Kenny’s US visit: Emotional Enda looking weary in Washington
Echoing the lines of WB Yeats’ famous poem Easter 1916, all is changed, changed utterly for our embattled leader.
The bags under the eyes and his normal upbeat demeanour, particularly when away from home, was noticeably absent throughout his engagements in the American Capital yesterday.
He got visibly emotional in his various addresses throughout the day, a sign that the recent weeks have taken their toll on him.
The extent to which Official America opens its arms to the Irish every year is truly remarkable, but try as he may, Kenny could not escape the reality of his current caretaker capacity.
Despite the impressive welcome to Kenny in Washington, the only thing people were talking about was where a government will come from.
Just what was Kenny’s status and how should he be addressed was the topic of much conversation between media and officials.
Acting Taoiseach, lame duck, caretaker Taoiseach or Deputy Kenny?
Kenny’s day began with US Vice President Joe Biden’s customary breakfast for a gathering of the Irish-Amercian community, in the picture-esque Naval Observatory.
Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny pays tribute to Joe Biden’s late son Beau #iestaff pic.twitter.com/UqaZbfNOjD
— Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) March 15, 2016
Biden, known for speaking loosely at times, bigged Kenny up as still the most popular guy in the State, only to hammer home the point that he lost the recent election.
“He is the most popular guy in the State and he lost,” said Mr Biden.
Having knocked him down, Biden then did his best to pluck up the beleaguered acting Taoiseach.
“I can assure you if you ran in America you would get 80% of the vote,” he said to warm applause from those present.
Mr Biden quoted Yeats’ poem on the 1916 Rising, referring to how a terrible beauty was born.
For Kenny, that terrible beauty of being an interim leader is clearly weighing heavily on the Fine Gael leader.
Biden revealed to the assembled guests that Kenny reassured him three times that “all would be OK”.
Once breakfast was done, Kenny and his entourage were whisked by motorcade through the streets of Washington to the White House for his bilatteral meeting with US President Barack Obama.
.@EndaKennyTD urges Speaker Paul Ryan to take action on immigration and steps to help undocumented workers @irishtv pic.twitter.com/anQPga9uR4
— Deirdra Schroeder (@deeoschroeder) March 15, 2016
Given the failure of Kenny to secure his re-election, there was much angst on the American side as to whether to let him in the building or not.
Weeks of soul searching went on but Kenny and Obama met for almost half an hour before addressing the media.
Here too, Kenny’s purgatory overshadowed all other things.
“There was just an election in Ireland, and we live at a time when there’s a lot of volatility in the electoral process,” said Obama.
While there were the usual positive noises about the relationship between America and Ireland being very important, it all felt a little awkward.
Shortly afterwards, in the grounds of the White House, poor Enda had to endure further questions as to his quest to retain power.
Kenny then made a fresh appeal to Fianna Fáil to step up and be counted and do the right thing by the country and help him be re-appointed as Taoiseach.
Then the motorcade again rushed cross town to Capitol Hill for the Speakers’ Lunch, hosted by Irish-American, Paul Ryan.
Ryan, who recently paid a visit to Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny, where his ancestors are from, paid a warm tribute to Kenny in his remarks before lunch. Kenny signalled a willingness to mediate between the Republican Ryan and Democrat Obama at a place halfway between Graiguenamanagh and Moneygall, where Obama’s ancestors are from.
At the lunch, Obama said the Irish influence in Washington remains strong.
“With names like Obama, Biden, Ryan, and McConnell, you can rest assured that the Old Sod’s stranglehold on power in Washington is as strong as ever,” he said.
Kenny then returned to the White House to Present Obama with a Waterford Crystal bowl of shamrock and reception.
He also extended a fresh invitation to the Obama family to visit Ireland once they leave the White House.
While we know this was Obama’s last St Patrick’s Day in office, but whether it was Kenny’s was the question of the day.
Asked if he will be Taoiseach next year, Kenny simply said: “I hope so”.
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