December 14, 2008
Iraqi Journalist Throws Shoes At Bush in Baghdad
The Secret Service was apparently taking a nap:
Bush got a size-10 reminder of the fervent opposition to his policies when a man threw two shoes at him -- one after another -- during a news conference with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki."This is the end!" shouted the man, later identified as Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadiya television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt.
Bush ducked both throws. Neither leader was hit. In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt; Iraqis whacked a statue of Saddam Hussein with their shoes after U.S. Marines toppled it to the ground in 2003.
"All I can report," Bush joked of the incident, "is a size 10."
White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, however, was hit in the eye with a microphone as security guards scrambled to restrain al-Zeidi.
I saw the video of the event in NBC in a breaking news report, and was stunned that the Secret Service was so slow in responding, allowing the journalist to hurl first one shoe, and then another, at least a full second and perhaps several seconds later.
Granted, shoes aren't know to be lethal projectiles, but my point is that from the angle shown, he seems like he would have had time to hurl a grenade before anyone intervened.
I'm sure progressives are having a good chuckle over this, but rather doubt they'll find similar security breaches amusing when Obama takes over in January.
Update: linked added to 2005 grenade attack on Bush, thanks to a reminder by Jeremy in the comments.
Does anyone remember the grenade tossing incident when Bush was in Europe? I seem to recall that story disappeared rather rapidly and I never heard another word about it. I figured the Secret Service would run a tighter ship than that.
Posted by: Jeremy at December 14, 2008 02:25 PMThe man will no doubt be praised by Olby, and send shivers up Chris' legs...
Posted by: Conservative CBU at December 14, 2008 03:43 PMI took was shocked how long it to the SS to respond. I would think there would be at least 2 body men who covered bush even after a while only one guy made it to bush. Also I would think they would secure the prez to a safe room until it was clear it was not a 1st phase attack.
Posted by: BadMin at December 14, 2008 04:30 PMEveryone was searched and stripped of all personal items prior to gaining entry. The shitbag threw his shoes because that was all he was able to get in there with.
Posted by: ccoffer at December 14, 2008 06:11 PMAnd a "military" or strong SS appearance would have been "off-the-message".
I expect the LameStreamMedia to claim the whole thing was a plant.
The ISU(International Shoes Organization)reported that the incident considered an insult to all free shoes in the world!
Posted by: M.S at December 14, 2008 07:25 PMIf any Iraq journalist had thrown a shoe at Saddam back in the day, Hussein would not have responded with a joke about size 10's. The journalist and probably his family as well would have been tortured and killed. That small point will be overlooked by the MSM, of course, as it has been ignored by them all along. Heck, the guy will become a media hero. He might get a job offer from MSNBC.
Posted by: Donna V. at December 14, 2008 09:43 PMHeads should roll at the Secret Service.
Posted by: Federale at December 14, 2008 11:35 PMI've said it before, I'll say it again.
I think the SS was doing what they were told to do.
And that what they were told to do was about right.
Any "journalist" within Iraq was a paid member of the Baath under Saddam so, no, there was not much shoe throwing going on and family, friends and neighbors would all have paid the price if there were so there has been a modest improvement on that score. Also, we might recall that Saddam put a mosaic of Bush Sr on the floor of an airport so his mug would be constantly insulted by pedestrian traffic. Of course if you pay attention to what they walk on in that part of the world it is easy to understand why shoe assault is supposed to be a grave insult. Saddams images were shoed. Bush showed his usual calm, even keel under this moronic act. Even as the bailout BS makes me angry at him and his, the guy still knows how to handle himself under pressure. I wonder how Barry will respond to attack by shoe, eclair or truck bomb. As the guy has never met a serious challenge in his life I don't expect much.
Posted by: megapotamus at December 15, 2008 11:35 AMNo doubt in my mind that the M/E media will make a big deal out of this.....because that is a very big insult. Bush should have marched his ass down there and punched the guy. Now that would be newsworthy.
Posted by: Tonto (USA) at December 15, 2008 12:00 PMThe man is a Journalist, and is emblamatic of journalists.
It's a perfect example of how deeply rooted BDS is within the ranks of the media. And how much grace and adulthood they have. Most forums and threads feel that this behavior nearly perfectly represents them. Their only lament is that he wasn't struck.
Reason #4839 that nobody can say that the media is impartial.
Posted by: brando at December 15, 2008 03:07 PMDid anybody else watching the videos of the incident get the idea that the other journalists in the area (yeah, the same ones brandi was prattling about) were beating on the perp pretty hard until the SS and others saved his ass for him?
Posted by: Larry Sheldon at December 15, 2008 05:04 PM
