Shoe Throwin’
Jeff VanderMeer • December 15th, 2008 @ 5:47 pm • Uncategorized
I’m sorry I can’t really feel much sympathy for those in the media angry or taken aback by the “rudeness” of the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George W. Bush. We’re already in the process of giving him the boot. He might as well get the actual shoes, too.
Torture’s pretty “rude”. Civilian deaths are pretty “rude”. Corruption’s rude. If I was in Iraq, I’d be throwing my shoes at Bush. The guy’s reaction is unbelievable, too. “I don’t take offense.” Really? How about being embarrassed? How about showing a little shame?
The boot. The shoe. He’s getting off light. In other times, impeachment might be on the table and he’d be beggin’ for the shoe.
December 15, 2008 at 6:10 pm
I watched the incident on television and remarked at the time that George Bush was pretty adept at dodging the slings and shoes of the disaffected.
December 15, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Ha!
December 15, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Considering that in Arab culture, taking one’s shoes off and waving them at someone is akin to flipping off someone and that calling another a “dog” is near the same as calling someone a motherfucker here in the U.S., I’d have to say that the journalist’s reaction was akin to grabbing his crotch and spitting at someone. Not great behavior, but considering the person who inspired this outrage, it’s very understandable.
But what else would we expect from Bush? That schmuck had the audacity to mock the plea for clemency from Carla Faye Tucker 10 years ago when he was Governor of Texas. I’ve despised him ever since that.
December 15, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I remember when he mocked the clemency plea. I don’t even know if Carla Faye Tucker should have received clemency or not, but for Bush to react the way he did was a public disgrace.
That shoe throwing footage is wild. I hope the journalist isn’t in trouble now.
December 15, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Right–that Bush didn’t even understand the significance, how badly he’d been dissed…
December 15, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Somebody buy that shoe throwing guy a beer.
December 15, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Yeah, really. I was hoping “he’d be beggin’ for the shoe” might bring you by. LOL. I felt like I was conjuring you with that turn of phrase.
December 15, 2008 at 10:17 pm
It was telling to me that rather than acknowledging the grave offense that had been done to him he instead made a joke about “seeing into the guy’s sole”. So smug, so flippant, so Bush. I was hoping for full-on shoe-to-face contact, personally.
December 16, 2008 at 12:35 am
You know which media folks I don’t have sympathy with, it’s the ones that are impressed with Bush’s “quick reflexes”. All respect to Muntader al-Zaidi, but he’s not exactly Nolan Ryan.
December 16, 2008 at 2:02 am
I thought it was probably for the best that Bush played it lightly; if Bush had reacted very strongly, the shoe-throwing journalist might have received a harsher punishment at the time or afterwards, or so I thought. (No idea if this is true.) And then Bush said he had no idea why the journalist would have done that, and my brief thought of ‘good move’ went flying right out of the door.
December 16, 2008 at 8:07 am
I didn’t think he should have reacted strongly. I thought he should have given some indication he understood that a lot of people have been killed because of his actions, and a lot more tortured.
Jeff
December 16, 2008 at 8:07 am
“Had no idea why he did it”???
Hitler probably had no idea why some of his own people tried to blow him up. And no, I’m not advocating violene against anyone, in case big brother is blogging. I’m just saying.
December 16, 2008 at 8:08 am
Sorrry–meant a lot more people killed.
December 16, 2008 at 9:04 am
That’s what I meant (but possibly didn’t convey, posting shortly after getting out of bed). Acting as if he didn’t know why an Iraqi would protest against him was, well, many things. Ignorant, for one. Insulting to the people who have suffered and died because of his war.
December 16, 2008 at 9:18 am
Has anyone else youtubed this clip over and over again, watching the clean arc of the shoe, the righteous rage of the thrower, the look of dull confusion on our vapid, incurious, asshole of a president? Again and again, and oh! yes! again.
Personally, I’m considering making it my screen saver.
How many more days until dear Mr. Obama is our commander in chief?
December 16, 2008 at 9:21 am
Yeah, really, Kelly.
Alex–yeah, I’m with you on that.
December 16, 2008 at 9:23 am
But what does it say that the Secret Service detail is trained to step between the President and a shooter, but none of them were willing to take a shoe for the guy?
And as I understand, the reporter is being “interrogated” and the station he works for is working to get him released by showing his photo and playing “patriotic” music to drum up support.
December 16, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Kelly, you describe it so well.