Flying Shoes Good for Business

President George W. Bush hasn't had the easiest end to 2008, but even with the economy in a tailspin and the United States jobless rate rising, Bush can say that he created a few jobs overseas — in Turkey, to be precise.

The Istanbul-based manufacturer of the shoes thrown at Bush can't fill orders nearly as quickly as Bush dodged the flying oxfords. So with suddenly over 300,000 orders and counting, Ramazan Baydan, owner of the Baydan Shoe Company, has hired 100 new employees since he just may have the world's hottest kicks since Air Jordans on his hands.

Ever the marketer, Baydan has plans to re-brand the bland Ducati Model 271 to "the Bush shoe" or "Bye-Bye Bush." Baydan told the U.K.'s Guardian newspaper:

"We've been selling these shoes for years but, thanks to Bush, orders are flying in like crazy. We've even hired an agency to look at television advertising."

No word on whether Iraqi journalist and the world's most notorious shoe-thrower Muntazar al-Zaidi ever got his shoes back after he was tossed in the slammer, but it's good to know that he'll probably be able to get another pair when he is released. I hope he gets a free pair. Do I see a sponsorship opportunity here?