More reader comments about President Obama's bow to Japan's emperor

Many of the initial responses to the blog post about President Obama’s bow to the emperor of Japan last weekend were -- critical would be too tame a word -- downright searing in their comments.

But in the last few days, commenters came out of the woodwork supporting the president’s gesture of respect, however overdone or flawed, or condemning those who were quick to cast the first stone criticizing the gesture as a gaffe. Yet even with this show of patriotism, the disapproving comments have not ceased.

In the spirit of this blog’s traditional purpose -- celebrating and printing our readers' opinions -- we have printed 10 comments below from those more tolerant of the gesture. If you'd like to read the harsher comments,  click here.

Frank Morgan wrote: Respect for others is a great virtue which I rejoice to see in our President.

Jayaprakash wrote: It is a diplomatic win over Japan's hearts by this simple action. Obama is more diplomatic than we think.

Zach wrote: A bow? People are calling for impeachment over a bow?!

Joe Bell wrote: The handshake/bow was a good mixture I think, as it is custmary for Americans to shake hands when greeted, and Japanese to bow when greeted, so a mixture of the two was mutualy respectable. Americans are too proud, and in this day and age, we have no right to be.

konnichiwa wrote: I love how there are a ton of people here throwing around casual racism and then claiming Obama is the one ruining the United States because he bowed to another official. It seems that a sign of respect clearly upsets a lot of folks in the good ol' US of A

scottosan wrote: Obama! Don't shake hands if your going to bow... either shake hands and don't bow or bow and don't shake hands and keep your hands at your sides…I hate your morals and everything else that you stand for but hey, at least you tried.

Frederico Franca wrote: THERE'S NO LONGER ROOM FOR YOUR ATIQUATED POINTS OF VIEW! OPEN YOUR EYES! TAKE A LOOK A YOUR PRESIDENT ICONOCLAST GESTURE AND GET PROUD!

Rick Cain wrote: Uhm, Japan is an ally. We should respect their emperor. There's no need for cold war style posturing. Heck Donald Rumsfeld shook hands with Saddam Hussein, now THAT was embarassing in retrospect.

Dee wrote: Courtesy doesn't cost a thing, and anyone with just a tiny bit of knowledge of Asian courtesy would recognize the bow as being courteous. 

Pedeye wrote: Finally a president whose biggest foreign policy gaffes are showing too much respect for others. Beats getting more soldiers killed for dubious or manufactured WMD reasons.

You can leave your own comments below.

-- Kelsey Ramos

Photo: President Obama greets Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko during his first Asian tour as president. Credit: Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty Images

Top 10 reader comments about President Obama's bow to Japan's Emperor Akihito

A post on our Top of the Ticket blog today about President Obama’s greeting of Japan’s Emperor Akihito has already generated over 1,000 comments from readers.

This weekend, the president has done a lot of bowing to show respect on his first Asia tour as president. The photo above was taken after the president gave a speech in Tokyo's Suntory Hall. However, the emperor's bow was a little different. Times staffer Andrew Malcolm, who wrote the post, allowed the photo (and the video) of Obama’s gesture to speak for itself -- see it here.

We mostly enjoyed what readers had to say about the president’s greeting -- a mixture of outrage and patriotism, snarky one-liners and more serious diatribes.

Here are the top 10 best comments so far (leave your own below):

1. Mitch wrote: Obama to Emperor of Japan: "May I shine your shoes, Sir?"
2. Plain Jane wrote: Obama WASN'T bowing - He SAW a Japanese Yen on the floor and went to pick it up because it might be Worth More Than Our Dollar!
3. Veteran wrote: Was that before or after he appologized for World War 2?
4. bmcc wrote: Palin would have winked at him. You betcha!
5. Maripo wrote: I'm surprised he didn't curtsy.
6. MP wrote: Whatever happened to the good old days when we could count on a Republican in the White House to puke on foreign dignitaries?
7. marty1234 wrote: I wish are first black president had been a rapper at least he'd have some attitude...
8. Wax on wax off wrote: Look eye! Always look eye! -Mr. Miyagi
9. helen roach wrote: I wonder why they didn't run the dust mop over the floor. It would have looked much nicer in the picture.
10. Xavier wrote: See, Obama is not a Muslim. He's a shintoist.

