shoe-throwing

Andrew Sullivan flags an Iraqi McClatchy reporter’s ambivalent reaction to Muntader al-Zaidi’s tossed shoes. He disapproves of al-Zaidi’s “emotional reaction.” More profoundly, he’s uncomfortable with what he perceives as an Iraqi exploitation of al-Zaidi’s protest to exculpate those who’ve collaborated with the occupation:

According to the Associated Press, Muntader al-Zaidi’s shoe-throwing display of anger at George W. Bush is becoming a signal moment in the Middle East. The AP reports that Palestinian journalists are asking each other who’s going to throw their shoes at Condoleezza Rice. A jokey text message going around Saudi Arabia tells recipients that yesterday [...]

Since President Bush wants to go out on a “so what” note — he’s really making me regret panning that Oliver Stone movie — let’s make today an official Shoe Throwing Day here at The Streak. On Saturday, ProPublica and The New York Times previewed a forthcoming official history of the alleged reconstruction of Iraq [...]