THE fun is about to begin as the presidential election campaign moves into full swing.
With Martin McGuinness entering the race, let’s sit back and enjoy the spin the various contenders will try to put on either their past, their beliefs or what they have already achieved.
To put it mildly, Martin McGuinness has most work to do in this regard.
Already, you can see quotes such as “if elected, I would welcome the queen to the Áras”. Mind you, not too many months ago, some colleagues of his were protesting at her very presence in this country, not to mention a visit to the Áras.
On the other hand, his fellow candidates will have done their research and will be ready and willing to wait in the long grass and throw a few curve balls in his direction. You see, unlike another prominent republican, Mr McGuinness has never made any secret of the fact that he donned military fatigues, was on ‘active service’ and even allowed himself to be photographed shooting a gun.
But there are questions which he has never answered, and his opponents will attempt to embarrass him in this regard.
But you don’t stay alive and well for more than 30 years in what was a war zone without picking up a few tips in the art of survival, so I am sure Mr McGuinness will have no problem meeting anything that is fired at him.
In general, politicians are good at that.
They have a happy knack of being able to put a gloss on practically anything. Just think back to the recent general election and all the promises made by the Fine Gael/Labour coalition on how they were going to ‘burn’ the bond holders.
Nothing they said has come to pass. Far from burning anybody, they have thrown money at these same unsecured bond holders.
When questioned as to why they were reneging on a pre-election promise, finance minister Michael Noonan was quick to point out that such a move might do more harm than good. Why the sudden change? I suppose it really depends on how you look at things.
I saw a classic case of ‘spin’ recently. It had nothing to do with Ireland or our presidential campaign, but the spin doctors could well use it as a classic study of the art.
Judy Wallman, a genealogy researcher in southern California, was doing some work on her own family tree when she discovered that US senator Harry Reid’s great-great uncle Remus Reid was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. Both Judy and Harry Reid are descendants of his.
The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows in Montana Territory with a noose around his neck, just minutes before the hangman called time on his life. In fact, on the reverse side of the picture which Judy obtained during her research, the inscription read: ‘Remus Reid, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times, caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.’
Naturally, the genealogy researcher emailed senator Harry Reid for more information about their great-great uncle. Just read the following, which was sent back to the woman by senator Reid’s staff, which she was supposed to include in her biographical sketch for her genealogy research – talk about positive spin!
“Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory.
His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad.
Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton detective agency.
In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.”
Presidential candidates take note – that’s how it’s done!