It was one of the most entertaining news clips in the history of television - the shot of the reporter who came up with the brilliant idea of taking off his shoes and pelting them, one shoe at a time, in quick succession, at the outgoing leader of the 'free world', President George Bush Jr., last weekend.

If you have not seen the clip which My Friend P describes as an all-time classic, then check YouTube. it is there in all shapes and forms and it is drop-dead funny.

Future fate of journalists

But let's put this incident in perspective as it relates to: the future fate of journalists, the state and stature of the outgoing president and real purpose of security.

On the president's state, there have been long standing jokes about George Bush and his intellect, or lack thereof, and the Attack of the Shoes 2008 really puts him in a pathetic light.

Historical fear

Just imagine - throughout the history of American presidents there had always been fear that someone wanted to assassinate the most powerful democratic leader in the world.

Oh no, not so with George, who goes to the country that might arguably be one that America has upset the most, and someone, rather than try to shoot George or blow him up, tries to slap him with a pair of shoes?!!

Maybe the shoes were indeed a concealed chemical "cheesy toes" bomb that would have detonated on contact with Bush and left him uncontrollably stink for the rest of his life.

Textbook shift

But as you watch the Attack of Shoes 2008 clip on YouTube you must admit that George is also the 'dandy shandy' president of the world. That first shift of the shoe was text book stuff. The evasive manoeuvre by George was executed with political precision - after all, he was in a room full of journalists were he intended to dodge questions thrown at him anyway - so the shoe missiles presented little problem.

My Cousin S suggests that knowing George, he probably has been ducking from flying shoes from his wife in his house for years, so what we saw at the press conference was just home-training in effect.

A problem

Journalists now have a problem. Because we shall now have the introduction of Operation Flying Shoes and effective immediately, no journalist will be allowed to wear shoes to press conferences, or socks [because you can fold them into a ball].

We understand, too, that some journalists are showing the dude who threw the shoes no love at all because they fail to understand how George, who is not the smartest kid on the block, was allowed to preempt not one, but two shoe missiles.

Shoe-hitting target practice is now a full-credit course at journalism school.You must pass to graduate.

The security detail for the president, we understand, has been completely fired, from the head of the CIA, the FBI and whatever other special units that were looking after the president's safety. How come did they not notice than the man had untied the laces of his shoes? Come on guys, that was a sure sign that the president was in danger. Oh, the shoes did not have laces .

Hmm well, I understand he was walking on the heel of the shoe for easy access.

And then, after he got one shoe off, how did they allow the second one? Straight incompetence that is!

My Friend P and I have watched these guys take their work 'well serious' and they would give up their life for the man in the Oval office. So why wasn't a bodyguard throwing his body into the path of the flying shoe, to protect the president? By George, who hired these guys!

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