Great moments in spin

So here’s an interesting exercise in attempting to reposition the symbolism of an unexpected incident.

Bush is over in Iraq, and a guy gets up and hurls his shoes at the president’s face, as hard as he can. Then he does it again. Bad PR moment!

But no. Bush says, “That’s what people do in a free society, draw attention to themselves.”

Condoleeza Rice says the incident “is a kind of sign of the freedom that people feel in Iraq.”

Excuse me? Do we enjoy our democracy by hurling objects at each other’s heads here in the Land of the Free? I’m pretty sure that if you go out and throw a shoe, or any similar item, at someone’s face, you’re going to be arrested. As well you should be! Throwing a shoe at someone’s face, even in America (even in your own home, for that matter) is not a sign of freedom, and it is not “what people do” in any free society. It’s attempted assault.

As for what happens when people like the show-thrower “draw attention to themselves” and how much it’s a “sign of freedom,” I think it’s worth considering the NYT’s deadpan description of what was happening while Bush riffed on the positive symbolism of the moment: Once the shoe-thrower was tackled and taken away by security, the President spun the incident away — “as the man’s screaming could be heard outside.”

Points for trying, though. I didn’t think there would be a way to reposition a guy throwing shoes at the President’s face as a victory for the American idea. But I guess there is.

Also, points to GWB for agility: He looked quite spry as he ducked that first shoe in particular. Here’s BoingBoing’s roundup of amusing GIF reactions — which is how we really express our freedoms in the home of the brave these days.