If the Shoe Fits

With the inauguration of Barack Obama approaching and the merciful coup de grâce that it provides for the entire Bush era, I've been trying to come up with a way to properly put into perspective the last eight years of American history. I've wrestled with the best possible means of conveying the enormity, the totality, of George W. Bush's catastrophic failure as president of the United States. I've been looking for the right words to describe the lasting impact that this administration's incompetence, treachery and corruption will have not simply on the way our country is viewed by its own citizens and those around the world, but the damage done to the very institution of the American presidency.

I tried, but I just couldn't come up with a way to put the necessary exclamation point on the whole thing. I didn't think anyone could.

Until yesterday -- when somebody did.

There's plenty of debate raging today over whether the actions of 29-year-old Iraqi journalist Muntadar al Zaidi were completely justified, at the very least understandable, outright despicable, or some combination of all three. Likewise, many are arguing over whether being pelted with footwear is a fitting punishment for George W. Bush; is the sight of Bush ducking for cover as a citizen of the country he's left in war-torn shambles hurls shoes at him something to applaud, laugh at, or be horrified by?

From a practical standpoint, it's indeed a frightening thought that someone could put himself in a position to harm the president of the United States and not be stopped until after the attack; obviously, if al Zaidi had been carrying a weapon more powerful than a pair of size 10s, we wouldn't even be having this discussion right now. There's an argument to be made that regardless of the many sins of George W. Bush, he's still nominally the president and should be afforded the respect that comes with the title. But maybe it's the fact that he wasn't shown even a modicum of respect by his attacker -- that he was shouted down and debased like a common criminal -- which illustrates just what he's done to the office he holds: He's turned it into a global punchline. Bush has taken the most revered position in the world and utterly bankrupted its authority. His failure as a leader is that absolute.

Think about it: Have you ever heard of something like this happening to an American president? Could you imagine it happening to any other president of the United States -- anyone besides George W. Bush?

What occurred yesterday would've been unfathomable in years past.

The fact is that, at this moment and for all intents and purposes, there really is no president of the United States. George Bush isn't simply a lame duck; he's a non-entity -- a completely ineffectual and irrelevant presence who still rides around in Air Force One only as a matter of academic circumstance. He's the ghost president -- stuck in political purgatory, waiting for Barack Obama's oath of office to finally put him out of his misery and usher him and his administration into the light. In the meantime, the enemies that his disastrous policies created see the once-cocksure cowboy stripped of his six-guns and consider it all the proof they need that he's never been anything more than a small man with a big title. As far as they're concerned, not only is he not the sheriff anymore -- he decimated what it means to be sheriff in the first place.

He did it by, among other things, invading Iraq under false pretenses and costing the lives of more than four thousand American soldiers and more than a hundred-and-fifty thousand Iraqis -- Iraqis al Zaidi claimed to be honoring by insulting George Bush in what in the Arab world are the strongest possible terms.

Since yesterday, Muslims and Arabs throughout the Middle East have not simply rushed to the defense of al Zaidi -- they've praised him as a hero. They say that he spoke for the millions of Iraqis and millions more Arabs throughout the region who feel that they've suffered at the hands of the Bush administration's foreign policy for the past eight years. They say that he'll go down in history as the man who stood up and did something many would've thought impossible by lashing out at the president of the United States. They're talking about putting the shoes he threw in a museum as a lasting symbol of defiance.

What Muntadar al Zaidi did has instantly become the stuff of legend.

But I'll bet that as far as he was concerned, he wasn't doing anything but denouncing the man who destroyed his country. He didn't see George Bush as the president of the United States -- he saw him as nothing more than a criminal, a murderer.

And it's not his fault for having that view so much as it's Bush's for abusing his office to the point where it no longer held any value.

I have no doubt that Barack Obama will salvage the good name of the presidency and that he'll be able to do it with almost no effort. In many ways, he already has.

But it's a shame it was ever allowed to be so mistreated in the first place.

Follow Chez Pazienza on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chezpazienza

Comments

[jdt 1976]

While I'm not a fan of the continued condition of Iraq, not one of you out there can not say that the overwhelming majority didnt believe in the original take over of Iraq... As with Afghanistan also... Its pathetic how quickly people forget the past. The more you talk ill of Iraq and the president the more you talk ill of the thousands of soldiers and marines that have lost their lives in pursuit of freedom. Dont forget your history lesson. You cant stand idly by while the world goes on around you. Suddam was a dictator that did promote genocide throughout his country and indeed needed to be stopped. And its complete bull blaming the U.S. for the violence that is so widespread over there. History speaks volumes. Heed it, thats why we read it.

[williambanzai7]

THESE SHOES ARE MADE FOR THROWIN (the Ballad of Muntazer Al Zaidi (Sharp Shoe-ter))

(These Boots Are Made for Walikin-Nancy Sinatra)

WilliamBanzai7

SING ALONG LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OU7Nezg7Ls

You keep saying troops will soon be withdrawin.
Just like you said something about finding WMD, but confess.

You've been messin' too long in IRAQ where you shouldn't be a messin'
and now everyone is gettin' shafted in the mother of all sorry messes.

These shoes are made for throwin, and that's just what I'll do
one of these days these Vibram Mocs are gonna get thrown right at you!

You keep lying, when you oughta be a truthin'
and you keep losin' when you oughta not bet.

You keep samin' when you oughta be changin'.
Now what's right is right, but you ain't been right yet.

These shoes are made for throwin, and that's just what I'll do
one of these days these Vibram Mocs are gonna get thrown right at you!

