Republicans grab golden moment to push Bush re-election hopes
What may have deterred him, after his Olympian performance in Athens was that he probably reckoned there would be wackier people than he at the convention of the Grand Old Party. Given that they were there to rubber-stamp George W Bush as their presidential nominee once again, and predictably did, he was right to give it a skip.
Whatever about being on a mental plane slightly higher than your average Republican (the American variety, not the domestic strain) the reverend would comfortably have been a soulmate with many of the delegates.
The cleric’s avowed mission is to draw attention to the bible and he seems to be on closer speaking terms with God than even George Dubya would have us believe he is.
Dubya is targeting the vote of born again Christians, and if the Brazilians had got a hold of Neil Horan after he robbed Vanderlei de Lima of a gold medal, he certainly would have needed to be born again.
Doubtless, the slogan on Horan’s placard “The second coming is near” would have been interpreted as an omen by Dubya that he was destined for a return to the White House for a second term.
Unfortunately, or maybe not, the pretzel pres didn’t get Fr Horan’s personal, although unofficial, blessing as he had announced his retirement from the world stage, having appeared at the Olympics and did a runner at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone last year.
“I can categorically state now that I will not break the law because I have done it twice and Christ demands things in twos,” he promised Joe Duffy on RTÉ Radio’s Liveline during the week.
Maybe - just maybe - he might consider coming out of retirement to make a special appearance at the Fianna Fáil summit planned for Inchydoney, Co Cork, to disabuse them of a few illusions they are labouring under.
The misguided Rev Horan thinks he is led by God.
Fianna Fáil know they are.
While the Republican convention in Manhattan was deprived of the Kerry Houdini, the delegates got the Terminator instead. I suppose it was apt that a character who spreads death and destruction should be one of Dubya’s enthusiastic cheerleaders.
However, the victims of Arnold Schwarzeneger’s make-believe character do get to go home.
The Austrian who is governor of California - and related to the Democratic Party by marriage - gave what has been described as a “barnstorming” performance, which is hardly surprising for a former Hollywood tough guy, although others might describe it as a bit over the top.
For instance, he said he had joined the party in 1968 because he admired Richard Nixon, and got a huge reaction from the crowd when he declared that “this country, not the United Nations, is the best hope of democracy in the world”.
Still, Arnie hasn’t lost his touch, although his recounting of his life and times in America sounded more like the script from a soppy B-movie.
What he was meant to do by endorsing George Dubya was to win over the uncommitted voters who were watching the extravaganza on television, but it could challenge even his acting ability to convince them that the 43rd president of the USA has the “character and leadership” qualities he gushed on Dubya.
If he does, it would be an Oscar-winning performance because the same president he ascribed those qualities to hasn’t a clue as to the outcome of the war on terror which he so zealously pursues.
On Monday, in a taped television interview, he said: “I don’t think you can win the war on terror.”
Within the short span of 24 hours - which could be a long time for him - he told the national convention of the American Legion: “We meet today in a time of war for our country, a war we did not start yet one that we will win.”
As commander-in-chief, he’s an inspiration.
He was further inspired to declare: “We will win by staying on the offensive, we will win by spreading liberty.”
I presume he will attempt to spread liberty wherever oilfields are to be found.
Mention of the Olympics raises the spectre of what many consider a disappointing performance by the Irish, although I believe that it’s a terrific feat to get to participate in them, especially if we believe in the spirit of the games.
Showjumper Cian O’Connor did the country proud by bringing home a gold medal, but if we don’t take a leaf from the Chinese book and provide facilities for our very young sports people, then the future is bleak, if winning medals is the ultimate standard.
More important than winning medals is the health of our young people, and despite the outcry about obesity little seems to be done about it, apart from the usual official lip service.
According to Fionnuala Kilfeather, chief executive of the National Parents Council (Primary), there is a national crisis in terms of exercise, health and healthy eating among children.
Part of the reason is that there is a shortage of sports facilities in thousands of primary schools. Of course, it’s difficult to have sports facilities in dilapidated schools. It’s rather more important to have a roof over the children that won’t cave in and it must be difficult to do press-ups when you’re likely to meet the odd rat at eye level.
More than half of schools in some counties do not have a PE hall or general purposes room, and because of that Ireland is raising a generation of fair weather athletes because PE lessons can only be arranged in dry conditions!
Ms Kilfeather wants the Government to invest long-term in schools and, where primary schools do not have PE halls, then community facilities such as parish centres or secondary school halls should be made available.
The Department of Education is talking about training teachers this year for the new curriculum which will include several disciplines from athletics to aquatics and multi-purpose spaces are to be provided.
Hopefully, that will happen before the kids qualify for free travel, but in the meantime I thought the response from John Treacy, chief executive of the Irish Sports Council, rather odd, if not a bit off-hand.
He said it was more important for teachers to be properly trained than for schools to have the required facilities. “Whatever they are left with, they should try to have some kind of activity in that area,” he said.
I thought that was an extraordinary statement from the chief executive of the Sports Council who, I would have imagined, should be demanding the best of facilities for sports.
I mean, what part of “no facilities” does he not understand?
There seems little point in having teachers properly trained in a sport, or PE, if there is no place to teach it - except on dry days.