Holding hands....

[ThreeCatNight]

Are there any pics of any President (other than Shrub), holding hands with a Saudi diplomat?
I still think this is all really wierd.

[okieinpain]

1. yes, it's weird that the president is the prince's bitch. he knows

that his followers would go ape shit crazy if clinton did it. but he doesn't give a f*** because he wants to make the saudi's happy. so all of the repugs have to once again put their so-called values system on the back burner for their little tin horn god.

[tokenlib]

2. Everyone I know thinks it strange as well...

Grasping a hand--and perhaps holding it for a moment--like two old friends who haven't seen each other in awhile--I could understand. But this seems so odd--unless you were holding hands with your spouse or a child or the love-of-your-life, or such....

[Rick Myers]

3. I'd doubt it...

After all, 41 calls Prince Bandar 'Bandar Bush!!!' You just can't make this crap up! They are shameless whores...

[Richard D]

4. I agree . . .

. . . or any other world "leader" for that matter. It may be custom, but something about it just isn't sitting right. Especially considering that photo's of shrub look like he . . . well . . . has wood.

[sniffa]

5. "you had me at peak oiL"

[yella_dawg]

6. Anybody got pictures

of the Monkey King holding hands with Pickles? I don't remember any.

[elehhhhna]

8. Here's them smoochin' at the Pope's Funeral...

And an excellent DUer's photoshop version:




Thread, here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3491723

[City Lights]

7. It's not just Saudis. He held hands while strolling with Hosni Mubarak.

I've been asking people who claim this cultural tradition has been embraced by former US presidents in the past to share some pictures, and yesterday someone posted this of Clinton and Arafat, but it's not the same thing, IMHO:

[napi21]

9. Aparently not. I heard this discussed on several progs on CNN

yesterday. The goof filling in for Blitzer had a guest on from some arab country or organization, and he asked him point blank "there have been many questions here in the US about our President holding hands and kissing the Saudi Prince. We have check past history and haven't found any other Presidents having done this. Is sthat part of your culture?"

As expected, this guy said it is a very common practice of hugging, kissing, and hand holding in the Arab culture. It's an expression of friendship.

I actually believe him. HOWEVER, I remember an interview of Bill Clinton, after he left office. The interviewer was one of the popular anchors like Donaldson, but I don't remember which one.

He was talking to Clinton about the meeting he hosted at Camp David with Arafat and Ehud Barak. They cam to some agreement and were holding a Press Conference in the Rose Garden. Clinton laughed and said, now I knew these guys were going to try to kiss me, 'cause that's part of their culture, but I also knew the American people wouldn't respond very positively to that, so I talked to one of my staff, and they suggested the stiff arm move(I think thats what it was). He said we practiced it for a while 'till I got it right. He even demonstrated it to the interviewer. It's a tactic where you put your left hand on the upper right arm of the person in front of you, make your arm fairly rigid, and shake hands with your right hand. It was done very well, and neither of the visitors were offended.

My point if, Clinton was smart enough to realize that Americans don't know about Arab customers and really don't care either, so he took steps NOT TO APPEAR IN PUBLIC doing anything questionable. Shrub either doesn't know, doesn't care, or is too damn dumb to think about it.

[roguevalley]

10. there are a lot of cultures where men do that. its nothing. you should

go to Korea and see the men holding hands or walking with their arms around each other. its just a cultural thing. I think its kind of cute. (not them. the idea of it.)

[Kathryn7]

11. I see nothing wrong with it. It isn't sexual in a lot of other cultures

I don't understand why our culture thinks it's "icky".

[bvar22]

12. Having anal sex with underage boys...

...is also a part of the Royal Arabian culture.