Iraqi reporter throws shoes at Bush, calls him a dog

[doodlebugg 10]

If Bush were at a press conference at the White House and Chip Reid threw a couple of shoes at him (though I seriously doubt he'd get a chance to throw the second one if at the White House), wouldn't he be charged with some sort of treason?

[mox 298]

If Bush were at a press conference at the White House and Chip Reid threw a couple of shoes at him (though I seriously doubt he'd get a chance to throw the second one if at the White House), wouldn't he be charged with some sort of treason?

Treason?

For some reason people seem to have forgotten that the President is not the King. He is leader of one of the three branches of our government. We give him a lot of power to make certain decisions for our government because it is expedient. But this does not confer upon him some kind of royal status. Throwing a shoe at the President is probably a criminal offense, but treason? What's treasonous about that?

[Caladan 19]

There isn't anything treasonous about it. Under U.S. law it would something like third degree assault. And even if it were treason in the U.S., it wouldn't be in Iraq, since you can't commit treason against the head of state of a foreign power....

I expect the Secret Service had screened everyone on the way in, and that the couple seconds it took for them to knock the guy down was largely because it was clear that it wasn't a lethal weapon (which means they're not going to shoot the guy.)

[doodlebugg 10]

If Bush were at a press conference at the White House and Chip Reid threw a couple of shoes at him (though I seriously doubt he'd get a chance to throw the second one if at the White House), wouldn't he be charged with some sort of treason?

Treason?

For some reason people seem to have forgotten that the President is not the King. He is leader of one of the three branches of our government. We give him a lot of power to make certain decisions for our government because it is expedient. But this does not confer upon him some kind of royal status. Throwing a shoe at the President is probably a criminal offense, but treason? What's treasonous about that?

chill out dude, it was just a question. I just looked it up and I guess it's not treason per the US Constitiution but it sure should violate some law I would think. Otherwise there'd be a whole mess of shoes thrown at the head of our government.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

If Bush were at a press conference at the White House and Chip Reid threw a couple of shoes at him (though I seriously doubt he'd get a chance to throw the second one if at the White House), wouldn't he be charged with some sort of treason?

Not really - throwing stuff at a head of state probably classes as assault and the judge will probably throw the book at you for the high profile nature of the target (and the thrower), but we're not exactly talking Lee Harvey Oswald here...

Besides - didn't people throw eggs at the Presidential Limo just after Bush was first elected?

[mox 298]

chill out dude, it was just a question. I just looked it up and I guess it's not treason per the US Constitiution but it sure should violate some law I would think. Otherwise there'd be a whole mess of shoes thrown at the head of our government.

The law that it violates is assault, just like if you threw a shoe at your neighbor.

There are Federal laws regarding assassination (and attempted assasination) that are specific to the President and government officials, but I doubt any District Attorney would try to make a case that someone was trying to assassinate the President by throwing a shoe at him.

Besides - didn't people throw eggs at the Presidential Limo just after Bush was first elected?

Ahhhh...good times. Good times.

[Caladan 19]

Yeah, it's third degree assault (judging by Connecticut's statutes), unless you want to classify shoes as a deadly weapon. Most people don't throw shoes at Bush for the same reason most people don't assault other people, that's all.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

chill out dude, it was just a question. I just looked it up and I guess it's not treason per the US Constitiution but it sure should violate some law I would think. Otherwise there'd be a whole mess of shoes thrown at the head of our government.

The law that it violates is assault, just like if you threw a shoe at your neighbor.

There are Federal laws regarding assassination (and attempted assasination) that are specific to the President and government officials, but I doubt any District Attorney would try to make a case that someone was trying to assassinate the President by throwing a shoe at him.

Besides - didn't people throw eggs at the Presidential Limo just after Bush was first elected?

Ahhhh...good times. Good times.

The best times were in the UK when former Deputy PM John Prescott got involved in a public brawl with a man in the crowd who threw an egg at him. I can't imagine Bush doing that.

[mox 298]

The best times were in the UK when former Deputy PM John Prescott got involved in a public brawl with a man in the crowd who threw an egg at him. I can't imagine Bush doing that.