You keep playin' Commander where you shouldn't be playin
and you keep thinkin' that your sorry legacy will never get burnt.

Ha! I just found me a brand new box of Timberlanders yeah
and what I know you ain't HAD time to learn.

These shoes are made for throwin, and that's just what I'll do
one of these days these Vibram Mocs are gonna get thrown right at you!

Are you ready shoes? Start flyin'!

[blaqntelligence]

"Bush has taken the most revered position in the world and utterly bankrupted its authority. His failure as a leader is that absolute"

Thank you. And it is ALSO for that reason I'd like to ask, "How the he ll did he miss?"
I'm mad at least ONE shoe didn't find it's mark for those of us wanting to do the same thing.

[Davwbaird]

Clarity is good.

[TEHelms]

I had many feelings about this: 1) Admiration at the good dodging by the Pres. 2) Laughter at the audacity of thrower. 3) Where was the Secret Service? 4) Soberness at the magnitude of the action. 5) Sadness at the degree to which this was justified.

If the US were not in a position of power and if the actions of this administration were placed before the World Court, many of the Bush administration would be on trial for war crimes. I believe it could be argued the actions of the US in Iraq constitutes genocide and that causes me to cry for my country.

[45245]

do you really believe the US would submit to a world court action with even a former president?

now take a breath.........and swim back from the deep end........you can handle the swim

[ron27]

I think of this incident as a perfect metaphor for the Bush presidency.

He just ducks out of the way, smiles and goes right on doing his thing.

Bush doesn't care in the least that he received the biggest insult in the muslim world.

[45245]

because it does not matter

[imad f]

Let me give you conditional credit. Perhaps you mean it doesn't matter to insult the responsible for the loss of more than 4000 american troops' lives, and the hundreds of thousands of iraqis, because of his more atrocious deeds than to receive a shoe throw, then I can see that. If you mean that it's insignificant cause the journalist's action doesn't count in your books, then the amount of help you need is well beyond a post on a news web site...

[whatfreshhellisthis]

"....something to applaud, laugh at, or be horrified by?"

Yes to all three.

[WICKET99]

I've got some shoes that are itchin' to be thrown at this sad excuse for a President.

And if we leave it up to the Repugs we'll have him again in 2012, except he'll be wearin' high heels and winkin' alot, also.

[45245]

i think it is funny.....that people actually value a shoe as an insult....­....laughi­ng

maybe it is a middle east education problem...­.....there are many more things that would be an insult but a shoe.........still laughing

[ldavis24]

because a middle finger just screams insult?

[cdnlib]

The root of Dubya's historic failure as president is illustrated in his comment, "I don't know what the guy's beef is." Once again his own words betray his collosal ignorance of any perspective but his own. After eight years he still doesn't get it.

[greenlantern]

I think having some effigy and shoe parties across the USA would give us all an outlet to our frustrations and make the statement that we are as angry with GWB as much as the rest of the world. I've already suggested it to the host for an inauguration party this January. I'm totally appalled at what that smirking little creep has done to the office of the president and the USA. Let's all get together and help out the shoe industry. Shoo, Bush, shoo.

[AliMB]

I find it ironic that Mr. Al-Zaidi is being praised for committing an act facilitated by the toppling of the Saddam. In a press conference held by the previous regime, Mr. Al-Zaidi would likely never have had access, and if he did and had he committed the same act, the consequence would probably have been his execution. I disagree with Mr. Pazienza that this incident show how big a failure the President has been. If anything, this act highlights one of the objective successes of the Bush-led war in Iraq i.e. freedom of the press. Also, the concept that Mr. Al-Zaidi is a “hero” does not resonate with an extraordinary definition of the word. By “extraordinary” I mean that he has to do something exhibit such bravery so as to merit praise at a national level. Mr. Al-Zaidi’s life was never at risk and his act was by no means conducive to producing any tangible result. I could probably argue that it would have been more “heroic” for Mr. Al-Zaidi to take up arms against Soldiers and Marines, heroic in a purely impassive/­dictionary sense meaning exhibiting physical and mental courage. Of course, doing so might entail costs that Mr. Al-Zaidi wasn’t prepared to face.

[philistine]

"George Bush isn't simply a lame duck; he's a non-entity -- a completely ineffectual and irrelevant presence...."

As much as I enjoy your writing, Chez, I have to disagree with you one this one important point. With his last-minute rule changes and pardons, Bu$hCo is still wreaking havoc and will do so until his last breath in the White House - all while being utterly unable to see anything wrong with his own actions as President.

[rockskin12]

The fact is that, at this moment and for all intents and purposes, there really is no president of the United States. George Bush isn't simply a lame duck; he's a non-entity -- a completely ineffectual and irrelevant presence who still rides around in Air Force One only as a matter of academic circumstance. He's the ghost president -- stuck in political purgatory, waiting for Barack Obama's oath of office to finally put him out of his misery and usher him and his administration into the light. In the meantime, the enemies that his disastrous policies created see the once-cocksure cowboy stripped of his six-guns and consider it all the proof they need that he's never been anything more than a small man with a big title. As far as they're concerned, not only is he not the sheriff anymore -- he decimated what it means to be sheriff in the first place.

[JScott]

Why doesn't the media report on the cheering in the US when it happened, not just in in the Arab world......
sounds like there's some unbiased reporting to be done.

[dunksdot]

well....after much consideration, I think we should put together a grass roots movement and have everyone we know send a shoe (or two) to W

[kellygrrrl]

wake me up when we throw The Book at Him

[HeevenSteven]

Hoo-rah!