Donald Trump appears to 'curtsey' to Saudi king after mocking Barack Obama for bowing

[mark fromelko]

Source: The Independent (UK)

Donald Trump has been accused of hypocrisy after appearing to "curtsey" while receiving a gold medal from the king of Saudi Arabia.

Back in 2012, Mr Trump criticised his predecessor Barack Obama for bowing to foreign leaders, including then-Saudi King Abdullah.

But he bowed his head while receiving the country's highest civilian honour on Saturday, the Collar of King Abdulaziz al-Saud.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-saudi-arabia-trip-curtsey-bow-king-salman-gold-medal-honour-barack-obama-bowing-a7747016.html

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More honest video title:

[forgotmylogin]

1. This is going to PISS OFF his supporters.

To be honest, he stooped down so the shorter man could put the thing around his neck. It wasn't some sort of courtly bow.

[47of74]

10. I doubt it. He could take a giant orange shit on Branch Trumpvidians

....and they would still support the bastard.

[Midnight Writer]

12. I just had a local talk radio on. All Trump folk calling in approval.

[SunSeeker]

13. He curtsied AFTER he bowed to let the Saudi put the medal around hus neck.

The medal was already around his neck when he dropped at the knees in a curtsy.


Look closely:

Link to tweet

[JHB]

23. Yep, he's taller, so he had to bend a bit to get the bling, but...

...AFTER he had it there was that extra dip.

Wasn't needed, so what was it?

[DK504]

28. OMG!! He actually curtsied!!!!! LOL

Look at him playing with his shiny little bauble, hopefully it will keep him occupied for a few weeks.

He looks like he is going to keep going down and "thank" the king for his new toy.

[forgotmylogin]

31. I guess I missed the curtsy.

He's 70. He could always say his knees failed and he lost his balance a bit.

Not that I want to help him, but that whole situation with him striding through the singing throngs like he's some kind of king is all weird.

[SunSeeker]

29. Check out Roger Stone's response:

Link to tweet

And I don't think he even realizes Trump curtsied afterward, since he doesn't watch MSM news and Fox has NOT carried this story. Fox knows this would be very damaging with his base. In fact, all day yesterday Fox ran the false headline "Trump shakes hands with Saudi leader, doesn't bow as Obama appeared to do" with a picture of him at the airport---no pictures or video from the medal ceremony. Yup, this is a big deal.

[Marie Marie]

2. I knew this would not bode will with his base.

Can't wait to read his Twitter Spin on this.

[jberryhill]

4. Oh they've already started

He wasn't bowing, he was receiving a medal.

It was choreographed that way for this reason.

He'll bow, but only if he is given an award for it.

The medal in question is the Saudi equivalent of a Nobel Prize. This one is for "World's Dumbest Person." Usually the awardees don't show up.

[SunSeeker]

15. He bowed for the medal then curtsied after it was already around his neck.

How do the "morans" explain the after the fact curtsy?

[LenaBaby61]

6. This is going to PISS OFF his supporters.

Kinda don't think so, because fatso's bowing & scraping while white.

[forgotmylogin]

32. Ah, right.

It's not a "muslim" bowing to him, so it's peachy.

[LonePirate]

3. He's not black so his supporters don't care what he does.

[6000eliot]

16. Precisely.

It was never about Obama bowing. It was about him being president and having brown skin.

[zentrum]

5. His hair looks ways different.

I think that's a wig.

[dalton99a]

8. Or Clairol

[zentrum]

21. For sure. But

..it has a new shape and controllability too. Looks like it's helped by substructure. Will never be able to tell one way or the other, but he's such a tacky representative for our country. And it always shows, even before he opens his mouth.

[retrowire]

7. fucking sigh*

Yep. This is worth criticizing. Totally legitimate volley to throw. Good job guys.

[SunSeeker]

14. We're mocking the GOP hypocracy. Could you imagine the shitstorm if OBAMA CURTSIED?

Trump didn't just bow to accept the medal. AFTER the medal was around his neck, he dropped at the knee in a curtsy:

Link to tweet

[Permanut]

9. The hair!! The hair!!

Don't mess up my hair, kingy boy!!

[George II]

11. And Melania didn't wear a head covering even though he castigated Michelle for not doing so!!

[SunSeeker]

17. Yup, he sure did:

Link to tweet

[Achilleaze]

18. Dainty Donny (R)

[DinahMoeHum]

19. You mean like this?

[Chemisse]

20. Meh - a slight dip, a nonstory, imo. n/t

[SunSeeker]

24. No, exposing this will hurt him with his base. That is why Fox News won't talk about it.

In fact, Fox is LYING about it, saying it was a "handshake." Their headline was "Trump shakes hands with Saudi leader, doesn't bow as Obama appeared to do." This is a big fucking deal and Fox knows it. I am really surprised by the number of people who seem to want to suppress this story right here on DU.

