Here’s what I think is wrong there: Obama was VISITING in Russia, he was not and is not the head of state there.

And yet, he preceded Russia’s guy with noticable lack of deference for the Russian leader’s position there.

Thus, they were declining his impositional hand to make that statement: get in line, you aren’t our President, act somewhat modest about yourself as our guest.

Lourdes on July 15, 2009 at 8:25 AM

And while we’re on these Obamateurisms:

does Obama’s left-hand-shoulder-gripping of nearly everyone he encounters bother anyone else beyond me?

That presumptuous reach-grab by Obama truly offends me.

Remember that photo you had of Russia’s President beside Obama and how the Russian President was sorta’ leaning to the opposite side of Obama?

That was that Russian President not wanting to allow Obama to give him that reach-grab-move onto his shoulder (so he was noticably pulling away out of Obama’s arm-reach-grab length).

It’s exceptionally presumptuous by Obama when he does this. He invades, literally, other people’s space, puts his hands on others’ bodies without so much as a request to be physically intimate.

It’s an exceptionally presumptuous statement Obama makes with his disregard of what other people may want and not care for, doesn’t even pause to “ask” in one way or another, just grabs their shoulders and sorta’ holds them as if Obama assumes he commands who and what they are “in all time and space.” Very, very presumptuous, rude, behavior by Obama.

If ever I met the guy and he started that grab motion with me, I’d move back about five feet and walk away.

Lourdes on July 15, 2009 at 8:29 AM

I’ve noticed that too. He’s a control freak and it shows through body language.

He did the very same thing (once) to President Bush when they first met after the election at the white house. Bush caught on quickly and did exactly what you said – backed off and away.

tru2tx on July 15, 2009 at 8:36 AM

I didn’t see that by President Bush but it sounds like something he’d do for the same reasons I would do so: it’s an automatic boundary response, like, get yer hands OFF me, or, “oh, no, you won’t” so you step outside their grabbing range (which is, I am certain, what was taking place in that photo of Russia’s President taken beside Obama with the Russian guy leaning waaay off in the opposite direction from Obama).

Obama does this grabbing thing with EVERY person he stops to “be greeted by” (ha). He extends his one hand to shake someone else’s hand while simultaneously using this other hand and arm to grab the other person’s shoulder, and then he hangs onto their shoulder long past the duration of the handshake.

It’s like he “captures” people and then “holds them there” before him and without their permission at being grabbed. I’ve seen more than a few people respond as I would — noticed that German Merkel took to stepping away from Obama very quickly inorder to, so it appeared, avoid that Obama-grab-you-by-your-shoulder motion. And I DID see France’s Sarkozy decidedly move just distance enough away from Obama to avoid Obama grabbing him at the shoulder.

I don’t CARE if it’s Obama’s rationale that he’s being friendly or whatever, it’s just plain crude and rude behavior with other people. It’s that “I’m the Principal and you’re in trouble, kid” shoulder grab that some presumptuous people intent on them being “of greater power” than others engage in that communicates their presumption that other people have no say in where or how or by whom they are grabbed. It’s Obama acting quite rudely with nearly everyone because I’ve seen him do this with nearly everyone he’s photographed meeting.

Try walking up to someone — random stranger — and offering your hand to shake while also grabbing them at the shoulder with your other hand, you’ll likely get punched or someone will wrench themself away from you and step waaay back (as they should).

Obama has no social or physical “right” to so impose on the personal bodies and boundaries of nearly anyone/everyone like that. Being President doesn’t mean one is privileged to be Creep in Chief.

Lourdes on July 15, 2009 at 12:18 PM