RTÉ wasted a lot of money on US election

I often wonder if I am alone in my frustration with RTÉ’s coverage of the news. Just now, my big crib is with the coverage of the US election. 

I have little sympathy for Joe Biden who was forced out of the running by his Democratic colleagues once it became clear that he was not up to the task of taking on Donald Trump. It is a sad fact of life that Biden, who had many redeeming qualities, was ousted not because of any failure to pursue the Democratic agenda as President, but because he was seen as a man who could not win the presidential election. 

My issue with Biden was his failure to rein in Netanyahu who was allowed by the US, indeed it could be argued he was supported by the US, in the genocide that is being perpetrated in Gaza. Biden continued to provide the ammunition, the shells, the bombs and the rockets that have razed Gaza to the ground and killed upwards of 50,000 (it will reach 50,000 if it hasn’t already) Gazans, mostly innocent men, women and children.

Netanyahu’s attack forces have also killed, with impunity, their own people held hostage by Hamas. Netanyahu is determined to wipe out every suspected Hamas member and if he has to kill thousands of innocents to achieve his ends, well so be it. 

I have generalised here before and have been taken to task for it, but it becomes increasingly difficult to accept that the people of Israel do not support the murderous Netanyahu. I have always differentiated between the people of Israel and the people of Jewish faith around the world, but, in the absence of a Jewish outcry against this slaughter of the innocents, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so. History suggests that with each innocent killed by Netanyahu’s attack forces at least one, if not ten, vengeful Gazans/Palestinians will be born to seek justice in the future. Netanyahu is simply sowing the seeds of Israel’s destruction. Not in my time but at some time.

Of course, it was not just Biden who propped up Netanyahu. The EU and in particular Germany, France and Italy have also supplied the killing weapons. Unsurprisingly, the UK was also to the fore in supplying arms allegedly for the defence of Israel. One could be forgiven for thinking that the tanks and military of Hamas and Hezbollah were hammering down the gates of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv such is the support of the Intelligentsia in the West for the defence of Israel. But I digress. Back to RTÉ’s coverage of the US election.

All the experts now know that Kamala Harris was not the right candidate to replace Joe Biden on the presidential ticket. It is a pity they did not make known their views at the time she was propelled into the spotlight and she became the darling of the media and, in particular, the darling of the RTÉ news team. For the past three or four months, Kamala Harris was touted in RTÉ news broadcasts as the candidate to bring Donald Trump crashing down to earth. We learned that the polls which had Trump eight and ten points ahead of Biden were reducing by the day as Harris took over and ate into Trump’s lead. Harris outshone Trump when they debated on television. She was the answer to the Democrats’ prayers.

RTÉ News and I think it is fair to say the women in the news team, in particular, supported everything Harris said and did, while at the same time Trump’s failings as a fascist, a misogynist, a woman molester, a convicted felon, a fomenter of insurrection and any other shade of mud which could be attached to the man was referenced alongside the snowwhite Harris. As a woman candidate, as a person of colour, as a mixed race person, a lawyer and as a person with an unblemished record in elective office she was entitled to a fair crack of the whip, but RTÉ went overboard.

In fairness, RTÉ’s man in Washington, Seán Whelan, reported things as he found them. He was careful to report both sides of the story giving credit to the Trump campaign and Trump supporters, most of whom came across as committed and caring people who were simply pushed to the limit because of rising inflation. He provided the Harris side of the story with calm deliberation, responding to prompts from his female presenters in the RTÉ news studio in Dublin with sound if unspectacular commentary. He declined to rush into a Harris verdict of victory, preferring instead to tell a breathless nation that it was too close to call. Unless I am greatly mistaken Seán was convinced that Trump had the election sewn up but did not wish to burst the bubble of his colleagues in Dublin.

It is unlikely to be the end of this saga. Though strapped for cash, RTÉ, expecting an historic outcome (needless to say, not a Trump victory) sent an exorbitant team to the US for the announcement of the new President. I’ll be surprised if, in time, RTÉ is not asked for a detailed breakdown of the cost of this extravaganza. Junkets come to mind.

They will be spared any immediate investigation of their performance as the country is now in general election mode. No candidate is going to question RTÉ while there is an election underway. By the time you read this, Simon Harris will have completed the drive to Áras an Úachtaráin and Michael D will have acceded to his request to dissolve the 33rd Dáil. We should be thankful for small mercies. The nonsense we have had to listen to and read over the last couple of months about the dissolution and the date for the election has been hard to stomach.

As it stands at the moment, if the polls are to be believed, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil will form the next government, perhaps with a smattering of Independents. But, thanks be to God, we are not wedded to the polls and thanks to our Proportional Representation system of voting we are likely to have quite a wait before the choice of the people produces the final result. And there will be upsets, shocks and surprises.

Fine Gael are relying on Simon Harris to provide a hand up to the party’s candidates, many of whom will be contesting a general election for the first time. More than half of the party’s TDs, 18 at the last count, will depart the scene. Simon Harris has shown himself to be an able operator but he is not a miracle man. He cannot be expected to haul 18 newcomers over the line. There will be casualties.

Micheál Martin seems to have silenced the doubters in Fianna Fáil but a poor election could lead to a revolt. There is always the possibility of uprising in Dev’s party. They have lost some key figures to retirement, Eamon O’Cuiv a notable absentee, but for now the party seems united and will do well. But doing well really means holding what they have.

Mary Lou has had her annus horribilis. She has bottomed out and there is only one way now for her and that’s up. The Shinners will do much better than their recent polling history suggests and they could well begin their comeback with Rose Conway-Walsh and Gerry Murray taking two seats in the new Mayo five-seater. An interesting few weeks ahead.

Thought for the Day 

Confucius say: Our Greatest glory is not in never falling but in getting up every time we do.