Texas Meets Thailand, and Bows Slightly

[kskiska]

(snip)

President Bush started with a straight face. Then Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who apparently is allowed to touch the king, came over and futzed with how the top button of his father's suit jacket was lying against the tie.

The crown prince clasped his palms together in a gesture of respect and walked away, the cameras clicking. Bush's hearty chuckle punctuates the television coverage of the spectacle.

(snip)

Even as international relations have become an increasingly important part of his presidency, Bush has never completely mastered the show-horse part of the job, occasionally flubbing bits of protocol and refusing to pretend to be interested in rituals that he considers silly or aggravating. Aides do not argue the point but say it has no bearing on his diplomatic accomplishments, and shows Americans that he is a regular guy not all that unlike them, despite his Connecticut - Maine - Yale - Harvard detours.

During Bush's sixth month in office, for instance, he greeted Pope John Paul II at the Vatican by calling him "sir," when "your holiness" would have been de rigueur. When Bush visited the Kremlin last year, the most frequently used clip on Russian television showed him spitting his gum into his hand.

(snip)

On Saturday, already tired on the first day of his grueling swing through Asia and Australia, Bush referred to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines as "Mr. President."

Bush was here for the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and while a speaker droned on about the Doha trade round on Monday, a television camera captured Bush slouched back and punching one hand into the other.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56175-2003Oct20.html

[qanda]

1. This just cannot be our president!

How completely embarrassing.

[tom_paine]

16. He's not, he is the Amerikan Emperor

This wretched creasture was not elected by a Free People, but installed over a Slavish People.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

2. I hate to say this...

Anyone here remember when President Carter violated protocol and kissed Queen Elizabeth on the cheek? Wasn't the press all over him for that?

[MetaTrope]

4. And Bush was looking forward to slipping her his tongue in the limo

:freak:

[kskiska]

3. Kick

:kick:

[Pale_Rider]

5. His pal the King?

His quality time with the royals also provided a glimpse of the authentic Bush. Leaving the throne hall at the Grand Palace on Monday night after a final reception for APEC leaders, he bade one last goodbye to his pal the king.

"You're finally getting rid of us!" Bush joshed. "Thank you for your wonderful hospitality."

Got to be joking me. Bush is nowhere near being a pal of good King Bhumibol.

[koopie57]

6. Well,

at least he hasn't blown lunch on anyone yet.

[kskiska]

7. Kick!

:kick:

[Spazito]

8. ROFLMAO!

After reading the article, I happened to notice the links at the bottom, one is Image/Etiquette Training and the second is Int. Diplomatic Training! Wonder if they are trying to give Bush a hint!

[Zero Gravitas]

9. What an embaressment

Well I suppose then it will be OK then, should I ever be so unlucky as to come face to face with *, to address him as "Governor" ?

[Randomthought]

11. Address him as anything but 'Mr President'

but don't shake hands. I almost blew my breakfast over the 'spitting gum into hand'.

[cally]

10. Why would you want to be President

If you were too immature to follow protocol. I'm embarrassed for our country. The implication that average Americans would act this way is insulting. No wonder so many say that Americans have no manners or curiousity about other countries.

Remember this is the guy who brought "honor and dignity" back to the White House. :crazy:

[leftchick]

12. Name me ONE, just One of his

"diplomatic accoplishments"!! He has fucked up aboslutly everything he has attempted to do his entire life and that includes diplomacy.

:grr:

[Lisa]

13. "Head of State" -- wow, what a great job ...

... for someone who has a 10-minute attention span and is "bored" by long formal events and dislikes being courteous to anybody he doesn't like personally. If he can't at least feign interest and make small talk convincingly, he shouldn't have applied for the position. You can bet that an experienced dignitary like President Chirac would have heaped all kinds of compliments and praise on Thailand for being such wonderful hosts, having such spectacular cultural attractions, etc. -- and all Dubya can manage is a single word?

I don't see myself as a monarchist, but our current head of state in Canada (Queen Elizabeth II -- with Governor-General Adrianne Clarkson as her stand-in) shows a great deal more politeness in public than Mr. Bush does -- for all of his patrician pedigree! Heck, I've met plenty of "regular redneck guys" who were more receptive to etiquette than he is, so it's NOT because he grew up in Texas.

If this is what we can expect to get if we change our constitution ... I think we should keep the Windsors.

[MaineDem]

14. Here we go again

Our embarrassing president. I hope the world will soon realize that we aren't all as bad as he is.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this was a US paper. Thank you, Washington Post!

[paulk]

15. The King should have given Bush a tour of Pat Pong

it's a cultural attraction George would have appreciated more than the Royal Palace.