What are your comments on the president’s bow to Japan’s emperor? Tell us below.

-- Kelsey Ramos

Photo: President Obama after a speech at Tokyo's Suntory Hall. Credit: Reuters

Number of swine flu deaths three times higher than previously estimated, CDC says

New estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cite at least 22 million U.S. cases of the H1N1 influenza and 3,900 deaths, including about 540 children. This is about three times the number of laboratory-confirmed deaths the agency has been reporting.

According to an article today by Times staff writer Thomas H. Maugh II, the new numbers reflect epidemiologists’ more accurate estimates, which include cases that might be listed on death certificates as pneumonia or other infections but were ultimately caused by swine flu. Previous reports included only laboratory-confirmed cases.

The H1N1 influenza differs from the traditional flu in a few ways -- it is very easily spread, affects young people more than old and doesn’t seem to follow the standard cold-weather transmission patterns, says an article from our health blog Booster Shots. 

Blog commenters and Twitter users have been alternately supportive and skeptical of being vaccinated against H1N1 so far, using the hashtag #swine on their updates. People are also quick to defend themselves when they sneeze or give other indications that they might have the flu:

cidelson wrote: Don't be lulled into complacency on swine flu, public health officials note how it continues to spread

Aaron Nichols wrote: This is fear mongering at the highest level – Now that makes me sick!

Soupking wrote: This is all HYPE. You couldn't pay me thousands of dollars to get "vaccinated".

Lindy Lee wrote: In our city, one child has died and thirty three percent of a local high school has the influenza. Many have been hospitalized. There are NO vaccines. Nobody was prepared and Obama was dishonest with us.

Connor_Davidson wrote: Is not all that well. P.S it's not Swine Flu

What do you think about the CDC’s report estimating so many H1N1 deaths? Have you gotten immunized or have you decided not to?

There has been a shortage of vaccines in California. Do you think the state is doing enough to respond to the outbreak of H1N1? Should President Obama and the federal government be doing more to help, or do you feel they have it under control?

-- Kelsey Ramos

Photo: A vial of H1N1 flu vaccine. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

Lou Dobbs announces his resignation from CNN -- is Fox his next stop?

Longtime CNN anchor Lou Dobbs announced on his program this evening that he is leaving the network.

His resignation is effective immediately, overriding a contract set to expire at the end of 2011. Tonight’s show was his last on CNN.

The anchor updated his Twitter account, loudobbsnews, with “Be sure to watch CNN tonight at seven eastern for what will be, for me at least, a memorable show.”

Dobbs is perhaps best known for his anti-immigration views, which Twitter users repeatedly referred to as word of Dobbs’ resignation spread:

sarahhirsch says: And Fox said to CNN "red rover red rover let Lou Dobbs come over" Good riddance.

daveweigel says: Lou Dobbs leaving CNN to spend more time with his racism

mkapor says: Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Zohreen says: One more thing to add to things thankful for at fam thankgiving din in 2 weeks

nutzareus says: Only option is FOX News for Lou Dobbs. Seems appropriate. :-)

Last month, Dobbs met with Roger Ailes, chairman of the Fox News Channel. According to a New York Times blog post, Dobbs was viewed as a potential hire for the Fox Business Network at that time.

Tell us your thoughts -- did Lou Dobbs break his contract with CNN to start a job with Fox? In your opinion, would that be the right move for him? If not Fox, where might he be going next?

-- Kelsey Ramos

Photo: Lou Dobbs announces his resignation from CNN on his show Wednesday night. Credit: Tony Pierce / Los Angeles Times

George W. Bush's new smart phone attracts Twitter zingers

Just when you thought people had grown tired of ragging on President George W. Bush, the zingers come back.

The Ticket posted news Tuesday about the former president getting a BlackBerry.

After a meeting with Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, we -- along with Stone -- had begun to wonder if Twitter could be next for Bush.

The Twitter world wasn't so enthusiastic about the less-than-popular politician coming to the party. The prospect incited disses not seen since the latter part of Bush's last term.

JashSF writes:

He's going to need a spell checker on there.

Barbapreta writes:

Oh my Gosh! Are you ready for e-bushisms!

RichardWildwood writes:

I can see how this is BB's ideal celeb advocate

Thesurfreport writes:

Doubtful as he probably can't count to 140.

