MinnieM123
Premium Member
Looks to me like what he really needed was to grow an extra hand. Because he is not a military person, saluting is not a, by nature, event. Both arms were full and he was being ceremoniously saluted. Also in the rules of military, he is the supreme commander of the armed forces. He isn't required to salute them, they are required to salute him. His actions are in complete consistency with normal procedures. Had he had a hand free then it might be considered rude (but only in the most minor of degrees) to not return it, but in this event that was not the case.
Folks with no knowledge of military procedures might feel that he should have returned it and under different conditions, I'm sure he would have, properly. However, he did salute them to the best of his ability with his hands full. He actually would have been better off to not salute at all.
That's interesting. I would have assumed he'd just naturally salute the Marines, but from what you said (and you've been in the military), it sounds like it's optional for the Commander In Chief to salute. I feel better now about the situation after reading your explanation.