Never mind that Bush and Ford did the same thing:
I am not writing this to point out another example of right-wing hypocrisy. That's too easy, that's too obvious. They hate him; they find everything he does to be disgusting and disgraceful. My point is this: by putting his feet up on the desk, Obama innocently revealed that he is American as The Second Amendment.
Fact is, the rest of the world does think putting feet on one's desk while doing business is quite rude. Dickens was shocked by such behavior and caricatured it in the American episode of his novel, Martin Chuzzlewit. Exhibiting what Dickens thought to be a total lack of proper upbringing, a rude man in the book--according to Dickens he is so American that he doesn't even know he's being rude--puts his feet up on a desk. Miss Grundy back home was undoubtedly shocked.
Here is an excerpt from a biography of an actress, a contemporary of Dickens:
A sofa had carelessly been left in one of the passages. Some tired carpenter was stretched upon it in an attitude which Dickens would have described as peculiarly American. His feet protruded over one arm of the sofa in a somewhat more elevated position than his head. My flight brought me suddenly in contact with a pair of heavy boots.
Poor thing!
Several years prior to the most recent desk episode, Obama was having a phone interview with Netanyahu. The press photo revealed that he had his feet propped up on the desk while talking with the Israeli prime minister. This is how the paper Haaretz, a liberal newspaper, mind you, assessed the situation:
A photo released by the White House, which shows Obama talking on the phone with Netanyahu on Monday, speaks volumes: The president is seen with his legs up on the table, his face stern and his fist clenched, as though he were dictating to Netanyahu: "Listen up and write 'Palestinian state' a hundred times. That's right, Palestine, with a P." As an enthusiast of Muslim culture, Obama surely knows there is no greater insult in the Middle East than pointing the soles of one's shoes at another person. Indeed, photos of other presidential phone calls depict Obama leaning on his desk, with his feet on the floor.
I'm afraid that almost all Americans have no clue that there is no greater insult than this. The fact that Obama--as well as Bush, Ford and about 300,000,000 of his compatriots--does not view such behavior as insulting proves that he is American as corn dogs and Sean Hannity.
So, dear Donald, stop all this birther nonsense. No Muslim, no Kenyan would dream of ever putting his feet up on a desk in the presence of others. You have to be quintessentially American to do that. He doesn't need to show you his birth certificate; he has put incontestable proof of his Americaness right there on his desk.
I saw that - remember the last time it was "news" when POTUS had his foot up on the desk. This continually bating of others to berate or demean POTUS seems to be quite American also- American middle school at its worse.
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