ENDA ‘MAY CLING ON TO POWER FOR MONTHS’
Trump can expect no apology from me
BEING a journalist has always been a fun occupation, but it currently happens to be about as threatened as that of a coal miner.
Like many jobs, it has its stresses and frustrations, one of which is the risk of being beaten to a story by another hack.
So asking The Donald a tough question in the Oval Office wasn’t a particularly odd thing to do. I must have asked a million questions over my career, my favourites being the downright stupid ones, as often they produce the most interesting answers.
After squeezing past monstrous US chief strategist Steve Bannon on my way into the Oval Office, I found myself three feet from the US President’s left ear, a delicious target straight in front of me.
So I popped a question. The Taoiseach had described Mr Trump’s policies as ‘racist and dangerous’, so did the President want to take that up?
As a question, it was what we call in the trade a ‘twofer’ – an equal-opportunity skewer for both leaders.
Trump heard my question and his press aides immediately began freaking out. I can only wonder why. Politicians are there to be held accountable and the ‘racist and dangerous’ label truly has gone global. Is Trump going to be a threat to many ordinary millions? So ‘monstering’ the most powerful man in the world can feel like being all part of a day’s work, no matter how peculiar that may seem.
It’s hard to know what crossed The Donald’s fantasy-crowded mind. He said nothing, but jutted out his chin defiantly. Everyone saw it, but this time he didn’t rail against the press, as he has probably done privately many times in the Oval Office.
Neither he or the Taoiseach answered as the handlers now cried: ‘Out! Out! Move!’ Two people were pushing, or ‘guiding’ me, fairly gently, and I made a glacial slide. The US president turned away from me and uttered something to Enda.
The Irish Times caught what he said and kindly reported it yesterday. ‘Is he one of yours?’ The Donald mouthed.
Enda smiled and nodded that indeed he was, even as the non-housetrained guest was propelled ever more doorward. Deported, almost.
On reflection, it would have been good to have been called a bad hombre, or even ‘such a nasty wordsman’.
He has mocked a disabled reporter in the past, and the truth is that he displays every desire to disable the press as a whole. That, at least, really would be dangerous, stripping the rights of everyone to stay informed, even of provocative opinions.
Mid-shunt to the exit, I caught sight of the scowling face of one of the Irish delegation, a man wearing the scalded ‘how could you?’ face of the seriously offended, as if I had turned up in a clown suit at a funeral. They have their jobs to do and I have mine.
There’s no doubt that Mr Trump knew what the Taoiseach had said of him.
Enda didn’t apologise, and neither should the world’s media. I’m proud to be ‘one of ours’, the glorious, rambunctious, maligned Irish press corps that really does try to get it right. Dissent is decent.