Comments on: Iraqis urge government to free shoe-thrower

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:19:18 +0000

I would release the guy but only after a couple of weeks in a "learn to pitch" camp and apologizing to the Press Secretary.

By: Mike Pittsburgh

Mike Pittsburgh — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:19:16 +0000

I wonder what the reaction of a foreign government (or peoples) would have been if one of our citizens had thrown a show at President Ahmadinejab when he visited New York last year. I did not vote for Mr. Bush, I do not approve of Mr. Bush, but he is still the duly elected President of the United States, he deserves that respect and our support wherever he goes.

By: conservative and veteran

conservative and veteran — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:18:04 +0000

To all of those highly elevated mensa liberal Bush haters ; maybe you can enlighten the rest of us as to what qualifies you to judge Bush ! Just pushing a mouse on a pad and living on your parents dole all of your free and easy lives doesn't count! Ever really worked and put out any thing for this country?

By: USAF Veteran Desert Storm

USAF Veteran Desert Storm — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:17:22 +0000

Somebody, give this guy a medal!!!

By: kate

kate — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:16:28 +0000

Although I myself think Bush committed war crimes, the journalist who threw the shoe knew there would be reprocussions to his actions. It is never okay to demonstrate your dislike for someone with aggression. A press secretary for Bush has a black eye as a result of his shoe toss. Part of having a free society is being responsible for your actions. He deserves a resonable amount of punishment. Hopefully the Iraqis know what that entails now!!

By: gabba

gabba — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:16:06 +0000

The shoe thrower is a hero. Better just to let him go.

By: Stacy

Stacy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:14:51 +0000

Wow! nothing like Americans standing up for another American. Even if you hate Bush, what that reporter did is an insult to himself, his family, and the culture that raised him. Calling us dogs...they've got a lot of nerve....they are the ones that strap bombs on their children and send them off to kill innocent people. The idiots that wrote hateful things about Bush in their responses make me sick.

Their right...things were so much better under Saddam. He was just a sweetie pie.

By: PuckU

PuckU — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:13:49 +0000

To bad the Iraqi security didn't get a chance to end this poor excuse for a mans life. Say whatever you want, Bush is still our president. This guy does not deserve to be called a journalist. F'em.

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:13:06 +0000

If someone threw a shoe at Obama, Chris Matthews would call for Baghdad to be leveled in retaliation.

By: Sid...Texas

Sid...Texas — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:13:01 +0000

Create a special medal for him, and make shoe throwing at politicians an olympic event....Also, shoe-planting in proper areas could be included for some politicians...

By: Marine

Marine — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:12:51 +0000

Had I been part of Bush's security detail, the piece of crap wouldn't be breathing. These ingrates are nothing but peasants with the mentality of goats.

By: EJ St. Louis Mo

EJ St. Louis Mo — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:12:31 +0000

if some Americans can make a poster boy hero out of a fake plumber, I don't see why the Iraqis can't do the same with this guy!

By: johnny the boy

johnny the boy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:12:20 +0000

Who's gonna play obama the pepsi logo president elect on SNL for the next four years?

Dave Chappel would be funny, especially imitaing obamas past drug abuse

By: Joseph, Los Angeles

Joseph, Los Angeles — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:11:06 +0000

Let him go. Like Bush said, we gave them the right to free speech!

By: LM75

LM75 — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:09:45 +0000

That guy had a good arm. That guy threw heat right at his head. Two size 10s within 4 seconds. That is probably the only time I have laughed when Bush was on the newscast. I generally dodge him by changing stations.

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:08:25 +0000

THREE CHEERS for the guy that threw the shoes – Imagine if every American who wanted to express their feelings about Bush and his Iraq debacle (just to name one of many) were to do the same – the White House would be buried.

By: Hilary

Hilary — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:07:45 +0000

Well, Bush himself said it wasn't a big deal, so they should let him go.

By: Carl

Carl — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:05:20 +0000

In the civilized world, we don't throw things at people because we don't like them. While he shouldn't stay in jail for a ridiculously long time, this man deserves to spend a little time behind bars thinking about his childish tantrum. By all means, Bush should have been impeached long ago, but throwing your shoes at him? Grow up.

By: Molly

Molly — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:04:09 +0000

They better let him go! If Iraq wants to be a free society now they need to learn about free speech. The reports coming out right now that he was hit in the head with the butt of a rifle and has a broken arm are distrubing. He had every right to throw his shows...and Bush did an excellent job of ducking them. No harm, no foul.

By: Paul DObro

Paul DObro — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:02:07 +0000

A true hero in Iraq, he should be celebrated, not jailed.

How insensitve is Bush to not understand what the show throwing means in their culture and acknowledge, that to some (if not most) Iraqies whose lifes have been changed for the worse, he is viewed badly.

I think we need to add a shoe to the painting in the white house.

By: Erik S.

