I'll say that those who ascribe all of this to arrogant malice are giving the man too much credit.
I'll lay my money on arrogant incompetence.
We already know that Leftists emote to a higher degree, on matters of social and economic policy. They pick an outcome they feel should exist, and then legislate it, whether or not logic dictates it will actually work.
Issues of protocol are just as affected by this attitude.
Obama felt that his big bow was the correct action, without finding out if it actually was.
And I bet the State Department Protocol flunky who might have told the O administration otherwise is someone that they felt should have the job, probably as a sincure reward for someone in the campaign or from the Chicago machine...
And all of this limits their ability to learn from past mistakes, because to do so would require logic. They feel that the criticisim over the various gaffes such as DVD's and the bowing is the product of their political enemies, (which to a degree it is) instead of considering it may be valid. And even if they accept that what happened truly were gaffes, they feel that their intentions were good, so it still does not really matter.
Obama's willingness to debase himself in front of foreign aristocracy is probably a blessing in disguise. His liberal feelings about egalitarianisim of outcome, as opposed to the conservative ideal of egalitarianisim of opportunity color his actions. As such he feels that he is "just folks" in front of aristocracy. The embarrasment of America is no picnic, however if Obama actually felt like what the POTUS truly is, the most powerful man on Earth, we'd be in for an even worse ride than we already are.