-- Mark Milian

Twitter: @markmilian

Photo credit: Associated Press

Does Obama deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?

It took a Nobel Peace Prize for the former community organizer, Barack Obama, to unite the normally fractious political spectrum that ranges from liberals to conservatives and from Democrats to Republicans. Everyone, including the White House, was shocked by the win.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee acknowledged that it was moving quickly to give Obama the award, before he had done much more than lay out guidelines for his new diplomatic role.

Obama’s outgoing approach and desire to broaden the diplomatic exchange is in sharp contrast to his predecessor, George W. Bush, and that too played into the selection.

But Obama has had his accomplishments. He has given major speeches in Cairo on the need to recognize the Muslim world and in Prague on halting the spread of nuclear weapons. He helped get a strong United Nations resolution on nuclear nonproliferation.

He has also spoken forcefully on the need to act to curb greenhouse gas emissions and to fight global warming, though his administration concedes that Congress will probably not act before the next international climate conference in Copenhagen in December.

Obama scrapped a Bush proposal to build a missile shield for Eastern Europe, a step Russia had sought.

 -- Michael Muskal

Photo: U.S. President Barack Obama speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House after being awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, Oct. 9, 2009. Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "extraordinary efforts" to strengthen global diplomacy just nine months into his term and without the record of achievement of past laureates. Credit: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg

Should the Supreme Court allow a Christian cross in a war monument?

 
This 75-year-old wooden cross, now covered with a tarp, was at the center of a heated debate in the U.S. Supreme Court today.

The cross, which is located atop a rock in California’s Mojave National Preserve near the Nevada border, has honored fallen World War I soldiers since 1934 but came under fire a decade ago after park employee Frank Buono protested its potential 1st Amendment violation of establishment of religion.

The land on which the cross sits was recently transferred from the national preserve to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, but the Supreme Court justices debated today whether that solves the issue. In the past, the park has turned down a request to display a Buddhist symbol. The Obama administration agreed with the VFW and urged the court to uphold the display of the cross while it is under private control.

An excerpt from the article by David G. Savage:

"This is a stand-alone cross," said Peter Eliasberg, the [American Civil Liberties Union in Southern California] lawyer. "The cross is the predominant symbol of Christianity," he said, and it should not be treated as though it is the single, favored religious symbol.

Justice Antonin Scalia took sharp exception to that comment.

The cross "is the most common symbol" to honor the war dead, he said, calling it an "outrageous conclusion" to say the cross is limited to honoring only soldiers who were Christians. By the end of the hour, it was not clear what issue the justices will decide. They could decide whether the transfer of the cross to the VFW solved the legal problem. Or they could go further back and decide whether it was constitutional to erect the cross on public land.

So what are your thoughts? Is it being too politically correct if we disallow a private World War I monument with a Christian cross? Or does the cross' presence in the preserve wrongly discriminate against other religions by preventing their symbols, like a Buddhist one, from being represented as well?

-- Kelsey Ramos

Photo: This cross, now covered in tarp, atop a rock in California’s Mojave National Preserve has been a memorial to fallen World War I soldiers since 1934. Credit: Liberty Legal Institute / Associated Press

Obama holds third security session on Afghanistan, Pakistan

Eight years after the start of the war in Afghanistan, President Obama will hold his third top-level meeting with his security team to discuss what to do next and whether to send more troops.

Obama will again meet privately with his national security team today, with two more sessions on tap. The president met with congressional leaders Tuesday and recently met face-to-face with his commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal. While many participants have been careful not to speak publicly, leaks and lobbying have given an extraordinary look inside the issue and how the policy is evolving.

The immediate topic of debate is the military recommendation that as many as 40,000 additional U.S. troops are needed in Afghanistan to ensure that the Taliban is prevented from regaining power. Currently, the U.S. has authorized 68,000 troops and NATO 40,000 more. The fear is that the Taliban will allow Al Qaeda to return to Afghanistan from their safe havens in Pakistan, broadening the terrorist group's ability to recruit, train and act.

Lawmakers haven't been shy about making their views known after their session with Obama. Republicans in general are supportive of the military view while Democrats are backing the president's call to first decide the scope of the mission before committing more resources. The White House has made it clear there is no plan to withdraw from Afghanistan nor to cut a large number of troops. The signal is the U.S. will take a middle course while rethinking how far it wants to go in nation-building, but it is the details that matter and those are being considered.