Erik S. — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:00:19 +0000

Look, if anyone else threw shoes at a foreign dignitary what do you think would happen to them, they would be detained. He's not any different and certainly not special. He gets to do time like everyone else. Under Saddam he would have been killed so he should count himself lucky, but of course he won’t. And for you people on here cheering such a juvenile and useless display, you're exactly what makes America weak.

By: Lyle Burlingame

Lyle Burlingame — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:59:26 +0000

The fact is Bush and Cheney are international TERRORISTS themselves and should be pelted in the head with more than shoes. I pray that the new administration will reinvestigate the events of 9/11 and give the real truth to the 98% of Americans that are BRAINWASHED. You people really trust the government? You should have a shoe thrown at you. Wake up people. You think those 3, (yes THREE) buildings imploded as a result of fire? Controlled demolition no doubt about it, all the devidence points in a direction none of the citizenry want to look. BUSH AND CHENEY = War Criminals

By: lany

lany — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:59:15 +0000

There are too many widows and orphans in Iraq. It doesn't matter who is the cause: bush or Saddam. The war in Iraq was as wrong. Two shoes cannot even tell the pain and suffering inflicted to the people..

By: sammy

sammy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:58:45 +0000

I dont know what the big deal is. Bush was throw with eggs on his inaguration day by his own people. The only president in history to not walk to traditional walk down PA avenue. Cut short, due to "bad weather". he was egged, check it out on Youtube.So he should be used to it. The man deserves no rerspect.

By: Bridgette-PA

Bridgette-PA — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:58:07 +0000

I am with alot of you when it comes to charges being bought against our current President. I can not stand what he and his administration has done to our country. However, BUSH IS STILL THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. We should not justify this type of behavior. I am sorry, I just can't agree with most of you on this blog today. How would you feel it was a knife and the guy didn't miss?? Come on, Let's be real. I AM AN AMERICAN AND WE CANNOT JUSTIFY THIS BEHAVIOR FROM ANYONE, NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE FROM AND NO MATTER WHERE OUR PRESIDENT IS VISITING. If people want to burn his picture and shout obscenities, so be it. When people are becoming physically violent, THEY HAVE CROSSED THE LINE!

By: Noah

Noah — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:57:34 +0000

You Liberals are out of your minds. This guy is lucky he was not taken out permanently by Secret Service agents who had eveyr right to do that. Why hasn't the mainstream media yet released the fact that this guy worked for a pro-Saddam newspaper? The only reason this guy was free to act like an idiot is because of the freedoms that our soldiers gave this savage. Saddam would have had him tortured and killed if he threw a shoe at him.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:50:10 +0000

Yes let him go. And then when I see Obama and throw my shoe at him for stealing my hard earned money, I'll have a built in excuse, and you can just attribute it to my freedom of speech.

The liberal spew on this site is disgusting. I'm sure my comment will be be moderated out, out of some twisted sense of what is appropriate. You need to be respectul of other authors and commenters, but not of the President of the United States. I guess it's ok to spew your hate at a sitting president, but not at the vile, pond-scum sucking vermin who frequent this site. I love the change we can all believe in.

By: PL

PL — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:49:34 +0000

I do not support this presidents policies, but he is still our President and should be safe where ever he travels. This guy was wrong and should be punished. As an American I was offended by this guy attacking our president. Would Americans, do that to a foreign leader in the press room of the white house? I think not. Reguardless what you think of Bush's policies, he's still our President and should be treated as such at home or abroad.

By: Jos/TN

Jos/TN — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:47:22 +0000

the shoe thrower should go free, Bush aren't being punished for war crimes

By: geen

geen — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:46:22 +0000

watching the footage on media, I could not help thinking t hat even the Moron didn't think himself worth saving..I mean, look...first shoe is thrown..moron ducks...STANDS UP AGAIN, instead of ducking behind podium, other shoe is thrown...MORON deflects it...I mean..what the hell..and, the fact that media says that Americans were 'offended' by that display of irreverence towards 'our' president..i kind of think that the sentiments of the Iraqi's against this hitleresque Moron who invaded their country, caused the senseless deaths not only of nearly 4210 americans and counting, but also of nearly 100,000 innocent Iraqi's, which, in FACT was the reason for the shoes being thrown. Don't be confused on this event...Journalist who threw that shoe had witnessed the deaths of thousands of his countryman by a foreign power...The question isn't whether he would have thrown the shoe at Saddam, did the Moron's regime not kill him; the question is, if Saddam HAD invaded THIS country as the Moron irrationally feared, I, as an American, would have thrown a SHOE at HIM! Don't skew the facts. As americans, just was in another illegal war nearly 40 years ago, we simply do not understand other cultures and their mores...not to mention that there are few in the Moron's regime who could,even if they tried.

By: Marsha

Marsha — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:45:49 +0000

Free the Shoe thrower!

By: Juge

Juge — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:45:26 +0000

Why should this man be punished for telling the truth and expressing the true feelings Iraqis have for THE BUSH and his cronies.

