Obama’s staffing problems are blatant — from that bleating boy of a treasury secretary to what appears to be a total vacuum where a chief of protocol should be. There has been one needless gaffe after another — from the president’s tacky appearance on a late-night comedy show to the kitsch gifts given to the British prime minister, followed by the sweater-clad first lady’s over-familiarity with the queen and culminating in the jaw-dropping spectacle of a president of the United States bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia. Why was protest about the latter indignity confined to conservatives? The silence of the major media was a disgrace. But I attribute that embarrassing incident not to Obama’s sinister or naive appeasement of the Muslim world but to a simple if costly breakdown in basic command of protocol.
Enough already! These slips are worsening the anti-Obama backlash, which began with the administration’s bungled handling of the grotesquely swollen stimulus package. Conservatives seem deliriously drunk with their cartoon picture of Obama, to whom is glibly attributed every pathology in the book. Yes, there were ambiguities about Obama’s birth certificate that have never been satisfactorily resolved. And the embargo on Obama’s educational records remains troubling. But I am still waiting for hard evidence about the host of other charges that are continually being hammered against him — from his alleged fidelity to the crypto-tactics of Chicago leftist Saul Alinsky to the questions raised by right-wingers about the production of Obama’s two memoirs. Out of respect for the presidency, conservatives need to put up or shut up about these issues.
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Finally. And Drudge has it up, too.
Wethal on April 8, 2009 at 8:08 AM
cause they are the lamestream media
blatantblue on April 8, 2009 at 8:08 AM
Oh noes , Little Green Echochamber will go all man-caused disaster on Paglias ass.
the_nile on April 8, 2009 at 8:08 AM
I mentioned this yesterday on a thread that I had had the opportunity to sit next to Congressman Ralph Hall on a flight recently and this very sharp, 85 year old man just shook his head and while being kind in his assessment of Obama, said “He is in way over his head, everyone knows it, and he has terrible advisors. We are all afraid.”
Ouch.
anniekc on April 8, 2009 at 8:11 AM
Because they’re bowing to him. It’s a caste system.
hawkdriver on April 8, 2009 at 8:13 AM
Obama bows before the Saudi king and the media bow before Obama. It’s the new version of “The Great Chain of Being”.
People have found traces of Alinsky-like phrases peppered throughout his speeches. It could just be that these are community organizer “terms of art” (and what an “art” it is), of course. There has also been some analysis done on Obama’s other writings compared to his memoirs, showing discrepancies in style.
The real problem is that there’s no solid criteria for “evidence” here. Until that’s agreed upon, the work that ended up making these findings will just continue to be contested. The OJ jury had plenty of “evidence” but refused to convict because it went against their beliefs. Leftists are the same way in protecting one of their own.
venividivici on April 8, 2009 at 8:13 AM
Will. Not. Pull. Curtain. Aside.
winston on April 8, 2009 at 8:13 AM
Hah there V3, you explained it better but I beat you to the punch.
hawkdriver on April 8, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Funny how we both used comparisons based on pre- and non-American systems. There’s something to that.
venividivici on April 8, 2009 at 8:18 AM
LOL hahaha
Yes indeed!
What comforting words!
blatantblue on April 8, 2009 at 8:20 AM
The second Tuesday of every month has become a much anticipated day for me. Knowing that Camille’s Salon article will come out – I really look forward to reading her thoughts.
Camille Paglia is a national asset.
There is never a questions where she is coming from.
I like her.
jake-the-goose on April 8, 2009 at 8:21 AM
Ya know, for a lib, Camille Paglia is awesome.
LibTired on April 8, 2009 at 8:24 AM
I know. I guess a lot of us are seeing the what isn’t very American like in the relationship. (No trolls, I didn’t say un-American).
As far as the gaffe, if it was one, there’s no excuse. Any soldier traveling to the Middle East is briefed not to bow.
As far as the press, American once trusted that the press would provide clear and critical analysis of Presidential and Governmental politics. I’d say the near worshipping that’s taking place by the press is like something from a monarchy.
