VIDEO: Michelle Obama’s ‘gotcha’ handshake with conservative Muslim official
Nov 9, 2010, 11:41 AM | Updated: Mar 28, 2011, 3:48 pm
A cabinet minister in the largest Muslim country in the world, Indonesia, is being called a hypocrite after this video reached the web, showing him shaking hands with First Lady Michelle Obama:
The problem? Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring is an ultra-conservative Muslim who has loudly renounced physical contact with any woman outside his family.
Mr. Sembiring answered his critics via Twitter: “I tried to prevent (being touched) with my hands but Mrs. Michelle held her hands too far toward me (so) we touched.”
The video, where the cabinet minister can be seen smiling at Michelle and eagerly shaking with both hands, tells a different story.