While the public is not directly involved in the meetings (except through its representatives), the mood as measured by recent polls is turning against the war. According to a new Associated Press-GfK poll, public support for the war is at 40%, down from 44% in July.

After the jump check out the latest Twitter updates from Michael Muskal, and your comments.

Schwarzenegger becomes latest Republican to back Obama's healthcare overhaul plan

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today became the latest Republican to back an overhaul of healthcare, as the Obama administration gathers support for what it hopes will be the final bipartisan push.

In a prepared statement, Schwarzenegger, generally more liberal on social issues than most of his fellow Republicans, stressed the need for action. "I believe in the vital importance of this issue and that it should be addressed through bipartisan cooperation."

The governor, who is termed out, cited goals he shares with Obama, such as slowing the growth in healthcare costs and ensuring a strong economic recovery. "I appreciate his partnership with the states and encourage our colleagues on both sides of the aisle at the national level to move forward."

Schwarzenegger joins the bipartisanship parade of healthcare reform backers that includes former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, the former Health and Human Services secretary in the Bush administration. New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, elected as a Republican but now an independent, has also backed reform.

After the jump check out the latest Twitter updates from Michael Muskal, and your comments.

Obama gets medical consultation in healthcare reform pitch

President Obama told doctors this morning that he was confident that Congress would move on healthcare reform this year, though he acknowledged that there were details still to be worked out.

“You look spiffy in your coats,” Obama told the crowd of about 150 in the Rose Garden, most of whom were wearing lab coats. He praised the doctors as being among the medical professionals who know first-hand how important it is to make changes in the healthcare system.

The Senate Finance Committee is expected to pass its version of healthcare reform soon, making it five bills that have worked their way through committees in both houses. The Senate will have to reconcile two bills and the House three.

But among details still to be worked out is what shape a public option might take, whether robust, a government-sponsored health insurance program, some form of cooperatives or just an exchange to make insurance costs more transparent.

The final version of the House bill is expected to have the strongest public option; the version in the Finance Committee is the weakest. Other issues include how to pay for the changes and what consumer protections to demand from the insurance companies.

-- Michael Muskal

Photo: Shawn Thew / EPA

After the jump, check out the latest Twitter updates from Michael Muskal, and your comments.

Michael Moore's 'Capitalism: A Love Story' challenges many aspects of American life

Although the latest Michael Moore documentary, "Capitalism: A Love Story" has been screening in Los Angeles in a few theaters for a week, the film debuted nationwide Friday.

The consensus of reviewers sampled by RottenTomatoes.com gives the controversial (and funny) doc a respectable 72% "fresh" rating (meaning more favorable reviews than unfavorable ones). L.A. Times film critic Kenneth Turan's review is equally lukewarm to the movie that uses AIG, Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger and even Jesus Christ to help prove Moore's theory that capitalism is hurting America. An excerpt:

Clearly, Moore has not lost his provocateur's gift for stirring the pot, and it is heartening to have a filmmaker take on a subject this all-encompassing and almost taboo. But not even Moore's skill can quell the suspicion that "Capitalism" misses the narrower focus that gave his earlier films some of their punch.

In a sense, "Capitalism" comes by its wide-ranging, scattershot approach naturally. After all, this is a heck of a big subject: Just ask Karl Marx, who spent 18 years researching and writing his multi-volume "Das Kapital." So it's perhaps inevitable because of the ton of territory "Capitalism" covers that this film ends up as the sum of its parts, nothing more.

That said, Moore's scattershot is a lot more interesting than some filmmakers' focus, and many of those individual parts are classic. For one thing, Moore retains the instincts of a shrewd stand-up comedian -- the astonished, baffled looks he often wears are a case in point, as is his decision to include under the rubric of "When did Jesus become a capitalist?" the dubbing of a section of a biblical epic with free-market platitudes.

So now that the film has been released nationally, if you've seen it, feel free to give us your take in the comments below.

