Bush's Gloved Handshake a Slovak Faux Pas

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?floc=FF-APO-1151&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20050224%2F1702713060.htm&sc=1151&photoid=20050224WHT219D&ewp=ewp_news_0205slovak

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) - It was a firm presidential handshake. But technically speaking, since he didn't take off his gloves, President Bush didn't press the flesh when he greeted top Slovak officials.

And that was an apparent violation of protocol in Slovakia, where leaders always shake with bare hands. The wardrobe malfunction caused a stir Wednesday night in Slovakia, where Bush's arrival for Thursday's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was shown live on national television.

Deana Lutherova, an expert in Slovak manners and protocol, said Bush's failure to remove his black leather gloves when greeting the country's president, prime minister and other dignitaries was unheard of here.

Bush kept the gloves on even when shaking hands with the Slovak leaders' wives. First Lady Laura Bush also remained gloved at Bratislava's airport Wednesday night, when the temperature was just above freezing.

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did Dubya not get a protocol briefing or did he just ignore it?

hehehehehe.....GLOVEGATE!!!!!

that she didn't know if the rule was strictly observed in the States.

(For my two cents, I'd never heard of it. Not a E. European or diplomatic protocol specialist, though.)

Newspapers were as put out over that lapse in protocol as USA Today's thinking Slovenia was Slovakia.

It was about 20F here today. I shoveled the driveway and chopped wood with bare hands.