| Bertie’s new berth By
Malcolm Rodgers
As well as its many other vital contributions to the national pageant,
this column maintains a watch on the governments of both Ireland and Britain.
And this week we aim our snoopery in the direction of one Bartholomew
Ahern. During the recent election, Mr Ahern anointed his successor, Brian
Cowen. Many observers were surprised at the move but not this column.
The Most Cunning One, as always, has an exit strategy.
Intoxicated with power, Bertie will have learnt lessons wisely from his
old friend Tony Blair. No poisonous leadership situation for Bertie —
he’ll hand over to Brian while the going is good and head for the
job of President of the European Commission.
Bertie came close to taking the job in 2004 but Jose Manuel Barroso emerged
as a compromise candidate.
This time Bertie should have no problems the enduring Peace Process
in the North, his superb presidency of Europe and his ability to get on
with all parties has enhanced his reputation enormously. And his special
brand of “if you can’t dazzle ‘em with brilliance, baffle
‘em with bullshit” is perfect for Europe.
The only other feasible job for the power-crazy Bertie is the Presidency
of Ireland. But this is small beer almost literally compared to the EU
job. If based at Aras an Uachtarain, Bertie would find it nigh impossible
to sink pints in Fagan’s in Drumcondra of a weekend. In any case,
the international wheeling and dealing of world politics is a lot more
to his liking than the empty ritual of the Irish President’s weekly
chores.
The only cloud on the horizon is the Mahon Tribunal but the Devious
One will probably weather it OK. He can always just say his mind is as
blank as the cheque he wrote for Charlie Haughey and it will be shrugged
off. As someone once said the trouble with this country is that there
are too many politicians who believe, with a conviction based on experience,
that you can fool all of the people all of the time. That probably goes
for the EU too.
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