-- Tony Pierce

Trailer for "Capitalism: A Love Story" by Overture Films

A 'productive day' at Iran nuclear talks

Iran and representatives of six major powers met today in Geneva to discuss the Islamic Republic's disputed nuclear program. The highlight was a meeting between U.S. and Iranian delegates, a rare one-on-one encounter.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called it "a productive day," but added the United States wants to see some concrete steps. President Obama is likely to say something similar when he speaks.

But the bottom line is that the parties will continue talking, an optimistic sign. And, Iran again said it is willing to let a uranium enrichment plant near Qom be inspected, a move designed to ease fears that its nuclear program includes producing weapons.

For the latest news, click here

For a primer on the issues, click here

After the jump check out the latest Twitter updates from Michael Muskal, and your comments.

Latest from @latimesmuskal on Twitter (most recent postings first)

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-- Michael Muskal

Photo: Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, at a news conference in Geneva. Credit: Fabrice Coffrini  / AFP/Getty Images

Obama ponders Afghanistan action

President Barack Obama met this morning with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to mainly discuss Afghanistan. Currently, the U.S. has authorized 68,000 troops and NATO about 40,000. U.S. military commanders have indicated that as many as 40,000 more troops will be needed.

But Europe is wary of sending more troops, as are some members of the Obama administration. Obama has announced he is weighing the future of U.S. policy on Afghanistan, whether to consider it primarily a military mission or a state-building one. That process could take weeks.

"This is not an American battle, this is a NATO mission as well," Obama told reporters this morning. "And we are working actively and diligently to consult with NATO at every step of the way."

Of course, our main focus today has been our cooperation in Afghanistan," the secretary-general said.  "I say 'our' focus deliberately because our operation in Afghanistan is not America's responsibility or burden alone.  It is and it will remain a team effort."

The pair also discussed relations with Russia and the recent cancellation of a missile shield for eastern Europe.

For a primer on Afghanistan, see: http://bit.ly/F0Ghj

After the jump, check out the latest Twitter updates from Michael Muskal, and your comments.

Twitter updates on Obama, Afghanistan, healthcare and Chicago's Olympic bid

The White House announced today that President Obama will travel to Copenhagen to pitch his hometown of Chicago as the site of the 2016 Olympics. Just weeks ago, Obama had ruled out such a trip because of the press of his other work, especially healthcare reform.

But even though Afghanistan and Iran have moved up on the to-do list, Obama is taking time to jet across the pond to personally lobby the International Olympic Committee, a first for a U.S. president. For Obama, the visit is a chancy move, putting himself on the line. What can he bring to the table that other Chicago celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan haven’t already done?

Those looking for secret message argue that Obama wouldn’t be going if he thought that Chicago would lose. But the decision is not pre-ordained, and the competition is expected to be fierce with Rio de Janiero, the odds-on favorite because the Olympics have yet to visit Latin America.

Still, an Olympic bid is a break from the worry over Thursday’s nuclear talks with Iran, this week’s congressional action on healthcare and the constant worry over whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.

After the jump check out the latest Twitter updates from Michael Muskal, and your comments.

High-profile outbursts from Kanye West, Serena Williams, Rep. Joe Wilson: Do they show a decline in our civility?

A spate of recent outbursts from high-profile people -- from rapper Kanye West (whose bizarre appearance at MTV's Video Music Awards, in which he snatched the microphone from pop-country singer Taylor Swift as she accepted her award for Best Female Video and announced that the award should have gone to Beyoncé instead, has made headlines all week and even inspired a much-talked-about response from President Obama) to tennis star Serena Williams (whose very public tirade against a lineswoman earned her a $10,500 fine) to Republican politician Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina (whose now-famous shout of "You lie!" during President Obama's healthcare address to Congress led to a House resolution chastising him) -- have led many across the country to speculate about what's wrong with our collective impulse control.

The Times' Robin Abcarian examines the many theories posed by experts about what's behind all the public outbursts in a story published today.  Abcarian writes:

Some say it reflects a general collapse of manners, rooted in the anti-authoritarian strains of the late 1960s. Some offer a psychological explanation: Such outbursts reveal the person beneath the mask of a public persona. Some see an element of racial animus at work.

And one etiquette authority offered an uncomplicated explanation, in particular for West: He just wanted attention.

What do you think -- has civility really declined in America?  And if so, why?  Share your thoughts here.

Photo: Kanye West takes the microphone from Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards.  Credit: Jason DeCrow / Associated Press