...at the man who knows so little.
This from The Washington PostBAGHDAD, Dec. 15 -- Arriving here on Sunday for a surprise farewell visit, President Bush staunchly defended a war that has taken far more time, money and lives than anticipated, but he received a taste of local resentment toward his policies when an Iraqi journalist hurled two shoes at him at a news conference.
Bush has gone on record saying he thought this was "hilarious."Throwing a shoe at someone is considered the worst possible insult in Iraq and is meant to show extreme disrespect and contempt. When U.S. forces helped topple a statue of Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein after rolling into Baghdad in April 2003, jubilant Iraqis beat the statue's face with their shoes.
Bush was not injured and joked about the incident minutes later: "If you want the facts, it's a size 10 shoe that he threw."
No one in the room filled with Iraqi journalists laughed at the joke. Except Bush.The journalist, identified as Muntadar al-Zaidi, a reporter with the Cairo-based al-Baghdadia television network, was kidnapped by Shiite militiamen last year and was later released.
After Bush left Iraq, the al-Baghdadia network released a statement demanding Zaidi's release from Iraqi custody "to spare his life." It was unclear Sunday night what charges he might face for throwing the shoes.
"Any step taken against him will be a reminder of the dictatorial time and the violence and lack of freedom that Iraqis faced," the statement said.
CNN reports...
...that Bush compared the shoe-throwing incident with heckling during a political rally and described it as "a way to gain attention"
"Let me talk about the guy throwing his shoe. It's one way to gain attention. It's like going to a political rally and having people yell at you. It's like driving down the street and having people not gesturing with all five fingers.
"It's a way for people to draw attention. I don't know what the guy's cause is. But one thing is for certain. He caused you to ask me a question about it. I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it."
"I don't know what the guy's cause is?"You invaded his country and liberated roughly a million civilians from their mortal coil and you think he might be from Greenpeace? His cause is expressing pain and anger.If you watch the video, Bush is smiling while dodging the airborne footwear. I think he's having a "big dog"moment where he's really excited about his ability to adequately duck shoes. He does everything but fetch. Not only is this guy out of touch with the American people, he's out of touch in countries where he considers himself a hero.Now, I get that to an American, having a shoe thrown at you, while also insulting, isn't that big of deal, unless it's a steel-toed work boot or something Gene Simmons might wear. Or from PayLess. If you're going to try to insult me, have the courtesy to hit me with some fine italian leather. Size 7 (shut up, I have small feet, and, no, it's not true what they say about guys with small feet!).According to the BBC, in Arab culture it's considered rude even to display the sole of one's shoe to a fellow human being. Certainly, crossing one's legs ankle-on-knee style should never be done in a public place for fear of offending the person next to you. The sensitivity is related to the fact shoes are considered ritually unclean in the Muslim faith.
And Bush thought it was as hilarious as a Three Stooges Marathon.
Other things George W. Bush thinks is hilarious...
- Being urinated on by dogs.
- Being pooped on by birds.
- Having his limo egged.
- Getting kicked in the nuts.
- Being spat on.
- torture
THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY
On Friday, I asked...
"Darnell L. Frazier tried to lie about his identity to St. Paul, Minnesota police, but forget that he what?"
80% said "Had on his McDonald's uniform and name tag."
- Nope. Think dumber.
No one said "Had on his "Darnell L. Frazier is God" t-shirt." or "Had spent Thanksgiving with the arresting officer."
20% got it right with "Had tattooed his name to his neck."
According to The Star Tribune, an officer stopped two men walking in the street at Forest Street and Minnehaha Avenue. One was "evasive" about his identification, telling the officer he had never had a photo ID. He said his name was Darnell Lewis, spokesman Peter Panos said.
The officer, however, noticed that the man had "Frazier" tattooed on his neck.
Frazier was arrested on four misdemeanor warrants, including driving after license revocation, driving after suspension and no proof of insurance.
He also had at least two felony warrants for his arrest: a probation violation in Jackson County for bringing a stolen vehicle into Minnesota and a failure to appear in Hennepin County on a drug charge.
The 25-year-old St. Paul man is currently residing in the Ramsey County jail getting the name of another prisoner tattooed to his lower backside.