Not unlike when JFK junior died. “America Lost It’s Price.” Huh?
hawkdriver on April 8, 2009 at 8:26 AM
Great piece by Camille. However the media simply won’t cover Obama’s tremendous gaffes nor his questionable past because as Rush said: “He’s too big to fail.
jencab on April 8, 2009 at 8:28 AM
“I want him to fail”
“My muslim fate”
He takes one of yours out of context, you send one of his to the headlines. *That’s* the *Chicago* way!
the_nile on April 8, 2009 at 8:28 AM
Where’s crappytitless when I need a proofread?
hawkdriver on April 8, 2009 at 8:30 AM
The most damning piece of evidence that Ayers had a hand in substantially re-writing parts of Dreams from my Father is an anecdote Obama shares about a year long interracial relationship he had. In every detail he appears to be describing Diane Oughton. Oughton was Bill Ayers’ one true love. In a piece of divine justice, she blew herself up while building a nail bomb to place at Fort Dix. Ayers wrote the entire section of the book as a secret recollection of his love for a fallen comrade.
http://www.cashill.com/intellect_fraud/odd_story.htm
Ted Torgerson on April 8, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Then maybe you’ll enjoy his take on Al Gore-
“Even Al realizes he pushed the global warming stuff too far- there are questions he just won’t answer”
Collective “duh”.
anniekc on April 8, 2009 at 8:33 AM
I think the schoolbus picks up at 7:00
anniekc on April 8, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Oh, that’s early. Now I feel bad for her.
hawkdriver on April 8, 2009 at 8:42 AM
NBC doesn’t report the truth because Immelt/GE/NBC is on the take and will benefit from sweetheart deals in the “New Clean Energy” grid/plan. Billions in hush money.
marklmail on April 8, 2009 at 8:47 AM
Did Paglia ever say the same about the wingnuts during Bush’s presidency?
Because, as far as I can see, conservatives have pretty much come up with some amount of proof for each claim lodged against Obama, whereas the left just called Booshitler a baby-murderer and torturer.
With no proof but the one in their deranged, sick little minds.
amkun on April 8, 2009 at 8:54 AM
Because it was an embarrassing bow to the Saudi king and the MSM will not say anything that may taint the image of the one.
jmarcure on April 8, 2009 at 9:00 AM
There were some early Americans like Gouvenor Morris, who thought America should have an aristocracy and emulate the French. As a late arrival to this country (1st generation on my mother’s side born here and probably 4th or 5th on my father’s, no one knows), I’m very glad those like Morris were defeated. To see them (both in politics itself and their courtiers in the press) make a comeback now is disheartening. I think that’s a very stunted version of what America can be.
Yes, the press treats every Democrat as the rightful heir to the crown and every Republican as the author of a palace coup. And the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Same old, same old.
venividivici on April 8, 2009 at 9:01 AM
MSM won’t cover it because there are too many other hard hitting stories out there — like this:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090408/pl_politico/21010
Ferris on April 8, 2009 at 9:05 AM
Oreily finally did last night, but went out of his way to not ‘judge’ it or something.
also of interest, the Congressional Black Caucus just got wined and dined in Cuba, at the resorts that most cubans are forbidden to visit, by a Racist muderous Despot. Which they want to renew relations with.
jp on April 8, 2009 at 9:12 AM
I’m a big Paglia fan. She’s entertaining and intellectualy honest. She’s a liberal, but she’s not a partisan hack.
BadgerHawk on April 8, 2009 at 9:14 AM
Why? Because every MSM member carries a card with their motto: “To serve and protect the Left.”
TheBigOldDog on April 8, 2009 at 9:16 AM
She probably did. She doesn’t usually hesitate to call out her own side on stuff.
BadgerHawk on April 8, 2009 at 9:16 AM
I’ve sent drudge emails every day to cover this. He finally did because of paglia. Why doesn’t fox cover it? Why doesn’t Glenn cover it?
