Conservative media obsess over photo of Obama greeting Chinese president

Drudge Report: “Bow to Chinese Communist.” On April 12, the Drudge Report highlighted a photo of Obama greeting Hu at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., with the caption, “Bow to Chinese Communist”:

Fox Nation: “Did President Obama Bow Again?” On April 12, the Fox Nation posted the photo with the headline, “Did President Obama Bow Again?”

Gateway Pundit: "He just can't help himself. What a disgrace." In an April 12 post on his Gateway Pundit blog, Jim Hoft wrote: “Hu Too?... Obama Bows to Chinese Leader Hu Jintao... Again.” Hoft later stated: "He just can't help himself. What a disgrace."

Hot Air: “Sigh: Obama bows to Chinese leader.” In an April 12 Hot Air post, blogger Allahpundit wrote: “Drudge has it red-fonted, which means it's officially outrageous outrage time. I don't know if I've gotten used to him doing this or if it's a small relief to see him not go quite as perpendicular as he did for the Japanese emperor, but my heart-ache isn't as pronounced as it was in the past." Allahpundit continued:

I'm curious, actually: What does one have to do to merit a show of deference from The One? Is it a debt thing? That would certainly explain the bows to China and Japan, but what about the one to the Saudi king? Maybe it's an age thing, as the Saudi and Japanese rulers are both elderly -- but then what about Hu, who's only 67? Is it more subjective, where sometimes the mood strikes for no rhyme or reason? What's the policy here, champ?

Pamela Geller: “Obama Bows Again to Communist China, America Hangs Head in Shame.” In an April 12 blog post, Geller highlighted the photo and wrote that Obama “kisses the asses of the world's worst despots. Here he bows to communist monsters of China.” Geller also stated of Obama's greeting, "America's first morally bankrupt President ......more empirical evidence."

BigGovernment: “Obama Bows to Chinese Leader at Nuke Summit.” An April 12 post on Andrew Breitbart's BigGovernment.com highlighted the photo with the headline, “Obama Bows to Chinese Leader at Nuke Summit.”

Hannity: “He bows again.” On the April 12 edition of his Fox News show, Sean Hannity stated: "[W]e've got a picture up on the Drudge Report right now, you know, the president bowing to another world leader." Hannity then aired video of Obama greeting Hu and stated, “We've got the video right there. He bows again.”

Beck: “I don't know what it is, but there's something wrong.” On the April 13 edition of his radio show, Glenn Beck said of Obama, “You see him with the premier of China, and he's bowing and his eyes are down.” Beck continued: “There's something wrong here. There's something wrong. I don't know what it is, but there's something wrong.”

Boortz: “president Obowma?” In an April 13 Twitter post, Neal Boortz wrote: “president Obowma? What's with the bowing to the Communist Chinese leader?” In a later Twitter post, Boortz wrote, “Sooner or later Obowma is going to head butt someone and start a freaking nuclear war.”

Fox & Friends: “Take a bow.” On April 13, Fox News' Fox & Friends aired video of Obama greeting Hu, which co-host Brian Kilmeade said showed Obama “appearing to bow.” Kilmeade then stated, “This, of course, is not the first time the president has appeared to bow ... with some controversial bows to other foreign leaders,” and aired photos of Obama's greetings of Japanese Emperor Akihito and Saudi King Abdullah. Later, co-host Peter Johnson Jr. said: “Evidently, it doesn't bother him. I mean, you know, this has been reported -- this kind of deep bowing everywhere -- but he just continues to do it.” Kilmeade later asked, “Didn't he bow to the mayor in Florida?” to which co-host Gretchen Carlson replied, “She didn't take it as a bow, but, yes.” During the segment, on-screen text stated, “Take a bow; President gives China's Jintao warm greeting.”

Scarborough: Obama “seems to like to bow an awful lot.” On the April 13 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, discussing Obama's greeting of Hu, co-host Joe Scarborough asked, “Why is it that this president ... why does he bow?” Scarborough continued, “He seems to like to bow an awful lot. What's that about?” Morning Joe then aired photos of Obama's previous supposed “bows.”

Conservative media previously attacked Obama for supposedly “bowing”

Conservative media have previously obsessed over Obama's supposed “bowing,” attacking him for his greetings of Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, Saudi King Abdullah, and Japanese Emperor Akihito.