Before the right wing gets too excited at Obama showing respect to Emperor Akihito

[RFKHumphreyObama]

Why was Ronald Reagan shaking hands with Emperor Hirohito, the man that many historians consider to have played a major role in sanctioning the military activities and war crimes that happened during World War II?

http://www.japan-101.com/photos/showimage.php?i=52484


And why did Gerald Ford host a White House state dinner for said war criminal?


And for that matter, why did George HW Bush attend his funeral and pay homage to him?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirohito#Death_and_state_funeral

If the right wing is going to get all upset that President Obama is showing respect to an Emperor who was between the ages of 6 and 12 when WWII happened, then perhaps they should examine their own glass houses before throwing stones

Note: I couldn't get the first image of Reagan and Hirohito shaking hands to load so I have included a link to it

[Catshrink]

1. I'm waiting to hear of Rush and Beck's take on this.

It will make for good comedy.

[StarfarerBill]

5. We won't hear about it.

It never happened as far as Limbaugh and Beck are concerned...and if a caller does manage to get through to remind them, that caller will be shouted down and hung up on before you can say "death panel".

[Catshrink]

6. I meant the part about Obama bowing

I know we won't hear about Ford or Reagan or, as you said, the caller would be hung up on immediately.

[StarfarerBill]

7. Ahh; my mistake.

That will of course be excoriated as a second Pearl Harbor and further evidence that our foreign president wants to sell us out to his Asian/European/African/Muslim (take your pick) masters.

[PDJane]

2. As far as Regan and Bush Sr.

were concerned, it was professional courtesy....one war criminal to another.

[Taverner]

Bonzo goes to Bitburg.

Need I say more?

[GreenStormCloud]

3. Did those presidents bow to him?

I honestly don't know if they did or didn't. Don't really care either.

I think that will be the way the right will spin it. They will say that an American President should not bow to anyone. Remember how upset they were when Obama seemed to bow to the King of Saudi Arabia?

I am not attacking Obama, I am trying to guess how the RW will frame it.

[Arugula Latte]

10. You mean like this?

[lib2DaBone]

4. If I am a guest at your house.. and I respect your customs...

Why is this bad?

[VPStoltz]

8. Bush has been pictured kissing, and then holding hands with, the King of Saudia Arabia.

The same Saudi Arabia that bred Osama and the 9/11 hijackers.
I was all about the oil.

[Posteritatis]

9. Hirohito's an interesting character; need to take another poke at Bix's bio of him. (nt)