[TimG]

JoAnneM, on Apr 10 2009, 11:17 AM, said:

" If you don't care what the bow looks like then why did you start the thread? "

This was my question to the poster.

"I think it is time that people started being polite to each other again."

This was my opinion about the bow, and obviously I was correct.

I think the point of the opening post was to see if people's political leanings influenced how they perceived the gesture. I do not think that wanting to hear peoples' reactions is inconsistent with not caring what the gesture actually was. Sort of like those ink blots that the psychiatrist shows you, no one cares what the spots actually represent (if anything), it's the individual reaction that is important.

I read the second sentence, the suggestion that it was time to start being polite, as directed at the denizens of the water cooler, not the President.

[luke warm]

one thing i do find amusing is that if this bow (if that's what it was) was merely politeness on the president's part, why deny it was a bow? why get defensive about it?

[jdonn]

luke warm, on Apr 10 2009, 01:56 PM, said:

one thing i do find amusing is that if this bow (if that's what it was) was merely politeness on the president's part, why deny it was a bow? why get defensive about it?

Oh I don't know, maybe this is why?
Absolutely pathetic
I would get defensive in response to that too. I don't honestly know why they would deny it rather than responding differently, but it pales in comparison.

[JoAnneM]

I had no reason to accuse the forum members of not being polite. I probably should have made the post two paragraphs.

[blackshoe]

I would wonder who, if anyone, was being defensive. It was somebody on the White House staff who denied it was a bow. That doesn't mean Obama would deny it, if asked directly (doesn't mean he wouldn't, either).

My take on these staff types is that they reflexively try to spin everything in a light favorable to their boss. They often don't seem to think about it, either, they just do it. Doesn't mean that's what the boss really wants in any particular case.

[Winstonm]

I'm pretty sure this debate is being spurred by Fox News so for here on out I think it should be termed: "The Fox-Bow Incident".

[helene_t]

Obama must be doing quite well if this is the closest Fox can come to reveiling a scandal.

[jonottawa]

Republicans are expected to be pathetic, lying, scum-sucking weasels. Democrats should know better.

Gibbs' response was pathetic. OF COURSE it was a bow. I don't know what Obama was thinking. You don't earn anybody's respect by grovelling. Project respectful 'among equals' energy, not deference, and certainly not subservience.

That being said, yes, it's being overblown by Fox. Surprise.

[jdonn]

I didn't realize until today that bow and grovel are synonyms.

[dicklont]

luke warm, on Apr 10 2009, 08:56 PM, said:

one thing i do find amusing is that if this bow (if that's what it was) was merely politeness on the president's part, why deny it was a bow? why get defensive about it?

This is how the conservatives in USA like to work.
They make stupid allegations about futile points.
Then they start negative campaigning on your responses.
They use filthy tactics, it is all so obvious even on this side of the ocean.

Worst of all, this kind of "politics" is rewarded by voters.

[Rossoneri]

jdonn, on Apr 11 2009, 05:31 AM, said:

I didn't realize until today that bow and grovel are synonyms.

Neither did I. Change "grovel" to "respect" and that would be more like it.

[Winstonm]

Quote

This is how the conservatives in USA like to work.

Small quibble - This should read: This is how Republicans in the USA like to work. The Republican party these days is light years removed from genuine conservatism.

[PassedOut]

Winstonm, on Apr 11 2009, 09:29 AM, said:

Quote

This is how the conservatives in USA like to work.

Small quibble - This should read: This is how Republicans in the USA like to work. The Republican party these days is light years removed from genuine conservatism.

It is indeed.

[JoAnneM]

They weren't rewarded this last election, and which country with perfect people and politics are you from?

[Lobowolf]

dicklont, on Apr 11 2009, 04:44 AM, said:

luke warm, on Apr 10 2009, 08:56 PM, said:

one thing i do find amusing is that if this bow (if that's what it was) was merely politeness on the president's part, why deny it was a bow? why get defensive about it?

This is how the conservatives in USA like to work.
They make stupid allegations about futile points.
Then they start negative campaigning on your responses.
They use filthy tactics, it is all so obvious even on this side of the ocean.

Worst of all, this kind of "politics" is rewarded by voters.

Psssst. It's how the liberals like to work, too. Oh, and it's not "worst of all" like it's some kind of unfortunate byproduct. It's done specifically BECAUSE it works.

[y66]

Republicans definitely do not have a monopoly on this stuff, even if they are somewhat more thuggish and less artful. These are, after all, their core values (they don't call their core supporters "the base" for nothing).

Funny what people choose to see and not see.

[Gerben42]

I think denying following protocol was a silly move to say the least.

Quote

This is how the conservatives in USA like to work.
They make stupid allegations about futile points.
Then they start negative campaigning on your responses.
They use filthy tactics, it is all so obvious even on this side of the ocean.

Unfortunately, this is how many political parties work. And even more unlucky, it works... I wish that people would think more, especially when voting.

[Winstonm]

There is certainly enough reason to criticize Obama - but to simply speculate about a bow is just meaningless drivel - and the fascination with meaningless drivel over real content shows the disdain the powerful have for the average voter.

Real issues like Geithner and Summers controlling policy while Volcker twiddles his thumbs, the Al-Pak escalation, and the stimulus package are ignored - I guess these ideas cannot be formatted into 15 second sound bytes.

[y66]

What would Paul Volcker have to do to pass the no twiddling stress test? Isn't he supposed to be working full time on tax policy reform?

According to Richard Koo, in his recent briefing on Balance Sheet Recessions, Volker has already saved the U.S. financial system once, practically single handedly. That was 25+ years ago, so yeah, you could ask what has he done lately.

[Winstonm]

y66, on Apr 11 2009, 03:06 PM, said:

What would Paul Volcker have to do to pass the no twiddling stress test? Isn't he supposed to be working full time on tax policy reform?

According to Richard Koo, in his recent briefing on Balance Sheet Recessions, Volker has already saved the U.S. financial system once, practically single handedly. That was 25+ years ago, so yeah, you could ask what has he done lately.

I may not have made myself clear. The criticism (and justly earned IMO) is that Obama has thus far relied only on Tim Geithner and Larry Summers, while Paul Volcker - who was supposed to be consulting - has not been utilized at all and has been forced into the role of a thumb-twiddler.

In other words, it is not Volcker's fault as he has not been consulted. I happen to agree with Koo - Volcker drove the country into recession, but it was necessary to break the back of the rampant inflation at that time. He had the courage to do the politically incorrect - and I doubt that will ever occur again.