“A magnificent, spontaneous, and from-the-heart contribution, we witnessed an immense force, an outburst of deeply impressive moral authority that is rare in an age like this.”
Impressive words; who could Irish Examiner journalist Harry McGee be writing about? The revered Nelson Mandela or perhaps the heroic Aung San Suu Kyi fighting for democracy in Burma?
No, these heroic words were penned in praise of our very own Finance Minister, Brian Cowen. What, you may ask, could Cowen the Great have done to deserve such high praise?
Well, he made a five minute speech in our national parliament in which he strongly defended the indefensible activities of our Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.
Ahern accepted large wads of cash from businessmen and ‘friends’ while he was Minister for Finance. Despite numerous opportunities he has failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the payments.
His ‘stories’ have become so bizarre that only a gullible fool, a fanatical Fianna Failer or perhaps a starry eyed journalist could believe them.
For McGee, the crowning moment came when Cowen the Great declared;
“I know right from wrong.”
McGee writes;
“It was utterly believable and made his case as a natural leader for his party. What we witnessed was a person who was the personification of the heart and soul of his party and what it represents and stands for.”
Unwittingly, McGee is spot on here. Cowen is the personification of what Fianna Fail represents and has represented for many decades now; arrogance, a total disregard for ethical values in public office, an easy acceptance of corruption and a chronic inability to tell right from wrong.