Katie Couric's Notebook: Mr. Bush In Baghdad
Video: The president was not injured, but the incident has launched a thousand quips – from cheeky headlines to wisecracks on cable news. There are times when it's OK to poke a little fun at awkward situations. This is not one of them.
The anger this journalist felt was very real. In the Arab world, the act of throwing a shoe could be perceived as the worst possible insult. When the statue of Saddam Hussein was pulled down in Baghdad five years ago, demonstrators pounded on it with their shoes.
While the act sent a clear message that this war has worn out its welcome in Iraq, President Bush deserves more respect than he received – not just from the Iraqi journalist, but from the Americans who think it's amusing to assault any president, even if you disagree with him.