Bush: "I don't know what his beef is." - Reporter(al-Zaidi) had been kidnapped in 2007

[sabra]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/BushLegacy/story?id=6460837&page=1

<snip>


Raddatz: It's also considered a huge insult in this world, the sole of a shoe, throwing a shoe.

Bush: I guess. Look they were humiliated. The press corps, the rest of the Iraqi press corps was humiliated. These guys were just besides themselves about, they felt like he had disgraced their entire press corps and I frankly, I didn't view it as, I thought it was interesting, I thought it was unusual to have a guy throw his show at you. But I'm not insulted. I don't hold it against the government. I don't think the Iraqi press corps as a whole is terrible. And so, the guy wanted to get on TV and he did. I don't know what his beef is. But whatever it is I'm sure somebody will hear it.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/14/bush.iraq/index.html

<snip>

The shoe-thrower -- identified as Muntadhar al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist with Egypt-based al-Baghdadia television network -- could be heard yelling in Arabic: "This is a farewell ... you dog!"

While pinned on the ground by security personnel, he screamed: "You killed the Iraqis!"

Al-Zaidi was dragged away. While al-Zaidi was still screaming in another room, Bush said: "That was a size 10 shoe he threw at me, you may want to know." Watch Bush duck the shoes »

Hurling shoes at someone, or sitting so that the bottom of a shoe faces another person, is considered an insult among Muslims.

Al-Baghdadia issued a statement Sunday demanding al-Zaidi's release.

Al-Zaidi drew international attention in November 2007 when he was kidnapped while on his way to work in central Baghdad. He was released three days later.

[navarth]

1. Evil AND Clueless: what a combination. Ech.

[On the Road]

2. Just Like Reagan After the Hinckley Assassination Attempt

"I wonder what his beef was?"

[AllentownJake]

3. To be fair to Reagan

can't believe I just said that Hinkley's beef was Jodie Foster wouldn't go on a date with him, this guy knows people possibly immediate family who have died as a result of the invasion.