Actually I think Bush would probably be pretty good in a scrap. He played rugby in college and has always been pretty athletic. Bush is reprehensible and an intellectual dolt, but even at his age I bet the dude can still throw down. I mean, the shoe-throwing thing was funny, but as I said earlier it was pretty damn impressive at how fast he dodged that first shoe. I think most people half his age would have been clocked in the face.

Edited December 16, 2008 by mox

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The best times were in the UK when former Deputy PM John Prescott got involved in a public brawl with a man in the crowd who threw an egg at him. I can't imagine Bush doing that.

Actually I think Bush would probably be pretty good in a scrap. He played rugby in college and has always been pretty athletic. Bush is reprehensible and an intellectual dolt, but even at his age I bet the dude can still throw down.

Well if he had the temper of Cheney...

[mox 298]

Oh, and it's good to know that Freedom is on the march:

The brother of the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush has said that the reporter has been beaten in custody. Muntadar al-Zaidi has allegedly suffered a broken arm, broken ribs and internal bleeding, his older brother, Dargham, told the BBC.

Edited December 16, 2008 by mox

[HAL 9000 96]

If Bush were at a press conference at the White House and Chip Reid threw a couple of shoes at him (though I seriously doubt he'd get a chance to throw the second one if at the White House), wouldn't he be charged with some sort of treason?

Not really - throwing stuff at a head of state probably classes as assault and the judge will probably throw the book at you for the high profile nature of the target (and the thrower), but we're not exactly talking Lee Harvey Oswald here...

Besides - didn't people throw eggs at the Presidential Limo just after Bush was first elected?

Yeah so the teenage prank known as egging the White House is seriously out of the question for some DC kids. Besides... that's a long throw. Maybe TPing the lawn trees?

[Caladan 19]

chill out dude, it was just a question. I just looked it up and I guess it's not treason per the US Constitiution but it sure should violate some law I would think. Otherwise there'd be a whole mess of shoes thrown at the head of our government.

The law that it violates is assault, just like if you threw a shoe at your neighbor.

There are Federal laws regarding assassination (and attempted assasination) that are specific to the President and government officials, but I doubt any District Attorney would try to make a case that someone was trying to assassinate the President by throwing a shoe at him.

Besides - didn't people throw eggs at the Presidential Limo just after Bush was first elected?

Ahhhh...good times. Good times.

The best times were in the UK when former Deputy PM John Prescott got involved in a public brawl with a man in the crowd who threw an egg at him. I can't imagine Bush doing that.

I dunno -- the dude had pretty good reflexes!

[HAL 9000 96]

chill out dude, it was just a question. I just looked it up and I guess it's not treason per the US Constitiution but it sure should violate some law I would think. Otherwise there'd be a whole mess of shoes thrown at the head of our government.

The law that it violates is assault, just like if you threw a shoe at your neighbor.

There are Federal laws regarding assassination (and attempted assasination) that are specific to the President and government officials, but I doubt any District Attorney would try to make a case that someone was trying to assassinate the President by throwing a shoe at him.

Besides - didn't people throw eggs at the Presidential Limo just after Bush was first elected?

Ahhhh...good times. Good times.

The best times were in the UK when former Deputy PM John Prescott got involved in a public brawl with a man in the crowd who threw an egg at him. I can't imagine Bush doing that.

I dunno -- the dude had pretty good reflexes!

I might be interested in seeing Bush in that scenario. Might be good for his... legacy.

[Ban Hammer 12,842]

chill out dude, it was just a question. I just looked it up and I guess it's not treason per the US Constitiution but it sure should violate some law I would think. Otherwise there'd be a whole mess of shoes thrown at the head of our government.

The law that it violates is assault, just like if you threw a shoe at your neighbor.

There are Federal laws regarding assassination (and attempted assasination) that are specific to the President and government officials, but I doubt any District Attorney would try to make a case that someone was trying to assassinate the President by throwing a shoe at him.

that may depend on how bad the guy's shoe stinks.