An unconscious act by President Barack Obama earlier in the week is threatening to throw blight on his rather tumultuous tenure as leader of the country.
On Tuesday, after disembarking from Marine One in New York City, President Obama gesticulated to two marines, who were standing by the stairs of his plane and saluting him, by raising his hand to his head to salute them - but with a cup in his hand.
Shortly after the incident was broadcasted on the media by the White House, it attracted the ire of the public. While some commentators have criticized the president's act - describing it as 'unpresidential' - others have cut the leader some slack explaining that President Obama must have had a lot on his mind as he was heading to the United Nations meeting on that fateful day.
The 'latte salute' as it has been tagged, is not the first time President Obama has been embroiled in a controversy about this official military gesture. In 2010, after presenting a Medal of Honor to a living American soldier in a rare occasion, President Obama failed to salute the honored soldier as is customary. Also a few months ago, the President failed to salute a soldier by the stairs of Marine One as he boarded the aircraft.
But it seems only civilians have found any fault in these actions of the president. TMZ has quoted a Marine Corps official explaining that the president's gesture is acceptable. "However he conducts himself walking out of an aircraft is sufficient" the soldier explains.
Some supporters of the president have also defended his actions, explaining that the 'latte salute' was an act of convenience by the busy man.
Sometime in May last year, President Obama boarded Marine One without responding to the salute of a soldier by the stairs, but retraced his steps and exchanged pleasantries with the officer before proceeding.
