Pollux writes:

When President Obama bent his body in a 90 degree angle before the Japanese emperor on November 14, 2009, he unleashed, perhaps predictably, a storm of controversy over his bow.

“President Obama has bowed to two Monarchs,” a right-wing commentator angrily wrote. “First, earlier this year, Obama bowed to a Saudi Prince. Last week he bowed to the Japanese Emperor. Note that Akihito did not bow back. The argument by leftists is that Barack Obama was being culturally sensitive. Bowing to Monarchs is a sign of subservience.”

Dick Cheney once shook hands with Akihito, as this LA Times piece points out, while Bill Clinton came close to bowing once. “He inclined his head and shoulders forward, he pressed his hands together.” President Nixon performed a slight bow before Emperor Hirohito in 1971.

Once again, Barry Blitt tackles criticism and controversy surrounding Obama by taking the object of criticism (e.g. Obama bowing to a foreign head of state) to its most absurd extreme (e.g. Obama bowing to Santa Claus). Santa Claus, after all, is a foreign potentate of a sort, the leader of an autonomous community in the North Pole inhabited by elves, reindeer, and Mrs. Claus.

Blitt’s cover for the December 14, 2009 issue of The New Yorker, called “Season’s Greetings,” depicts Obama bowing and shaking hands with a jolly St. Nick who gingerly steps forward as he emerges from a chimney.

And why shouldn’t Obama welcome Santa Claus? The Christmas figure represents traditions and the joy of the holidays, but also represents the possibility of increased consumer spending during the holiday season. We need to turn this economy around. Santa’s toys and electronics may do the trick.

But of course the source of anger and controversy was the manner in which the Japanese emperor was greeted.

Blitt is currently the most politically minded of New Yorker cover artists. His artistic niche involves poking fun at right-wing fears by exaggerating them. That the Obama Administration has been prone to gaffes and fumbles is undeniable. That Obama’s bow is considered “evidence” of his alleged hate for America is ridiculous.

In any case, both sides may be wrong, as this piece out, which concludes that Obama’s bow displayed the incorrect “physical tone.”

Blitt’s artistic-political strategy is a little awkward, generating more confusion and misinterpretation than laughter.

A dose of laughter, however, can be supplemented by other sources. The blog Ambiance ran a caption contest for Blitt’s cover. My favorite: “Obamas say they’ll leave milk/cookies out for Santa Claus. Glenn Beck accuses president of trying to bribe a foreign dignitary.”