[Chemisse]

25. Who wants to suppress it?

It just seems like a nothing story. It's not something I would condemn anyone for, so don't want to be a hypocrite and condemn it just because it is Trump.

But if Republicans want to flip out and think Trump is a girlie-man for curtseying, I am totally fine with that.

[SunSeeker]

26. The folks who falsely claim he wasn't curtsying or who falsely claim this is a nonstory.

I mean, why did you go to the trouble of posting a "meh" and trying to spin this curtsy as a "dip" if this was a nothingburger? Why even post if this story means nothing to you? I am sure there are hundreds of stories on DU right now that mean nothing to you, but you did not go to the trouble of posting a belittlement of the story on those threads.

And no, it is not "flipping out" to show the rank hypocrisy of Donald Trump to his base. Why the insult to us here that we are crazy or "flipping out" for exposing this?

I think showing him curtsying to King Saudi is one of the few things that could hurt him with his base.

Check out Roger Stones response (and I don't think he even realizes Trump curtsied afterward, since he doesn't watch MSM news):

Link to tweet

[forgotmylogin]

33. Because we're better than them.

I'm happy if the fundie right blows this up into a outrage, but this is among the least worrisome things he's done. I watched the video again. He seemed to hesitate a bit as if confused before straightening back up. He's got 70 year-old knees.

This for us is akin to the Dean scream or Gore sighing or Hillary's expression not being "pleasant" during the debate.

I'm pleased as punch, though, if this is the straw that broke the camel's back to the unreasonable part of his base, but this isn't personally what I'd crucify him for. The right love to make mountains out of tiny perceived "slights" like not wearing a flag lapel pin. I think the story is the sweet schadenfreude that this is a big deal to certain people.

We've got bigger tools to beat him with in the ever-expanding "OMFGTRUMP!!!111" box.

[SunSeeker]

34. I wasn't asking you. But interesting how you jumped in to defend Trump by blaming his knees.

The person I was responding to did not even raise that.

Of COURSE a curtsy is not what a progressive would crucify him for, but it is deadly to his base. Why not use all the tools at our disposal? The ones we've been using haven't worked. His base doesn't care that he is an ignorant, vulgar bigot. They LIKE that about him. Now him showing emasculating fealty to the Saudi King, that is deadly. Why do you think Fox refused to show that video and even went out of their way to make up a false headline that he did not bow, let alone curtsy?

We should crucify him on this for his hypocrisy. How are we not being "better than them" by pointing out his hypocrisy?

And no, he was not looking confused. He curtsied after getting the award. It was a controlled drop. His 70-year-old knees didn't buckle, he didn't reach out for support, he fucking CURTSIED.

If you think this is such a nonstory, why are you chasing down this subthread over it?

[forgotmylogin]

35. Because I'm bored on a Sunday?

It's just as interesting you're worked up enough to stalk my posts and defend wet-noodling 45 over this.

Here, you go ahead and take this squirt-gun curtsy thing and I'll hold on to the obstruction of justice bazooka.

I get it that you mean "every bit counts."

[SunSeeker]

36. OFFS, I'm not stalking you. You jumped in this subthread. I have no idea who you are.

Trump's supporters don't care that he's obstructing justice. They think he is justified in blocking the "deep state."

The obstruction of justice argument is a bazooka only if we get a Dem majority in 2018 and can impeach him over it. The Republicans currectly are supporting Trump because their base supports Trump. If you want impeachment now, you need to made the base abandon Trump. Your bazooka isn't going to do that.

[forgotmylogin]

37. I completely agree in every possible way.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to set me straight.

[mark fromelko]

38. This isn't about body movements, Chemisse, it's about Hypocrisy

Trump did something that he'd excoriated Obama for several years back. That MAKES it a genuine story!

[keithbvadu2]

22. It's an effective strategy for the king. Everyone bows.

It's an effective strategy for the king. Everyone bows.

For the price of a shiny gold bauble, he gets obeisance from every awardee.

An expensive gold bauble to us; a minor expense to the king.

[SunSeeker]

27. In the US, we have medal ribbons open in the back so recipients don't bow.

Even when they are super tall:

[christx30]

30. And Bannon looks terrified:

http://imgur.com/gallery/4ijS4