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This episode examines the famous December 2008 incident where Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw his shoes at visiting U.S. President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad. Reporter Sarah Kari speaks with al-Zaidi across several hours of interviews to uncover the personal toll of the Iraq War, his motivations as a local reporter covering civilian casualties like an eight-year-old girl named Zahra, and the meticulous planning behind his protest. The episode explores the unique cultural symbolism of the shoe throw as a degrading act, how it occupied a middle ground between peaceful reporting and armed resistance, and its lasting legacy in global protest culture and presidential trivia.
Sarah Kari explains the long‑delayed interview with Iraqi journalist Muntadhar Azaidi and the challenges of connecting with him.
The episode covers Muntadhar’s arrest, imprisonment, torture, and the global response, including protests and media coverage.
Muntadhar recounts his upbringing, the 1990 invasion, and how the war shaped his worldview and career as a journalist.
Muntadhar explains the cultural symbolism of shoes, his frustration with the war, and why he chose this act as a form of protest.
The hosts reflect on the lasting significance of Muntadhar’s act and its implications for journalism, protest, and memory.
Muntadhar’s post‑release life, including offers of citizenship, media blacklisting, and his continued activism, is explored.
The show examines how the shoe throw sparked a wave of similar acts worldwide and its place in the history of nonviolent resistance.
Experts discuss the shoe throw’s position between violence and nonviolence, referencing historical precedents and modern theory.
The episode opens with an overview of the shoe-throwing incident and its historical backdrop.
The hosts debate whether the shoe throw had measurable influence on policy, public opinion, or the war narrative.
Throwing Shoes At George Bushstory
Muntadhar al-Zaidi explains that he became famous because he threw his shoes at George W. Bush during a 2008 press conference in Baghdad.
A Soldier Pisses On A Carstory
During the initial U.S. invasion, al-Zaidi witnessed an American soldier get out of a Humvee in traffic and piss on a car while colleagues laughed, making him feel a disaster was coming.
While taking a shower three years before the event, al-Zaidi first came up with the idea to throw his shoe at George W. Bush.
Choosing The Dirtiest Shoesstrategy
Instead of wearing his brand-new shoes bought in Beirut, al-Zaidi rushed home to pick out a heavy, dirty pair of medical shoes to use as his weapon.
Torture In Solitary Confinementstory
Following his arrest, al-Zaidi was stripped to his underwear, beaten, tortured with electricity and iron bars, and locked in solitary confinement for three months.
Offers Of Money And Marriagedata
After his release, al-Zaidi received offers of medals, citizenships, daughters' hands in marriage, and a reported ten million dollar bid for his shoes.
Flattening The Hierarchical Powerinsight
The shoe throw briefly flattened the vast hierarchy between a disenfranchised local journalist and the leader of the world's most powerful military.
Reflections On Jimmy Kimmel Showdata
George W. Bush was later asked about the incident by Jimmy Kimmel, demonstrating how the event became a permanent part of presidential legacy and trivia.
“I threw my shoes at George W. Bush.”
“I wanted to do something completely the opposite of roses.”
“He was a journalist, like an Iraqi journalist.”
“The estimates of senseless civilian deaths go into the hundreds of thousands.”
“But to me, they are not numbers, they are people.”
“But it did precisely what it set out to do,”
“You know, like, to me, that's what journalism is supposed to do.”
“No, the thing I wanna know is, like, do you miss being a journalist?”
“Essentially, he was like, 'You're in very different circumstances. Everybody's case is different.'”
The world around you is falling apart, and no one is listening. How far do you go to be heard?
11,664 words · 8 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
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