BERTIE Ahern finally stepped down out of that billboard, removed the pensive forefinger from his chin and set the Fianna Fail election bandwagon rolling.
The venue for the launch of the party's manifesto yesterday was the National Gallery. Flanked by Mary O'Rourke and Micheal Martin, Bertie left the Dail by the back door and eased into the gallery.
Snappers snapped, handlers handled, tourists gawped and the public grumbled. "Mind the pickpocket," said one obscurely. "There goes the dirty dozen," shouted another.
But once in the relative safety of the press conference, Bertie was in control again. For over an hour, he took us breezily through his party's manifesto, pausing only to pat his new hairstyle and flick the lemon slices out of his mineral water.
Tax was his big issue. This was Bertie as Minister for Finance all over again, worrying about balanced budgets, borrowing requirements, tax bands. Only the anorak was missing.
The frontbenchers joined their leader on the platform for journalists questions, but only for decorative purposes. Bertie was on a solo run yesterday, and growing ever more confessional with each question. Yes, he had gained in experience over the last two years, having met people all over the country. "I understand now why people feel hostile about the established political system," he said.
Keeping a government together with the PDs would be a lot easier than when he was dealing with 93 different trade unions, he assured journalists. Asked whether he would be asking Fianna Fail voters to transfer to the PDs, he replied with a terse "yes".
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