USA NEWS: President Bush

President Bush at Baghdad press conference after dodging shoes thrown by Iraqi journalist, cbs.com and cnn.com video, December 14, 2008.





President Bush customarily takes two questions per side, two from each nation's journalists, when he holds a joint press conference with another nation's leader.

But this is the first time that Bush has taken two shoes from one side: The president quickly and successfully ducked the shoe-tossings -- ostensibly from a journalist in the Iraqi-seating -- at a press availability with Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today during Bush's surprise visit to Baghdad.

During his farewell trip to Iraq -- his fourth since the U.S.-led invasion that he ordered in March 2003 -- Bush stood side by side with Maliki to field some questions.

Bush was on his feet today, for sure: He displayed some quick defensive reflexes when a journalist shouted in Arabic -- "This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog" -- and hurled one of his shoes at the American president. Bush narrowly avoided being hit.

Before guards could wrestle the hostile interrogator standing a little more than 10 feet away from the president to the floor, the angry man got off a second shoe and shouted: "This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." The Iraqi prime minister aided in the defense this time, holding up a hand to shield Bush.

Bush, uninjured, laughed off the incident: "All I can report is it is a size 10.''

And afterward, as Bush flew from Baghdad to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan for another lap of his farewell war tour, the president met reporters aboard Air Force One with a double-entendre about the shoe and his own famous remark about once having looked into former Russian President Vladimir Putin's eyes and seeing his soul.

Of the shoe-tosser in Baghdad, Bush said: "I didn't know what the guy said, but I saw his sole."