Comments on: the politics of handshakes

the politics of handshakes

trinarian — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 21:41:31 -0800

Handshakes are an important: They've signaled new eras in international relations, but this week they reaffirmed the sad realities of our time.

By: ?!

?! — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 21:51:59 -0800

Everyone should know by now that handshakes mean nothing other than checking if your opponent had his sword drawn. Now if Charles had kissed Mugabe...

By: Dean Keaton

Dean Keaton — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 22:02:38 -0800

...he would have known what Mugabe had for lunch.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 22:03:49 -0800

Not to mention Chirac kissing Condi ... I'm honestly surprised that the wingers didn't make more of it. It seems to have been an interesting social occasion all around. Like weddings and funerals often are....

By: AlexReynolds

AlexReynolds — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 22:06:51 -0800

Just force them somehow to have children together.

By: _sirmissalot_

_sirmissalot_ — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 23:50:23 -0800

Not to mention Chirac kissing Condi I love how Kofi is looking on with his, "Hey, good stuff!" approving smile. Poor Kofi. If everyone would stop fighting and start kissing he'd be so much happier.

By: BlackLeotardFront

BlackLeotardFront — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 01:08:56 -0800

A little silly. I agree that more kisses should be had. I think Charles just turned around and saw a hand sticking out, and thought, "OK, I know this guy... better shake his hand here... sunglasses, some African country where... oh, shit! Break it off! Break it off!" That conflict map is, by the way, incredibly cool.

By: mrblondemang

mrblondemang — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 01:35:40 -0800

A good, gentlemanly handshake is a must. The next asswipe that attempts to "bang fists" with me, offer up a "forearm bump", or the hip-hop celebirty style half-hug-while-kinda-shaking-hands + pat on the back thing is going to find that I am carrying a sword.

By: biffa

biffa — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 02:07:41 -0800

I thought it was a bit unfair on Charles to be honest (and I'm not a royalist by any stretch), the 'sign of peace' handshake is part of a standard catholic service, blanking Mugabe on the handshake would probably have ended up being criticised for politicising the pope's funeral. Essentially, the handshake in the circumstance of the Catholic Mass is not the same as a handshake in 'normal' circumstances or even in the circumstances of the freight it carries in international diplomacy. Basically a no-win situation.

By: spazzm

spazzm — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 03:11:52 -0800

Not to mention Chirac kissing Condi Ah, those romantic frenchies - he's stealing Chimpy's girl right in front of him. Even Slick Willy is powerless against the gallic charm.

By: knapah

knapah — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 04:34:16 -0800

biffa: as far as i know, it wasn't in the 'sign of peace' part of the mass. it was just mugabe being his normal self and trying to embarrass someone important.

By: Busithoth

Busithoth — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 07:14:59 -0800

I love how this gossip over who touched whom and how at the Pope's funeral is a natural outcome of having so many people covering such a non-story. I'd like to second BlackLeotardFront's sentiment: The nobel conflict map deserves its own FPP. Truly.

By: exlotuseater

exlotuseater — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 07:38:53 -0800

?!: some of us wear our swords on the other side.

By: amberglow

amberglow — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 07:47:59 -0800

there's a pic of Kofi Annan shaking Laura's hand as Bush looks like he's about to throw up, or run away. She's smiling of course, as always. Bush doesn't even know how to pretend to be Presidential.

By: LittleMissCranky

LittleMissCranky — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 09:06:22 -0800

Love the conflict map. Truly, one of the best things I've seen posted in a while. The Prince Charles thing -- for the love of God, who cares? I'm sure I would have done the exact same thing, given that I would never have been able to keep track of who everyone was, even were I a member of the Rulers of the World club. It's a handshake, and not even of the photo-op Rumsfeld-Hussein, we are such good friends variety. I agree with Busithoth. Billions of reporters, not really a story. On a somewhat related note, are your market areas STILL getting the "John Paul II is still dead" news updates? Every news report on radio, television, or news paper continues to include some sort of non-update on the pope's, er, condition. WTF?

By: davy

davy — Mon, 11 Apr 2005 10:51:10 -0800

All the goofy emphasis on "proper" handshakes leads me to salute, nod, or say hello. Those options also transmit fewer germs.