Getting your player ready...
WASHINGTON — Some conservative commentators seized on President Barack Obama’s deep bow to Japan’s Emperor Akihito over the weekend, accusing the commander in chief of groveling before a foreign leader.
So did he? While it may have been an awkward moment, it wasn’t without precedent. And it appeared to be well within protocol guidelines that the State Department issues for foreign service officers.
The State Department said Tuesday that its protocol office worked with the White House.
“Protocol, in general, is about respecting the customs and traditions of a host country,” the statement said. “The president was simply showing respect.”
The Associated Press
