The Wisdom of Perry Mason

Is this the best the Ulster Unionists can do?

McCune welcomes Adams' Strong Defence of Border (note the grammatical error in not adding a second 's' after the name 'Adams')

'Rodney McCune, the Ulster Unionist Westminster candidate for North Antrim, has welcomed Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams’ strong defence of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

The 28-year old barrister and youngest of the UUP’s General Election candidates said:

“Gerry Adams criticism of the Irish Government for interfering in the General Election of another sovereign state – by sending Dermot Ahern and Michael McDowell to campaign for the SDLP - is very welcome indeed.

“Mr Adams is also right in saying that Dermot Ahern has ‘overstepped his responsibility’ in becoming involved in the campaign. Neither Mr Ahern nor anyone else in the Irish Government has any responsibility whatsoever for what happens within the sovereign borders of the United Kingdom, and I commend Mr Adams for reinforcing this fact.

“I hope his colleagues in the republican movement will quickly join him in his new stance of defending the Union and opposing Irish Government interference in our affairs.

“Well done Gerry.”'

The Ulster Unionists never tire of telling the Unionist electorate that Mr McCune is a barrister.  As if this is supposed to be indicative of unsurpassed intelligence and/or political intuition!!  I can't stand constant repeats of a person's status or achievements.  It is almost as if they have to keep reminding themselves that they actually amount to something.  For the record, nine years ago I narrowly missed out on entry into MENSA.  After sitting one of the qualifying exams, I was assessed with an IQ of 143 (148 is the threshold figure for entry into that organisation).  This is the first time I have spoken of this attainment on ATW and it will definitely be the last.  People who have genuine attributes (in whatever field) don't have to keep spouting it to all and sundry.

Let's look at what this almost pre-pubescent incarnation of Christmas Humphreys is saying!!  Have you ever seen such puerile drivel in your life?  After launching a disingenuous argument on the underlying motivations for Adams's broadside against the Dublin administration, McCune then ushers forth with congratulatory praise for dear Gerry.  He simultaneously rejects 'Irish Government interference' in Ulster's affairs, whilst standing as a candidate for the one party that has done more to facilitate that eventuality than anybody else.

Surely the bigwigs at Cunningham House know that McCune has about as much chance of beating Ian Paisley as I would have against Mick The Miller in a 100-yard dash.  If this really illustrates the limits of political vision, thank heavens they are destined for relative obscurity after May 5th.

Comments

At least you can't complain you're being kept out of MENSA on account of a 50/50 rule....

[Andrew McCann]

That's true (LOL). Didn't come up to the mark.

[Hugh Green]

Andrew,

In fairness to Rodney McCune, I happen to know that DUP Jim Allister, Peter Weir and Nigel Dodds are all barristers, and it's not because I have regular run-ins with the law.

[soapy]

Maybe the explanation is that we've been mishearing the word as Barrister.

[Michael Turley]

I thought it was quite a pithy statement. I would almost have expected DV to come up with a similar observation.

[Michael]

I thought that the essence of what he was saying was what you Andrew were saying in 'Mind Your Own Bloody Business!' that Irish polticians should stay out of the North. The fact that he says trhat he agrees on this issue with Gerry Adams is beside the point. On this issue (and probably this issue alone) you also agree with Gerry Adams.

As for people making"constant repeats of a person's status or achievements" what about people who misleading repeats about achievement or status - sayin DR Ian Paisley?

[scouseproud]

I agree i dont care whether their barristers or milk men, are they up to representing the Unionist cause. Those people with the most to feel proud about are often the most bashful, my hero Field Marshal Alexander dropped into the United Services club in London in 1944 wearing civilian clothes, to be greeted by a friend who lived in Ireland "i havent heard of you since the war started, what have you been doing with yourself?" Britains highest ranking military man of World war 2, the supreme allied commander of the med smiled and said "im still soldiering" what an understatement. In 1947 he was in Hollywood watching a film being made about the war, he was wearing the uniform of a Field Marshal as he was due to inspect a guard of honour in San Francisco later that day, a camp old queen of an actor mistaking him for an extra slapped him on the back and demanded to know "whose your dresser?" "He must be a genius hes got your medals just as if they were real " He was happy to tell jokes at his own expense at after dinner speeches like this, a true giant sadly now largely forgotten.