Russophile
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2007
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- Portland
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- United States
I was appalled and I"m an American. When in Rome you know. . . .Appalled? Come on.
I was appalled and I"m an American. When in Rome you know. . . .Appalled? Come on.
I don't think HMs position has changed just because she met a few more world leaders this week, as for who is the 'real' royalty, HM of course.
However popular Mr Obama is at the moment, as with any politician that can change in a very short time!
I'm an American and I didn't care. I didn't see anything disrespectful in the way Michelle acted. While I can accept that there are different definitions to the word "disrespect" depending on who you ask about any given situation, I would think if Michelle was truly disrespectful in the definition we can all agree on, we'd know about it.I was appalled and I"m an American. When in Rome you know. . . .
We do that for many visiting heads of state, not just the Obama's.and today, the British roll out the red carpet for the American president.
I'm an American and I didn't care. I didn't see anything disrespectful in the way Michelle acted. While I can accept that there are different definitions to the word "disrespect" depending on who you ask about any given situation, I would think if Michelle was truly disrespectful in the definition we can all agree on, we'd know about it.
this is taken from the daily mail online article
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman insisted last night that the Queen wasn't remotely offended by the contact between herself and Mrs Obama, however.
'It was a mutual and spontaneous display of warm and affectionate appreciation between the Queen and Michelle Obama,' they said.
'They had already met more formally but the reception was very much an informal occasion and it was an appropriate gesture.'
Did Michelle Obama break royal protocol by giving the Queen a hug? | Mail Online
it's not about respect anymore. respect is what two ordinary people have in between them. it's more than that. they are heads of state here. there wasn't anything disrespectful about michelle's behaviour. it was just inappropriate, she should have familiarized herself with the type of behaviour that is expected of a first lady, specially when going abroad. it's perfectly fine if michelle hugs a "fan" in the presidential campaign, but it's definitely not fine to hug her majesty the queen of the commonwealth. it's all about perspective.
Thank you so much Skydragon. Here I was wending my evermore weary way through a virtual morass of the ponderous, pompous, pontificating of all those venting their spleen. All suitably outraged, shocked, apalled, etc. ad nauseum, at the disrespectful, inappropriate and downright offensive, manhandling of the Queen by the American President's wife, Michelle Obama.The Queen bent the rules of royal protocol to perfection to leave the coolest couple on the planet even more star-struck, says Clive Aslet.
NOW THAT'S A FIRST LADY - Telegraph
This is probably a rare treat to enjoy the opportunity to spend time in the company of such women.zembla said:. . . . . . The Queen seemed equally smitten in conversation with Hillary Clinton. I don't blame her for liking powerful women, she probably relates to them.
Wonderful, great, terrific, fun, enjoying your job and scoping the field for information useful to her Prime Minister.Russophile said:HM is an intelligent and a keen listener, I'm sure she is very well aware that PM Brown will be working with Sec. of State Clinton and she's checking her out.
This is probably a rare treat to enjoy the opportunity to spend time in the company of such women.
Wonderful, great, terrific, fun, enjoying your job and scoping the field for information useful to her Prime Minister.
BTW, all the ridiculous right-wing talking heads over here are all twitterpated about Michelle touching the Queen. As though she tackled her or something.
Is that really something to focus on with all the turmoil in the global economy? I don't know what upsets me more; that someone would care enough to angry or that the press would care enough to report on it. Mind you I'm talking about our press here, I don't know what the press in England is saying.
The last thing Her Majesty might need is approval ratings ... As aptly noted by Aslet,Well, if there's one thing about the G20 summit that's practically guaranteed, it's that the more the Queen embraces (literally and figuratively!) the Obamas, the higher her approval rating will be. ... [snipped]
NOW THAT'S A FIRST LADY - TelegraphFor there is comfort to be drawn from our own head of state in these uncertain times. Outside, railing against global economic meltdown, protesters may have caused chaos in the City of London. But inside Buckingham Palace the mood is steady. The Queen, after all, has known worse than this.
