Sir, I am sure that at this stage, the media in Ireland are waxing lyrical over a visit by a Prime Minister that has been universally acclaimed as a success. I am sure the fact that the Cranberries appeared on The Late Show the previous night, and that Pierce Brosnan appeared on Larry King Live, have been interwoven to prove the point that Ireland has a strong and live presence in the America of today.
However, probably it will be conveniently overlooked by all the journalists in the gallery that CSpan carried the speech to the joint Houses of Congress at 8.00 am Pacific Time. Pre noon is the province of the talk shows, rather than that of the politically aware. Is the Taoiseach not in danger of diluting his visit by the fact that he has spoken to a Congress which has the House of Representatives whose 435 members are up for reelection, and a Senate that has 34 per cent of its seats to be contested in November? Would it not, be more astute to speak to a new Congress, and potentially a new President, in January or February, rather than be seen to be the pawn of the world's most professional election machine, which will be charting the demographics of the coveted Irish American voter?
To put it in context, the visit of a foreign dignitary here causes barely a ripple, merely a single column in the national newspaper USA Today. If we are to have any standing as a nation, is it not our task to have a fearless voice in the "UN, and not to congratulate ourselves on a visit that is news at home, but does not exactly have the regard that a visit by the peacemakers such as Mandela and Rabin used to have? Is this not a sign of how far we have to go in order to prove to ourselves and the world that peace is going to work? - Yours etc
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