Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi, who quickly became renowned throughout the world after chucking his shoes at President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad last December, took the stand in court Thursday to defend his memorable act as a gesture of self-expression, on behalf of both himself and “the Iraqi people.”
Muntadhar al-Zaidi’s now-legendary flying shoes made headlines in the Arab world after the Iraqi journalist registered his disapproval of George W. Bush’s foreign policy choices during the U.S. president’s news conference in Baghdad on Sunday.
It’s hard to remember the time when George W. Bush winked and swaggered his way into the White House, while rival Al Gore’s team fretted that the vice president didn’t show enough folksy warmth or wear the right earth tones to win the day. My, how times have changed.