# Why didn't Secret Service jump in front of the shoe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426 "2008-12-16T18:09:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/1 "2008-12-16T18:09:33Z")
When those shoes got thrown at Bush, why didn’t the Secret Service try to protect the president? The guy threw two shoes, and they could have at least blocked the second. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/2 "2008-12-16T18:11:35Z")
I think criticism of the Secret Service in this case is way overblown. It’s not like the guy pulled a gun or a grenade, he threw his freakin shoes. Their job is to protect the President from physical harm, not from every conceivable indignity. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/3 "2008-12-16T18:15:19Z")
It happened pretty fast and they may not have expected him to actually throw _both_ his shoes. If you take another look at the video, the Iraqi guy standing next to Bush makes a lame attempt to put his hand up and block the second shoe. But he puts comically little effort into it. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/4 "2008-12-16T18:17:03Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > I think criticism of the Secret Service in this case is way overblown. It’s not like the guy pulled a gun or a grenade, he threw his freakin shoes. Their job is to protect the President from physical harm, not from every conceivable indignity. Yeah, but they had no way of knowing that there wasn’t a grenade inside the shoes. I find it hard to believe that they had time to register that an item was being thrown and figure out whether or not it had the potential for harm. I was totally surprised that no one jumped in front of the Pres as soon as the first one was launched. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/5 "2008-12-16T18:21:17Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Yeah, but they had no way of knowing that there wasn’t a grenade inside the shoes. I find it hard to believe that they had time to register that an item was being thrown and figure out whether or not it had the potential for harm. I was totally surprised that no one jumped in front of the Pres as soon as the first one was launched. You don’t think they thoroughly checked everyone who came into that room, including making them take off their shoes? ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/6 "2008-12-16T18:22:37Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Yeah, but they had no way of knowing that there wasn’t a grenade inside the shoes. I find it hard to believe that they had time to register that an item was being thrown and figure out whether or not it had the potential for harm. I was totally surprised that no one jumped in front of the Pres as soon as the first one was launched. Exactly. In a situation like that, Secret Service aren’t supposed to spend time analyzing the situation. They’re supposed to have an instinctual response to physically protect the president. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/7 "2008-12-16T18:26:06Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > You don’t think they thoroughly checked everyone who came into that room, including making them take off their shoes? Still, it’s not a question of whether everyone’s been checked; it’s a question of why their instinctual response did not force them to form a physical barrier to protect Bush. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/8 "2008-12-16T18:33:57Z")
> [@Cagey\_Drifter](#): > > Still, it’s not a question of whether everyone’s been checked; it’s a question of why their instinctual response did not force them to form a physical barrier to protect Bush. [Eddie Izzard has a bit](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lucFTJfgNq8) about the President Reagan assassination attempt and attacks on Prince Charles, how the Secret Service went from an image of “elite, highly trained” to one of “GET HIM, KEVIN, GET HIM! RUN, CHARLIE, RUN!” when something bad happened. The point being, when the shit hits the fan, you can’t always count on a proper reaction right away. ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/9 "2008-12-16T18:39:39Z")
I’d imagine that they’re generally on less alert at press conferences, it didn’t look like they were really close enough to jump in front of the shoe. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/10 "2008-12-16T18:48:51Z")
Seems like they really failed, after the shoe was thrown, who’s to say the next thing to come out wouldn’t be a gun? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/11 "2008-12-16T18:49:10Z")
A news account I read said the room was ridiculously crowded, and security folks were off to the side a lot more than they would have been normally. Not an excuse, but a desciption of the situation. ETA: The group had been vetted and searched three times, and THEN the Secret Service came in and searched everyone again. It was not known by the crowd that the US President would be there ahead of time. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/12 "2008-12-16T18:59:19Z")
I guess we can assume [Clint Eastwood](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107206/) wasn’t in attendance. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/13 "2008-12-16T19:04:05Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Seems like they really failed, after the shoe was thrown, who’s to say the next thing to come out wouldn’t be a gun? Begs the question though, when it really came down to it, how many Secret Service agents would put themselves between a crazed gunman and the president? Sure it’s their sworn oath, sure they’re highly trained and take their jobs seriously. But the worst possible thing that can happen to them if they didn’t do it would be that they get fired. I’d rather be alive and disgraced in the eyes of an ex-employer than in a coffin riddled with bullets but that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/14 "2008-12-16T19:18:28Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Begs the question though, when it really came down to it, how many Secret Service agents would put themselves between a crazed gunman and the president? > > Sure it’s their sworn oath, sure they’re highly trained and take their jobs seriously. But the worst possible thing that can happen to them if they didn’t do it would be that they get fired. I’d rather be alive and disgraced in the eyes of an ex-employer than in a coffin riddled with bullets but that’s just me. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t. Honestly, I can’t imagine that any police officer or military person wouldn’t put themselves between a civilian and a crazed gunman, too, let alone the President. That’s who they are. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/15 "2008-12-16T19:34:29Z")
> [@toadspittle](#): > > I can’t imagine they wouldn’t. Honestly, I can’t imagine that any police officer or military person wouldn’t put themselves between a civilian and a crazed gunman, too, let alone the President. That’s who they are. IMO I think you may have seen too many movies, but Secret Service agents should behave as you describe. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/16 "2008-12-16T20:02:49Z")
If the first lady took off her shoes and threw them at the president, would the SS intervene? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/17 "2008-12-16T20:09:50Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > I guess we can assume [Clint Eastwood](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107206/) wasn’t in attendance. Yeah, that film was what came to mind when I read the question. It seems to me, from seeing that and other similar movies, that the SOP in these situations is that someone yells “GUN!” and all the highly-trained operatives leap into well-rehearsed action. I suppose it’s possible that shouting “SHOE!” just doesn’t elicit the same pavlovian response. The Secret Service were probably all standing around thinking “Shoo? Is there a fly? Or a … ooops.” ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/18 "2008-12-16T20:24:57Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I’d rather be alive and disgraced in the eyes of an ex-employer than in a coffin riddled with bullets but that’s just me. And that is why you’d never be in the Secret Service. Doing jobs like that requires a completely different mindset. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/19 "2008-12-16T20:25:59Z")
Maybe they were sneakers. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426/20 "2008-12-16T20:32:03Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Maybe they were sneakers. Pronounced as Gollum would. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-secret-service-jump-in-front-of-the-shoe/477426.md?page=2)