mcdreamylover

AshlynDenae

I... don't even know where to begin.

On one hand, it's freaking hilarious. Watching the news has often made me want to throw my shoes, at very least, at the man.

On the other hand... we've got to be the only nation that has reporters throwing shoes at their president.

Dana_Lana

sigh

TheAngel

You've got to hand it to him, Bush has pretty good reflexes for his age. I wonder if this is the first time he's had something launched at his head. It's pretty sad, that our president is having shoes thrown at him by reporters. i'm ashamed personally.

ceilirose

You know he did move pretty quickly. Also I think the Secret Service moved in there as soon as they could too. It's a shame that our President is thought of that way but never fear Bush is doing his best spin to make it seem like nothing.

The Iraqi Prime Minister didn't even flinch though - it was like this is no big deal. Is he the same guy that didn't move when an explosion happened and the UN
Secretary General was ready to hit the floor?

Cristofle

LMAO.

I'm sorry, it's wrong. But still.

LMAO.

This is so reflective of the Bush Administration- he's the guy that get shoes thrown at him.

That is like, the absolute epitome of an insult in the Middle East, too.

UnsilentMajorty

It's one of THE most insulting things that can be done as well as following it up with calling Bush "a dog". It means he is less than human and doesn't even warrant any civility or consideration of any kind.

We can laugh at it all we want, but it speaks to a much larger problem going on in the Middle East. No, I don't mean anti-American/Western sentiment per se. I am talking about how powerless and angry a lot of -- Not all -- The Iraqis feel as evidenced by this expression of hate. Jobless rates (unemployment) are at an all time high in Iraq, and a lot of it has to do with our occupation and how almost all the reconstruction is being done by Western companies. Not only did we invade, but we took away the basic right to nation build from the very people who live in the nation.

4N6 DNA

I am surprised that secret service allowed not one but two shoes to be thrown at the President. The man shouted something, threw a shoe, shouted something else and then threw the other shoe before secret service stepped in. Especially that this was in Iraq right? What if it was a bullet?

I thank you UnsilentMajority for your comment about the larger problem in the Middle East. There are many things that our President did that I do not approve of and I must admit I laughed when I saw it. But funny as it might be, I'd prefer we just let the President's legacy speak for itself in a manner that doesn't reflect so poorly on those with so little respect for him. It's been coined a free speech act, but throwing a shoe is not expressing free speech, it is physical assault. It really makes you sit back and wonder about just how much hate this journalist has to throw away his career and his life on such a trivial gesture. If he done anything similar during Saddam's rule, the consequence would be much worse. The irony in it is that this is during a post Saddam era because of the very person he threw the shoe at.

With regards to civility, this odd behavior is nothing compared to Taiwan politics. I am watching the Taiwan news right now and someone just yesterday snatched a delegate's hair piece off of his head when he was being interviewed to show his dislike!

In the past, there have been things like a opposing party member using superglue to lock out a chairman before a voting so a bill wouldn't get passed. And shoes were thrown at Taiwan Prime Minister and sold for 10,000 USD. Though, this sort of act is out of sheer desperation and utter frustration and not hi-jinks like the media makes it seem.

Cristofle

I was wondering about the Secret Service, lol. I mean, even in that gif you see him pause to take off the other shoe and still...nothing. They're really willing to risk it all for Bush, huh? Except for how they totally aren't.

sunnykerr

Oh, come on. That was hilarious. Especially because of Bush's supremely awesome reflexes in dodging those shoes.

And I feel horrible for the Iraqis who feel this is all the control they have over their own lives. What's happened to their nation since they were "liberated" (though I'm not disputing that Saddam was an evil dictator) is appalling. And it is tragic that it's come to this.

But I certainly don't feel bad for Bush's dignity, however assaulted it may have been. Seriously, if this is as bad as it gets for him, he's doing pretty good, considering presidents and prime ministers before him have been shot at, bombed and violently attacked in myriad ways.

Mostly, this is hilarious.

AshlynDenae

I think Hillary probably gave W some tips. She did dodge sniper fire in Bosnia.

Crystaline

Oh my goodness.

Man, shoe throwing. That just says it all, don't it? It's one for the textbooks.

fetch

I don't like Bush, but throwing stuff at people is just disrespectful and sad IMO But good reflexes

Cristofle

I think 'direspectful' is the point of doing it, lol. Especially in the Middle East, to throw shoes at him and call him a dog...it's the absolute LOWEST of insults. The guy is saying he has absolutely no respect for him on any level.

I wouldn't actually THROW a shoe at anyone, but I've thrown my slippers at the TV when he's been on before, lol, so I can't say I don't sympathize with the sentiment.

++Audrina++

Thats wrong on so many levels..lol