War in heaven?

Note: My weekend op-ed in the newspaper.

President Obama just made another gaff his supporters are frantically trying to excuse, justify or explain away.

On his state visit to Japan, Obama bowed deeply in what all Japanese recognize as submission, first to Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, then to Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

Some of Obama’s opponents say they are appalled. They’re lying. They are delighted.

Others are just puzzled. Obama took a lot of flack for bowing on bended knee to the king of Saudi Arabia last April. His people explained it as due to the difference in their heights. The video tells a different story. Why would he open himself to that kind of criticism again, especially after he didn’t bow to the Queen of England shortly thereafter?

Once and for all, American citizens do not bow in submission to foreign monarchs. This is NOT politics, it’s protocol. Any American citizen is the social equal of any foreign king.

This is merely the latest of a series of protocol gaffs from this administration.

When the Obamas met Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen gave them one of the earliest known copies of William Shakespeare’s Henry V, and the original sheet music of John Newton’s “Amazing Grace.” The Queen gave Obama daughters a doll house replica of Windsor Castle with a functioning train station, and a prize Shetland pony. Michelle Obama was given a ruby ring once worn by Queen Victoria.

In return Obama gave the Queen a shopping bag from the Duty Free shop at Heathrow airport containing: a signed paperback copy of Dreams of My Father, a bottle of Johnny Walker Scotch, a CD of ABBA’s greatest hits (with 2 for 1 sticker still on it,) ten bags of M&Ms with the presidential seal on them, and an iPod with Obama’s speeches.

“How delightful,” Her Majesty said.

When British Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited the U.S. he brought Obama a pen holder crafted from the timbers of the 19th century British warship HMS President, whose sister ship, HMS Resolute, provided the wood for the Oval Office’s desk.

The White House responded with 25 DVDs of American movie classics – which won’t play on British DVD players.

The British press were both scornful, and anxious Obama was signaling an end to the “special relationship” by calculated rudeness. Symbols mean something in diplomacy and wars have been fought over them.

This would be appalling in any president of any party. If you doubt this, I invite you to consider how you’d feel if your own children displayed such disregard for long-established manners and customs. Would you excuse their behavior or advise them to correct it?

So what the heck is going on? This behavior from a president who advertises himself as deeply familiar with foreign cultures, and the first “Pacific president.” And the president is not supposed to know all of this stuff himself, he’s got staff who are supposed to take care of this kind of thing. Someone’s not doing their job.

The Chief of Protocol with the rank of an ambassador, is charged with advising the president on these matters and briefing him before meetings with foreign dignitaries.

According to the Chief of Protocol’s website the duties of the office include, “Accompany the President on official visits abroad. Propose and purchase gifts to give foreign leaders and receive reciprocal gifts on behalf of the President, First Lady, Vice President, Secretary of State and spouses.”

The current Chief of Protocol is Capricia Penavic Marshall, a first-generation American born to a Mexican mother and a Croatian father. That’s quite an inter-cultural background.

She is also a long-time Clinton associate, former Social Secretary to President Clinton and senior advisor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Interestingly, the chief of protocol customarily travels with either the Secretary of State or the President. However the White House has announced Marshall will travel with Clinton but not with the President. The White House will create a new position for someone to travel with Obama and direct protocol matters. In other words, the Secretary State has her own Chief of Protocol.

If I were the paranoid type, I’d suspect Hillary was sabotaging her boss to position herself for an upset nomination in 2012.

Or perhaps the president just regards Marshall as Hillary’s aid, not his. Whatever it is, either the chief of protocol is not talking to the President, or the President isn’t listening.

I think it means there’s war in heaven.

And by the way, it’s been announced that White House Council Greg Craig, formerly special council to President Bill Clinton, will step down in favor of Robert Bauer, Obama’s personal attorney.