Like others of her generation, she has lived through world war, rationing, Suez, the oil crisis, the three-day week. She personifies the conviction that we'll pull through. She may even suggest how we do it. For the values that she represents are not those of the get-rich-quick merchants, the bonus boys, the exorbitantly over-rewarded Sir Fred Goodwins, the expenses-fiddling politicians or the incompetent regulators who arguably have landed us in this mess.[my bolding]
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman insisted last night that the Queen wasn't remotely offended by the contact between herself and Mrs Obama, however.
'It was a mutual and spontaneous display of warm and affectionate appreciation between the Queen and Michelle Obama,' they said.
'They had already met more formally but the reception was very much an informal occasion and it was an appropriate gesture.'
'We are not offended': Palace tries to smooth over Queen's 'Why does he have to shout' jibe at Berlusconi | Mail Online
Given all protocol breaches, I have to say that protocol is not all that important for some members of international community. It is actually refreshing to see most Presidents observing protocol rules and not trying to put Her Majesty into an awkward situation.
The last thing Her Majesty might need is approval ratings ... As aptly noted by Aslet,
NOW THAT'S A FIRST LADY - Telegraph
I'm not talking about the right here, I'm talking about when in Rome you do as the Romans do.I'm an American and I didn't care. I didn't see anything disrespectful in the way Michelle acted. While I can accept that there are different definitions to the word "disrespect" depending on who you ask about any given situation, I would think if Michelle was truly disrespectful in the definition we can all agree on, we'd know about it.
BTW, all the ridiculous right-wing talking heads over here are all twitterpated about Michelle touching the Queen. As though she tackled her or something.
Is that really something to focus on with all the turmoil in the global economy? I don't know what upsets me more; that someone would care enough to angry or that the press would care enough to report on it. Mind you I'm talking about our press here, I don't know what the press in England is saying.
I'm not talking about the right here, I'm talking about when in Rome you do as the Romans do.
Were I ever fortunate to meet HM, I bloody well would read up on the proper etiquette for when I was to be presented to her.
As it is, we're a lazy society and I include myself. For example, poor Warren had to correct me again over in HM's thread when I mislabled the coat of arms as the flag. My faux pas that I can make here on TRF but would be mortified were it in real life, especially if it were in front of HM.
It would be nice for the Head of our Nation to set an example by following protocol for the rest of us.
Does the precedent set by Mrs.Obama allow other First Ladies to provide hugs to Her Majesty?
Absolutely! Undoubtedly the new protocol rules are being chiseled into the requisite stone tablets at BP as I type this!
Seriously, though, I'd hardly call a brief touch on the back a "hug." Also, isn't The Queen the person who establishes protocol to begin with? From what I've heard and seen, she may have initiated the touch to begin with. And I'll tell you what: if The Queen touched me on the back, I wouldn't just stand there like a statue shivering over protocol. I'd reciprocate, just like Mrs. Obama did.
Really, this is all quite a little tempest in a teapot, isn't it?
As has already been said (by Al_bina I think), if HM had pulled away with a horrified look on her face or had not allowed her minions to release a 'HM didn't mind' statement, you can imagine those headlines!Anyway. On the subject of the "protocol breach," I think it's rather refreshing to see that someone the Queen's age, who has been brought up on the importance of duty and protocol, can bend the rules every so often. I can't actually believe the "arms round each other" incident is making news headlines as much as it is.
Indeed but you would also ensure you know and follow the protocol of the country you are visiting. The last person to handle HM was chastised and ridiculed in the press, why is this any different?Yes, old fuddy duddy me is vastly over ruled. Gee, when I meet HM, I think I'll embrace her as well. After all, if Michelle Obama did it, then it MUST be okay! Protocol be damned! I'm warm, I'm funny, and gosh darn it! People like me!