It should be on the front page of every news cast.
Bambi on April 8, 2009 at 9:17 AM
Well, sheesh. With a schedule like that, it’s amazing he can find the time to destroy the country!
amkun on April 8, 2009 at 9:19 AM
Love Paglia but how she begins this piece…
I just don’t get how she can write this and then go on to be so spot on.
keebs on April 8, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Well, someone, somewhere is mentioning it.
O’Reilly said last night that the White House issued a statement about the bow. Said the O was showing deference to a much shorter man…yes, really. Someone with photoshop-fu needs to put the King next to the Queen, compare heights, and his comparative genuflection/head bob.
I really wish someone had the Malkins to call this out.
dish on April 8, 2009 at 9:25 AM
The media won’t cover it because they think that whatever Obama does is cool.
BigD on April 8, 2009 at 9:26 AM
Apparently a lot of people are aware of the bow even with the non coverage, and they are pissed about it. Watched O’Reilly last night and he had a segment on it. He said that the Obama team has released a statement saying it wasn’t a bow just a two handed shake. I haven’t seen the statement but thats clearly B/S since there are multiple photos and you can see his left hand plainly and it isn’t shaking anything.
Oldnuke on April 8, 2009 at 9:28 AM
Bill O’reilly on his show said the while house told them that he did not bow. They said that he was double-hand shaking with a smaller person. No joke.
Was it a leprechaun?
Joe Caps on April 8, 2009 at 9:29 AM
Huh, so is Camille a birther?
Speaking of The Bow, does it bother you when libs bring up Bush holding hands with the Muslim Saudi king? Then go here.
U.S. President Barack Obama holds hands with Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul during a welcoming ceremony at Cankaya Palace in Ankara, April 6, 2009.
Akzed on April 8, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Perhaps we’re not looking at this the right way. Obama was simply demonstrating the proper manner for the Saudi King to bow to him.
bigjmantx on April 8, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Well, Wiki shows Queen Elizabeth at 5′4″. Barack Obama is 6′1″. George W Bush is 5′11″. I can’t find anything about King Abdullah (probably a short man complex…). But comparing photos of GWB with Abdullah, the King isn’t that much shorter that President Bush. Now, if the King is around 5′6″-5′7″ just how low did President Obama have to bow to Queen Elizabeth? Wait. He didn’t bow to her? Oh.
Move along. Nothing to see here.
dish on April 8, 2009 at 9:51 AM
Camille is still finding excuses for Obama: Blaming his staff and the media and conservatives.
Camille:
McLaughlin:
Camille:
Step away from the Kool Aid. You can do it. Face the facts.
INC on April 8, 2009 at 9:53 AM
Maybe this leprechaun made his way from Alabama to the G20 summit? Did anyone get a sketch of said leprechaun?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8
venividivici on April 8, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Ahhh. More.
French President Sarkozy is 5′5″ when he’s not wearing his elevator shoes. Did the press miss the bow to him?
Jeez. Try harder people. Your the spokespeople for the freaking White House.
dish on April 8, 2009 at 9:55 AM
PIMF your s/b you’re
dish on April 8, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Yer welcome, Pags.
Akzed on April 8, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Nope. A proper bow would have had his left hand behind his back and his right hand across his belly (or both hands at his side), not on his knee, and his knees should not have bent.
Akzed on April 8, 2009 at 10:06 AM
She’s a mixed bag.”We have waited a long time for an American president who dreams big” , yeah giving democracy to people in dictatorships is such a small minded Bush fiasco.
the_nile on April 8, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Obama is so deferential to any and all foreign leaders, I’m surprised he doesn’t squat and pee like a submissive puppy.
Maybe that’s what he was starting to do before the Saudi king…
rockbend on April 8, 2009 at 10:14 AM
LOL!
keebs on April 8, 2009 at 10:19 AM
OK i said this before, but didn’t really get a response. Obama may have physically “bowed” to the Saudis, but our foreign policy has laid prone before the Saudi Monarchy pretty much since…forever. We ignore their human rights abuses against women or anyone who may want a democratic system of government. We ignore that a huge part of their wealthy class funds terrorism, including Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda and Hamas. And we’ve done so for decades.
