My Irish-English online dictionary tells me that plámás means “butter, flattery, flummery palaver, slaver, soft-sawder, sychophancy”
It was a word used by some unkind commentators on Micheál Martin’s performance in the Oval Office yesterday with Donal Trump. There is no doubt that Michael (metaphorically) rubbed gently and with much melting butter, but overall it’s agreed he did well.
It’s a sad reflection on world politics that leaders throughout the world approach their meeting in the White House with apprehension. Will the Big Boss be in a good mood? Will he give his visitor a verbal walloping, with willing aid from Vice President J D Vance? It brings to mind boys worrying over attending the Dean in his room back in the 1950s, and hoping he won’t give them a serious thumping.
But for every good thing there is a price. Micheál did manage to remind Trump that trade is a two-way street and the US benefits from firms like Ryanair. Hooray, good man Mick! Except that it didn’t even remotely dinge Donald; in fact he had a quiet chuckle at the idea of homelessness and Micheál readily joined him in the chuckle.
But in one area – a crucial area – Micheál funked it. That area was the Middle East. Micheál spoke of the horrors of October 7 and the butchery of Israelis. He lamented the “war” and hoped that peace would be declared and aid brought into Gaza. In contrast to his sympathy for Israeli losses, he said nothing that came within a donkey’s roar of mentioning Israel’s intent on genocide or the tens of thousands of defenceless Palestinian people in Gaza obliterated, along with their homes, hospitals, refugee centres and children in Gaza.
And because he didn’t even mention any of these things, I judge Micheál to have funked it. He didn’t have to throw the charge in Trump’s face. He didn’t have to mention his monstrous notion of kicking Palestinians out of Gaza and forming a luxurious resort for the uber-rich like Donald himself.
Judging failure or success on whether you got a rollicking or not doesn’t cut it. Micheál has exactly the plámás skills to remind Trump that Gaza did not witness a war, it witnessed butchery. He had the chance, and he didn’t take it.
Sorry, Micheál – all the rest is optics. Yes, it would have required nerve and cojones. Yesterday You showed neither.
this is embarrassing as a Nation and as a Taoiseach ….reminds me of someone with cap in hand and getting a zero for his efforts ! shame on you & shame on the nation who voted him back in knowing what a sniffling creature he is. spineless and cowardly doesn’t even cut it. Again the Irish nation is away ahead in empathy and backbone as compared to its “leaders” !!
Meole at his Best Serfness.
Very good Jude
Thank you, James…
Sad performance by Martin. I expected nothi g more from him. Won’t stand up for his own people in six counties. A sad reflection of a “leader”
You are right Jude. Martin failed to show leadership. Trump is a blather-skite -and a dangerous one. He is out of control in front of TV cameras. His disparaging remarks about previous Presidents were disgraceful. Martin should have walked out and let him blather away. What was there to lose?