Book Thrown At Shoe Thrower

I'll go with option number 2.

I should say that I like how the trend has taken off. Even Ahmadenijad got a shoe! They should start a Presidential Shoe club. "Hey, I got a loafer, what did you get?"

You and Finn have got to stop meeting like this, Miss Duck, people are starting to quack . . .

I think it depends on where you are.

Here in the US...a little harsh considering OJ and others can get off on a technicality.

In countries where they still cut off your hand for shoplifting I'd say he got off easy.

I vote for option 3...

he had two chances and couldn't even hit his target once.

I bet he can't hit the three pointer either...

I think it's too harsh. I mean, is that not STILL the funniest piece of footage around? Whenever I need a good laugh, I watch that.

The fool is lucky he did not get shot by the security teams and I would have not one tear in my eyes if he had been so shot.

1) Just about right. Too severe for a tourist, but right for a head of state.

So right.

What happened with our crack Secret Service team though?

One shoe OK, but a second?

Why wasn't he on the ground underneath at least one agent before he got off the second shoe

I agree.

No way of knowing, of course, but I suspect that those who feel it too harsh are influenced, to some degree, by their distaste for the particular president targeted.

Depends -- is this country-club prison, or pound-me-in-the-*** prison?

I go with "too harsh."

If the shoe was on the other foot -- if a journalist threw his togs at Saddam Hussein on American soil -- would you lobby for three years in prison for the offense? C'mon.

Yes actually I would.

First of all, George Bush and Saddam Hussein are similar only by the facts that they are/were both men who were once heads of state of their countries.

Secondly, if, for some reason, Saddam had come to the US and appeared on a stage with our president and a US journalist threw rotten eggs at him (the rough equivalent of shoes in an Arab nation), he too would have been arrested and prosecuted. Hopefully he would have received a similar punishment.

Question him harshly, address him rudely, or march outside of the White House carrying insulting banners - all fine.

Physically accosting a head of state invited to our country by our government - not fine.

I think it's a harsh punishment for throwing a shoe at someone. I think jail time for throwing a shoe and causing no injury is harsh regardless of who the target is. For example, here's a non-political shoe assault that I think was reacted too harshly as well.

In this video, the girl being beaten kicked off her shoes and actually hit the cop with a shoe.



In the Iraqi's case, he caused no harm and was tackled and roughed up afterward as well. I do think what he did should be a crime, but not one that merits jail time on its own. I think a fine would have been justice.

Thank you for your opinion

There were shoes thrown in Calgary during Bush's visit
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/03/17-10
A few arrests, too

whatever the shoe thrower did, he started something
That's the power of symbolism

So, we have another Finn special. One is invited to express one's opinion, but Finn is lying in ambush for those who express an opinion which he can twist to make a claim of political prejudice. One expects nothing less.