Moderators: carlson1, Charles L. Cotton
AndyC wrote:Did Obongo mess up - or was it the Brits who played the anthem early?
He stood up and said, "To her majesty, the queen." That's the cue to the band to play the anthem, which they did. He then continued his toast after the anthem started, thinking it was background music adding a crescendo to his words. He concluded with yet another, "to the queen." The Brits stood still as the queen mumbled under her breath at him and only then did he realize he'd messed up. He had no idea what the British protocol was. And he even had note cards on which his words were planned and notes could be written! His stuff really messed up. Again. Flubs on interacting with foreign dignitaries seems to be one of his hallmarks. Someone ought to have been fired by now.AndyC wrote:Did Obongo mess up - or was it the Brits who played the anthem early?
I blame Bush.AndyC wrote:Did Obongo mess up - or was it the Brits who played the anthem early?
That's the spirit!USA1 wrote:I blame Bush.AndyC wrote:Did Obongo mess up - or was it the Brits who played the anthem early?
I think it was his teleprompter. It probably kept flashing "Begin Toast NOW!!!" So of course he did.AndyC wrote:Did Obongo mess up - or was it the Brits who played the anthem early?
I saw what you are talking about when I first saw the video...buuuut... The leader of the free world should of had the understanding that if the song titled "God Save the Queen" is playing despite what his (or the bands) timing was he shouldn't have continued to talk over it and then expected when HE was done for everyone to pick up their glasses and toast. That is why everyone else waited for the anthem to be finished before they accepted his gesture. It was his actions during and after his rhetoric that makes this a gaff... Either he is completely unaware of etiquette or is so pompous that he thought it was being played as a dramatic addition to bring emphasis to his toast.AndyC wrote:Did Obongo mess up - or was it the Brits who played the anthem early?
Actually she doesn't drink either, but it is the toaster's to "drink" to the honoree while it is the honoree's job to receive, aka acknowledge, the toast.Medic624 wrote:WoW...
Just watched it again... Ha ha ha... Obama never did drink to his toast.
The Queen said something to him, he looked around and saw what just happened, his lips become very very taught and he stands tall...tilts his head back in a defiant and "I'm better than you gesture" and once the music has stopped she turns toward him raises her glass, she drinks as he leans toward her and he raises his glass but he doesn't drink to her...ha ha ha ha
I'm sure this wasn't lost to her or her people either...
This is actually the most telling of all. Our current president can't be bothered to learn a simple 20 second toast for a foreign dignitary. Also, if it were given in a normal cadence of a practiced communicator, it would have taken half the time.stash wrote:Also looks like he had to read the toast.
Ah! But that perfectly identifies his second gaffe (the first being the notesI'll give the gaff to him because the music started DURING the toast but since he's got his head in his notes, it has all the sincerity of a jr. high school speech class project.
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No, they played right on que. Why did he "end his toast" (with to the queen) in the middle. A toast always ends with "to the honoree".AndyC wrote:Did Obongo mess up - or was it the Brits who played the anthem early?
The guy can't catch a break.Medic624 wrote:US President Barack Obama suffers embarrassing royal toast mishap ...
Barack Obama suffered an awkward moment during a banquet at Buckingham Palace last night when he broke royal protocol by speaking over the national anthem.
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