, and traffic. She instead focuses on silly things like diversity, light rail, and making a safe haven for the sorts of people who paint Christ with human waste.

    In other words, she’s held her job while focusing on things 95% of the city doesn’t care about, at the cost of the very things that 95% want fixed. She is everything Kitten wants and has tried to be. Heck, I’d bow to her, were I he.

    • http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth
    • america1st

      If she managed to stay in office doing the opposite of the desires of her constituents, she fits right in w/ TOTUS. It seems probable he wants to know how she does that so he can copy the technique.

  • WarEagle01

    n/t

  • wbb1950

    The reason he bows to non to others now is to cover up the fact that he bows routinely to his masters – the Saudi family who got him in to Harvard Law School and financed his education. If he bows to everyone people then it will seen unremarkable when he bows to them. It is contra bonus mores for any American President to ever bow to a foreign leaders.

    • californiasam

      Now he’ll bow to Biden so that folks forget all of the embarrassing bows that he’s made this first year. Groveler-in-chief.

  • RedBeard

    Charlie Suntan had just slipped him one moments before, containing who-knows-what.

  • jackhammer

    Maybe he thought because she seems to have Asian ancestry this is the thing to do….

    He really is a monty python sketch….

  • jsbrodhead

    We really don’t know what TOTUS tells POTUS to do and say.

    Or maybe he was asleep!?!

  • greyfox65

    so time to bow. I am reminded of those plastic birds that sat on the edge of a glass and bowed for a drink of water.

  • http://www.dcworksforus.com Kenny Solomon

    ……..over on Atlas Shrugs……

    “What’s wrong with this creep ?”

    ————-

    Mine:

    Mayor Iorio: Sa’alam Akekim.

    POTUS: Oh wow, she’s one of us ! I better bow just in case the Blackberry’s cam is watching.

    Admiral: Air strike on my pos…… now !

  • kmacwayne

    Sorry to disappoint but I’ve got to throw some tenderizer on this red meat – Pam Iorio has been one of the best Mayors Tampa’s had in a long time – reminds me of Palin in a way – common sense leadership- she immediately put in a “no gifts” policy when she was elected – no even a free lunch, drives a regular car – no muss – no fuss. She is pragmatic and employs common sense leadership and spending policies. She is not Asian and I’m a bit embarrassed that you guys would go that far to make a joke. Pam has cut through a lot of “good ole boy” Tampa politics, ( which rules the day here at times ) made some folks mad along the way, but has our city’s best interest at heart. I have no clue what O is bowing at other than perhaps he is awed by the fact that a democrat can employ common sense policies and spending discipline and might be concerned that he will face her in the Senate or House someday in the future – in which case, he should be scared.

    • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

      Please use it in the future.

    • streiff

      the story isn’t about the mayor, though I would put more faith in Thomas Crown’s description above than in your hagiography of her. The story is about the bow. That’s all.

  • kmacwayne

    No sure I get your meaning here Moe

    • Trelaina

      Look under my post. See the big button with the nice red letters in all caps, that says REPLY TO THIS ???

      When you’re answering or responding to someone, you click on the REPLY TO THIS button under their comment. If you’re commenting generally on the entire post, you go all the way to the bottom and use the nice red box that says LEAVE A COMMENT.

      REPLY TO THIS is your friend. It’s right here:
      |
      |
      V

      • kmacwayne

        got it

  • archer52

    Obama can’t help himself. For me it was early on when I realized Obama was not;
    1.smart
    2. possessing of common sense
    3. or humility
    4. or a competent knowledge or history
    5. capable of changing who he is

    Sometimes you can put a label on someone and be right. Man, this nation really screwed up voting him in, and we’ll be suffering for it for the next three years.

  • mrgrgtaz

    Even if he lies. Whatever response he gives, it will prove how wacky his thinking is. But one thing for sure, it is strange behavior. I would simply ask him why do you bend over to some people and not to others? Why did you bend over to the governor in the US?

  • keep2theright

    Just like with the Saudi King, the Japanese Emperor — remember what the MSM tells you: he’s not bowing and embarrassing himself and this country.

    He’s stretching his lower back. Or dropped some change. Or something.

    I got my “Don’t Close Gitmo” and “Don’t Blame Me, I Voted For The American” magnetic stickers at www.keep2theright.com

  • sharonmcp

    his ‘halo’ isn’t getting tarnished.

  • johnt

    other than Saudi kings, the leaders of the faith thing. Otherwise, a bow to the little people projects a humility & respect that helps an image of consideration. Necessary to counter the reality of self love and unjustified pride this incredible loser has.

  • furious

    …Honor the bruise he got from bumping heads with the Emperor.

  • robertkincaid

    It gets really loud sometimes near jet engines.

    He was LISTENING TO THE WOMAN TALK.

    Can an educated gentleman be polite and respectful and not be attacked by knuckledragging clods?

    You don’t need Fox to answer that one for you, do you?

    • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

      …watching it all slip through his fingers. Had the ‘running through a lake of maple syrup’ dream yet? No? Well, early days, early days.

      Now shoo.

    • Achance

      He’s not looking at her face at all and people “understand” speech as much by visual cues as by hearing. No, he’s bowing and it is just plain creepy to see the POTUS bowing all the time.

      Now, go back to Kos or some place where you’d be welcome, ’cause you’re sure not welcome here.

      • Achance
        • CincoSolas_del_Bronx
    • RedBeard

      …but if I have trouble hearing, I’ll turn an ear toward the speaker.

      Of course, Obama could have an ear hole in the top of his head, but we probably would have noticed.

      Btw, love the Fox mantra. Scary, huh?

    • hickorystick

      is that to speak to a Progressive one has to speak in an orifice that is open; the one on top of the skull. The hand-crush is a good way to start

    • Jack_Savage

      The next time I get way too close to a woman’s cleavage. “I was just listening to her talk, honey! Really!”

      I am sure that will fly. Many thanks from all of us.

  • sharonmcp

    So is what you’re saying that, the next time I have trouble hearing someone I should ask them to speak into the top of my head?

    You don?t need MSNBC to answer that one for you, do you?

    • sharonmcp

      Wow, you’re fast today Moe, you had him zapped before I could write my reply.

      Which I mistakenly forgot to use the Reply button for, sorry.

    • hickorystick

      what the expression “he’s got a hole in his head” means, when you can’t figure out the -REPLY TO THIS- button. Don’t ever compare me to that creep Olberman

      • sharonmcp

        I was responding to robertkincaid’s comment.

        I thought that was evident by my comment, “Wow, you?re fast today Moe, you had him zapped before I could write my reply.”

        And I apologized for mistakenly not using the REPLY TO THIS button.

        I guess your rush to judgment that I was referring to you shows that I’m not the only one capable of making a mistake.

        • hickorystick

          If I had read the Kowalski more carefully i might have avoided this misunderstanding. All the best.

      • http://slcliberty.blogivists.com randy streu

        it’ll be okay. ;)

        • sharonmcp

          :-)

  • CincoSolas_del_Bronx
  • yoyo

    and I will save the snarkiness until after I say this:

    I do this to my wife, mother-in-law, mother, step-mother, co-workers, and all other associated “vertically challenged” folk around, especially on a tarmac or outside. I am 6′ 5″; BHO is close to this. What happened is that the Mayor was speaking and he couldn’t hear.

    That said, the photo is unfortunate. And HILARIOUS. It couldn’t have been better if someone snapped a pic of him scratching his … well … doing something with his other hand at the same time as shaking hers.

    LOL

    Keep it up, Barry. Your caricature is almost complete.

  • http://slcliberty.blogivists.com randy streu

    and EVERY TIME with a different excuse. At some point his handlers need to just tell him to stand up like a freaking adult.

  • WylieJon

    We all know he bows to heads of state…

  • wardjh

    I think he is trying to be respectful.

    My suggestion is that instead of bowing he should

    Curtsy.

    More fitting, and it leaves him in a position that doesn’t promote a SWIFT KICK.

  • http://pocketchangeproductions.net/ anotherindyfilmguy

    ooops… oxymoron about a moron… never mind…

  • 7underafter6

    Well dang-it, why is it that wherever I go I’m stepping in it?

  • beanerecmo

    The only reason he is bowing to one of America’s mayors is just to show that it was no big thing to bow to the foreign leaders (pretenders) because it his way of trying to blunt that criticism; i.e., it’s his standard protocol.

  • RedBeard
    • RedBeard

      Can’t seem to hit the REPLY TO THIS button, risking intervention by a grumpy mod. ;-)

  • blooch

    “Is he misoriented, for some reason, and thinks Tampa is a terrorist stronghold?…”

    He thought she was thePresident of the University of South Florida.

  • sharonmcp

    From FOX News

    Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio on Tuesday dismissed the controversy over a photograph that showed President Obama bowing to her last week at an Air Force base in Tampa, saying the president was only being “gracious.”

    …Iorio told Fox News Obama was just being a gentleman.

    “It’s hard for me to believe that this is such a major issue,” she said. “It is an unusual photograph, but … I wish people could all meet President Obama face to face, but he is a kind and sincere and gracious individual and you really see that when you meet him.”

    Iorio said the issue does not deserve “the kind of analysis that’s been going on.”

    …The photo quickly made its way around the blogosphere over the weekend. Redstate.com, in a scathing post, suggested Obama should save his bows for more reprehensible figures.

    “The mayor of Tampa isn’t a Third World potentate, totalitarian dictator, or terrorist leader so I can’t understand why Obama would be in full-bow mode. Is bowing now the standard way the president greets people these days? Is he misoriented, for some reason, and thinks Tampa is a terrorist stronghold or an enemy of the United States?” Redstate.com wrote in a post.