You have to admit, Bush did a very good job ducking those shoes. They were well-thrown. Without making any excuse for the reporter, he had a lot of bad things happen to him in the last several years (including being kidnapped) and he cracked.
What a class act Bush was. Firstly, I’m sure that at least one Secret Service agent was about a second away from breaking the guy’s neck and falling on him (in case he exploded), and Bush called them all off. Secondly, Bush took it as an opportunity to explain the “free press” idea, even after the Pres of Iraq was ready to confiscate all the cameras in the room.
What could have had a lot of propaganda value for the enemy, now has a lot of propaganda value for democracy. It couldn’t have turned out better. I wonder how the Arab press will cover it (if at all, ha ha).
Good thing the shoe thrower wasn't Eddie Murphy's mom. She wouldn't have missed.
I hate to say this but I'm willing to forgive this guy if he is willing to sign with either the Tigers or the Lions.......
What makes you think that? It's obvious from the video that the Secret Service was slow to respond. Disgracefully so, in my opinion. The President's lead agent was too far away from GWB. The agent had to climb over people to get to his protectee. By that time, the incident was over and the President did his wave-off. If that "reporter" had thrown something other than shoes -- or if he had something lethal in those shoes -- GWB could have been seriously injured, or worse.
Suppose, for example, that the "reporter" had put heavy weights in the heels and toes, and one or both of the shoes had hit GWB in the eye or other vulnerable spot on his head? In such a scenario, the President could easily have suffered a fractured skull, maybe lost an eye or worse, his life.
What could have had a lot of propaganda value for the enemy, now has a lot of propaganda value for democracy. It couldn’t have turned out better.
Wow. I probably shouldn't be amazed at the delusion one so often sees here on FR, but I am in this instance. Nothing about this incident is good or valuable, beginning with the fact that it wasn't free speech, but assault.
The President's millions of domestic and foreign enemies were gleeful, because they see the incident as validating their hatred of this very decent human being. Those who insist on painting Iraq as a mistake (or worse) -- as a war separate from Afghanistan and all of the other fronts in the war against radical Islamism, also see this incident as validation.
President Bush handled the incident with his customary grace, dignity and dry humor. But all he got for it was further hatred and ridicule.