By: Joyce

Joyce — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:43:53 +0000

I think that he should stay in jail. No one has the right to attack our president. He should have enough words to use if he is a good writer. I it were me I would have the scret service

By: voter

voter — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:42:51 +0000

I applaud him, Bush can have my shoes too!

By: AJ

AJ — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:42:13 +0000

They need to free him, give him a medal and throw a parade in his honor. Bush is a contemptable human being.

By: Kansas For Obama

Kansas For Obama — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:41:18 +0000

I think feces would of been a better jesture.

By: DC in New York City

DC in New York City — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:40:33 +0000

Oh I guess getting rid of Saddam and his evil sons was a bad thing.

By: Sherry in Kentucky

Sherry in Kentucky — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:40:11 +0000

The gentleman said, “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq!” They should free him. He did what most of us here in the US would like to do if we were so lucky!

By: Tired of W, OH

Tired of W, OH — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:40:11 +0000

I agree with "Sarge in Florida". Bush doesn't need to be wasting money that we don't have for one final ego flight. It's like the dog going back to take one last look at his "business." The "Lame DUCK!" incident is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. How do we expect them to treat us after what our country has done to theirs???

By: arc, Lugano CH

arc, Lugano CH — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:40:07 +0000

It is Poetic Justice. In 2003, Iraqis took to the streets and tore down statues of Saddam Hussein so that they could hit the face with the bottom of their shoes. And now, another War Criminal, our American President, has a similar honor bestowed upon him.

By: Ro in BR

Ro in BR — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:38:57 +0000

I really do not like W, but I think he handled this situation extremely well. Why it took eight years to display such diplomacy is beyond me. This would never have happened over here. The Iraqis screwed up or intentionally let this guy do this. You just cant trust these people. We need to get out of there TODAY! Let them kill each other for all I care.

By: Jirizu

Jirizu — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:37:40 +0000

Let him go . He did the right thing the iraq way. It seems like oppression to me jailing a man protesting the war by throwing his shoes at the US president ,while he may have lost relatives and friends in an unjust war started by the same president

By: big daddy

big daddy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:36:52 +0000

HE MISSED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

By: WishTheShoesWould'veHitHim

WishTheShoesWould'veHitHim — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:36:47 +0000

US troops have killed thousands of innocent civilians in his country, destroyed it and MADE it a terrorists haven rather than keeping it safe from terrorism. The guy was also captured and tortured by insurgents because of the US presence in Iraq. ALL BECAUSE WE ARE THERE OVER OIL. I don't blame the guy. Furthermore, there are a lot of Americans who would stand in line to throw something (not necessarily shoes either) at 'Bandar Bush'

By: Milhouse van Houten

Milhouse van Houten — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:36:39 +0000

It's just too bad it didn't catch Shrub smack in the mouth,at least then he would have had the opportunity to sample some Iraqi"sole food".

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:35:50 +0000

In this country he wouldbe arrested and charged with battery at the very least, and would be prosecuted. If the Iraquis believe in the rule of law as well as democracy, they need to understand that popular opinion is not the basis for a defense for a crime.

By: Lame Duck

Lame Duck — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:33:46 +0000

When they let him go which will happen hopefully before Jan 20th 2009, someone in Iraqi with much better aim and command of throwing a size 10 shoe will show him how to hit the target....

After firing the warning shot, you would think old boy would have hit the target.

By: Selah Brown

Selah Brown — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:33:07 +0000

Make him pay a fine and let him go. They are talking about putting him away for 7 years. He threw a shoe for goodness sake, not a genade. The man has lost family, been kidnapped, held by American troops. and watched his country be torn to shreds...who wouldn't express anger at the source. We've lost 4,000 American soldiers – which is 4000 too many, but the Iraqi's have lost over 100, 000 citizens...frankly, we are lucky all he threw was a shoe.
Let him go.

By: H Kohl

H Kohl — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:32:25 +0000

I can not understand how anyone throwing a shoe at our President can be tolerated and made light of, especially on your No Biais No Bull show. Is this the example we want to set for our childreen? This show makes no attempt to be unbiased and thats no Bull.

By: JJ is clueless

JJ is clueless — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:32:14 +0000

JJ12345,

Your hypothetical makes as much sense as asking what would happen if pigs could fly. Obama has not overthrown the government of a sovereign nation for its oil while killing many of its citizens while having absolutely no clue on how to handle the subsequent occupation which lead to gross mismanagement and the loss of billions of taxpayer dollars to companies given no bid contracts to outright fraud from non-existing oversight. Obama is the polar opposite of Bush, an incurious and simplistic man thoroughly uninterested in the details of governance.

Meanwhile, Obama is revered around the world with his only detractors being white supremacist bigots and far right conservatives who may in fact be the same individuals. in his own country. So your question asking if people would feel differently if it happened to Obama is patently absurd. Just like asking if people would feel differently if pigs could fly. Pigs can't fly, and wondering if they could is an exercise of feeble minded Obama detractors.