Exposing the TRUTH about the Iraqi Shoe Bombing of President Bush
So, everyone is all up in arms about the shoe tossing at President Bush by Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi at a news conference with the Iraqi Prime Minister. Was it inappropriate? Sure. No one threw shoes at President elect Obama after his victory (rumor has it Sarah Palin AND Hillary Clinton gave it serious consideration; but both chose a more courageous path).
Now, before we string up this guy or mock President Bush for the balance of his term, we need to take a more “hole-istic” view of this man’s shoes and actions.
First: the press communicated that this is the ultimate sign of disrespect in the Iraqi culture. I refuse to believe this is worse than:
- being voted in as President of Iraq in free and open election.
- receiving any award given by Spike TV.
- being buried in the ground and stoned because you are gay.
Second: President Bush showed great grace and generosity under fire: to al-Zaidi:
- What the press failed to report was the President not only returned the tossed shoes, he also gave the man a gift of Berluti Italian loafers. At $700 a pair, he is likely to keep those babies on his tootsies at his next press conference.
al-Zaidi comes from a family tradition of shoe tossing:
- His forefathers threw sandals at Muslim leaders in the past (all relatives were one and done: his survival is a record setting first).
- Farther back in time, they threw actual feet (owners attached) Not as effective or as accurate.
He measures his options well:
- As a young journalist in 2001, al-Zaidi considered throwing his shoes at Saddam Hussein’s son, Uday. However, al-Zaidi was unwilling to have his feet caned, be dragged through gravel and made to sit in a tank of urine; a favorited tactic of Uday with Iraqi Olympians who failed to win medals.
- Muntadhar al-Zaidi also hates Iran. But after considering the actual decapitation of his head and removal of his feet, he chose to pass on the weekend press conference with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. . . democracy wins out over religious rule again.
Apparently al-Zaidi was not angry about Iraqi independence:
- He was actually infuriated that his $6 million dollar bid to Gov. Blagojevich of Illinois for the open Senate Seat was turned down because it was in Iraqi Dinars.
- He then responded to the ad for the Illinois Senate seat on E-bay and ended up winning a physical chair from the Senate – you’d be angry too; the same leather seat is $350 at Office Max.
Time does not allow me to address the deep seated depression al-Zaidi suffers from due to his athlete’s foot, bunions and chronic dislike of the Kurds.
However, I would suggest a positive gesture from readers of this honest coverage: leave a comment sharing more appropriate items to be thrown at world leaders for future press conferences.
December 15, 2008 at 9:44 pm
As I noted in my Facebook blast, it is fortunate that al-Zeidi was only a sole assailant.
December 15, 2008 at 9:47 pm
[…] Exposing the TRUTH about the Iraqi Shoe Bombing of President Bush So, everyone is all up in arms about the shoe tossing at President Bush by Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi at a news conference with the Iraqi Prime Minister. Was it inappropriate? Sure. No one threw shoes at President elect Obama after his victory (rumor has it Sarah Palin AND Hillary Clinton gave it serious consideration; but both chose a more courageous path). Now, before we string up this guy or mock President Bush for the balance of his term, we need to take a more “hole-istic” view of this man’s shoes and actions. First: the press communicated that this is the ultimate sign of disrespect in the Iraqi culture. I refuse to believe this is worse than: […]
December 15, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Nice approach. Packed with truth.
December 16, 2008 at 12:05 am
Very well said and ripe with sole. I am positive that there is tread left on this topic. I just wish that I had thought of these puns earlier.
How can a thrown shoe be a bad thing? I would rather shoes than rotten tomatoes…or rotten socks.
December 16, 2008 at 12:15 am
i just looked it up. the shoe represents the lowest part of the body. hence, throwing your shoes at someone means you think that person is beneath you.
btw, thanks for dropping by my page and posting a comment. i agree. bush is very lucky. but i can’t believe he was able to toss both his shoes. security a bit slow on the uptake.
December 16, 2008 at 12:27 am
Oh well. Like a commenter on my blog said, good thing Bush wasn’t in America. There, they’d just shoot him.
December 16, 2008 at 1:00 am
Flying Shoes: Α Disgraceful farewell to the butcher George W. Bush
December 16, 2008 at 1:06 am
Ian – LOL! Actually, in America al-Zaidi would have made the talk show rounds, been feted by several publishers and gotten a great book deal!
December 16, 2008 at 1:10 am
I would suggest throwing a pitbull at Palin and a pantsuit at Hillary Clinton. Check this (http://freedumbofexpression.wordpress.com/2008/12/15/a-shoeful-of-bush/) out for a little commentary about Bush thinking on his feet.
December 16, 2008 at 1:14 am
http://freedumbofexpression.wordpress.com/2008/12/15/a-shoeful-of-bush/
December 16, 2008 at 1:29 am
Ow that REALLY hurt! Who throws shoes? Really?
December 16, 2008 at 1:37 am
WOW…
There are just no words anymore…
I think we’ve said all we can say…
Buh Buy Bush!
I just pray that the ramifications of this wretchedness will not
last for to long…
BTW
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
I will mos def keep you on the radar!
Cheers…
December 16, 2008 at 3:08 am
This:
December 16, 2008 at 3:53 am
It was a set up – Georgy babe can’t react that quickly without 6 months of coaching first!
And as to Hillary and Sarah – they’re both still trying to decide which pair to lob, I’m told that they may be some time 😆
December 16, 2008 at 4:33 am
Wow. Bush has great reflexes. The incident was a but funny, but serious. This image is silly: http://spacedust.wordpress.com/2008/12/16/bushs-shoe-attack-tshirt/
December 16, 2008 at 5:41 am
Perhaps Clinton and Palin are just too well heeled. In answer to your poll, I would rather see (most) politicians throw in the glove than toss some at them personally.
Thanks for checking out my post!
http://topherhemann.wordpress.com/2008/12/15/getting-the-boot-gets-attention/
December 16, 2008 at 6:53 am
Falafel. Definitely falafel.
December 16, 2008 at 7:22 am
Very funny! Great writing.
You are on my blogroll. (it’s all about traffic)
Keep up the nice work…
LPL
http://www.lastpersonleft.wordpress.com
p.s. The Night Before Secular Holiday was brilliant!
December 16, 2008 at 12:07 pm
[…] his sarcastic but intellectually thorough way, the blogger behind Heaven, Hell & Humor remarks, [The] press communicated that this is the ultimate sign of disrespect in the Iraqi culture. I […]
December 16, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Lol, quite a humorous report on the event.
December 16, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Who would have thought that a journo throwing shoes would be considered progress, but there you go.
December 17, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Okay, so what we know is that this guy sneakered his way into the press conference. He is obviously soled out to a strange ideology, but what a heel! This dude is just a loafer with no ties to anything. He simply had a need to shoe off in front of the Iraqi media and thus, had his 15 minutes of fame. Now, he needs to get the boot.
December 17, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Telly – I bow to your puntastic writing!
December 19, 2008 at 2:55 am
Well-done Al-zaidi! Bravo!!
You shot right on Target: the flag of America!!
…
more information in http://www.thepureislam.wordpress.com
December 21, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Okay, that’s funny.
December 21, 2008 at 6:19 pm
At least it wasn’t Janet Reno’s sized 14’s headed his way.
December 23, 2008 at 8:13 am
@nightlycandywithnanaadwoa:
Speaking of wretchedness: All I can say is hello nihilist charlatan and the scatterbrained gaffe-meister side kick we’ll suffer through for the next 4 years.
Congratulations.