So the question is are folks in a tizzy only because the bow represents what we all know is the truth of our relationship with Saudi Arabia?
DeathToMediaHacks on April 8, 2009 at 10:19 AM
I wish more liberals were more like thought-provoking Paglia, although she possesses a serious case of naivette with her wish to eliminate nukes and fondness for Obama.
As regards to the bowing, the media’s silence is a disgrace
and another example of them failing in their main capacity, which is to bring forth the news, not serve as a PR firm for the current president.
Of course, Bush bowed too, did a sword dance, and held the Saudi prince’s hands, but we always knew the Bushes were in the tank for the Saudis.
Mister Ghost on April 8, 2009 at 10:27 AM
The media probably aren’t covering it for the same reason they didn’t cover Bush’s embarrassing bow to the Saudi king.
paul006 on April 8, 2009 at 10:31 AM
You know what is funny? Monday night I did a Google Image search for “Obama bow” and got images from several sites. Last night I did the same search…and all the images are gone! Instead when you google “Obama bow”, what turns up are pictures of Bush kissing the Saudi king or holding his hand.
Amazing; try it yourself.
pseudonominus on April 8, 2009 at 10:41 AM
The king is putting some medal on Bush’s neck moron.
Akzed on April 8, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Paglia will be academe’s Joe the Plumber now.
Stepping on Barry’s bowing toes.
Get ready to be reamed, Camille!
profitsbeard on April 8, 2009 at 10:54 AM
When did Bush bow? (And I don’t mean leaning over to allow somebody to put a medal around his next.)
capitalist piglet on April 8, 2009 at 10:59 AM
“paul006″, you dumbass, Abdullah was hanging a medal on Bush’s neck, Bush wasn’t “bowing.”
What, did you want Abdullah to stand on a chair for that?
F****** liar.
Merovign on April 8, 2009 at 11:01 AM
While I think Obama was wrong to bow, what difference does it really make? Absolutely none.
Paglia gets one thing right here: the focus shouldnt be on the actual bow, but the staffing issues. This should include the problems staffing the Treasury Department. That is a serious issue with real effects.
It’s a bigger ‘gotcha’ to go after Obama for the bow, but if you care about actual issues that matter, you’ll look at the bigger picture.
orange on April 8, 2009 at 11:06 AM
I tried it (obama bow, saudi) and got a picture of Bush giving a Sheik a big ‘ol KISS!
keebs on April 8, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Right.
tneloms on April 8, 2009 at 11:25 AM
So how can the GOP resolve these things? Every time they get near a courtroom an army of Husseininsane libtard lawyers block it, including a couple SCUMBAGS in the supreme court, like the one who stated “the people lack standing”. That guy needs to reread the story of Valley Forge. The government derives ALL its authority from WE THE PEOPLE and therefore WE THE PEOPLE are the ultimate authority in the country.
So Camille, sweetie honey baby, if you want the issues resolved you folks on the left, when you are embarrassed enough, will have to stop protecting himself, your messiah..
dogsoldier on April 8, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Maybe they aren’t covering it because there are far more important and significant things to cover?
Who was the Arab oil dude that Bush invited to Camp David (or was it Crawford?) and walked *ARM IN ARM* with for what, 20 or 30 minutes? That was far more bizarre and disturbing than any mere bow.
Freelunch on April 8, 2009 at 11:29 AM
He did not show the same “respect” for the Queen of England…
d1carter on April 8, 2009 at 11:41 AM
Remind me again.. what does the queen do?
And you can’t have it both ways. Do you want him to bow, or not?
Freelunch on April 8, 2009 at 4:03 PM
The POTUS should not be bowing to any King, Queen, head of state or any other leader. Why just pick one?
d1carter on April 8, 2009 at 6:00 PM