If you saw President Barack Obama, would you shake hands with him?

[PatriceA]

I would. I respect the position he holds and if anybody is ever going to change his mind about some policies, they’re not going to be able to do so if they refuse to even acknowledge his position of power and leadership. A handshake is a sign of good faith, not of necessarily affirming everything we like or approve about the other person.

 

[philial]

I think for alot of candidates it’s the exact opposite. They use the abortion issue in their campaign to rally the support of those sympathetic with their party. If conservatives don’t remember to get out and vote, babies will die! If librals don’t vote, the world will instantly be overrun with so many people it will be near impossible to find enough food. Never mind the fact that the fellow is running for an office that has absolutely no control over the legalization of abortion whatsoever!

Interesting - much different over this side,where it tends to be ignored. But then religion doesnt have much of a say in our elections (possible exclusion being N.Ireland). Ironic, really - we have an established church, but non-religious politics. You have complete separation of church & state, yet seem to lay great store by the religious credentials of candidates!

 

[DaveBj]

No, I would not. But that’s only partially because I don’t like his policies; I have made it a point of my life to avoid meeting highly placed people. I was once working in an embassy building where a U.S. President was making a personal appearance. I stayed in the room where I was working and did my job while everyone else went into the interior corridor and looked down into the atrium where he was.

I seriously doubt that Mr. Obama and I will ever be together in circumstances where my not shaking hands with him will be perceived as a case of bad manners. Surrounded as he is by a continual cloud of sycophants, gofers, and protectors, it would not be hard to avoid personal contact, even if we were in the same room, which I can just about guarantee we will never be.

By the way, Bohm, I don’t respond to everything you post, but I think that you pose some of the most interesting questions of anyone on these forums. I would shake your hand.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

No, I would not. But that’s only partially because I don’t like his policies; I have made it a point of my life to avoid meeting highly placed people. I was once working in an embassy building where a U.S. President was making a personal appearance. I stayed in the room where I was working and did my job while everyone else went into the interior corridor and looked down into the atrium where he was.

I seriously doubt that Mr. Obama and I will ever be together in circumstances where my not shaking hands with him will be perceived as a case of bad manners. Surrounded as he is by a continual cloud of sycophants, gofers, and protectors, it would not be hard to avoid personal contact, even if we were in the same room, which I can just about guarantee we will never be.

By the way, Bohm, I don’t respond to everything you post, but I think that you pose some of the most interesting questions of anyone on these forums. I would shake your hand.