Bush Shoe-Throwing Games Spread Across Internet

This weekend, President Bush sought to end his term by traveling to Iraq for a final show of solidarity with the Iraqi government. Instead, one final bizarre incident occurred to define his Presidency. An Iraqi reporter threw two shoes at Bush, which he managed to duck. While the man remains in custody by Iraqi forces, not only has the shoe throwing won approval from anti-American groups and some small pockets of Americans, but it has also spawned some new online games at that.

Bush shoe throwing games have already sprung up on the Internet. Not only was the shoe throwing used as a symbolic victory for angry Middle Easterners, and as a laugh for Bush's political foes, it can also be recreated online.

One website, sockandawe.com, has created an online game where people can throw all the shoes they want at a dodging Bush and try to hit him. The United Kingdom has also got into the act with their own shoe throwing game.

In that case, the user plays a Secret Service agent trying to shoot down flying shoes before they hit President Bush. This was inspired by the fact that the real Secret Service didn't step in until the second shoe was thrown at Bush.

One other game ends with Bush actually being kicked with a boot, in an online game called "Flying BaBush."

In addition to the online games, the actual clip of the Bush shoe throwing incident continues to be a massive hit on YouTube. One of the actual shoes was put on eBay for an auction to help the American Diabetes Association.

While some Americans make fun of the shoe throwing, others are using it in a more serious approach. Gawker.com counted up the number of boots used by those who have died in Iraq as part of an open letter protesting the outgoing President. Undoubtedly there are Democratic bloggers who both laughed and cautiously cheered the event, using it to take a final farewell swipe at Bush.

Elsewhere around the world, shoe thrower Muntadher al-Zaidi has become a worldwide hero in some circles. His fellow Iraqis are protesting and demanding his release, and also using their own shoes to protest the Americans.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez praised al-Zaidi in a speech, and a Libyan group led by the daughter of Muammar Gaddafi planned to award a medal to al-Zaidi.

The shoe throwing event has already inspired online fun, online protests for and against the incident, and real life protest and even celebration around the world. A Presidency like the Bush administration probably could not end in any more of a bizarre and noteworthy fashion.

Sources

KMGH Denver- "Online Bush Shoe-Throwing Games Go Viral" www.thedenverchannel.com/technology/18290373/detail.html

Press TV- "Man to win millions for Bush shoe attack" www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx