Politics

IRISH ‘MAGA’ supporters and a canary-yellow shirt

IRISH ‘MAGA’ supporters and a canary-yellow shirt

What possessed me to wear a canary-yellow shirt to the Fianna Fáil meeting in Ballina? I was glowing in a sea of monochrome jackets, jumpers and tops, only matched by my throbbing red face. Most of the other party faithful, representing the various ‘cumann’ or local party branches in the North Mayo region, were gathered in the large, weakly lit ballroom of the Downhill Hotel. The backslapping, laughter and excited chatter had spilled slowly in, but then quickly fanned away from the TV crew from Dublin ensconced inside the door, creating a large empty gap where only a careless or unwary visitor would stray… or someone in a canary-yellow shirt.

America may be talking itself into a civil war

America may be talking itself into a civil war

As I crossed the pedestrian walkway, a flatbed truck driver leaned out his window and unleashed a barrage of angry words at me. The wind swallowed most of his rant, but the essence was clear: he was furious, and his fury was aimed at “Democrats”, “budgets”, and “billions of dollars”. My puzzled expression likely only heightened the veins bulging in his neck. With a final, dismissive curse, he sped away, his old truck groaning under the strain, but not before glaring at me through his rear-view mirror. The faded U.S. flag sticker on his window was a faint clue to his political leanings, though I was more perplexed by why he assumed I was a Democrat. Was it my outdated 1990s attire—jeans, shirt, and blazer combo—that my wife swears she will leave me if I wear again?

Fake Political Experts

Fake Political Experts

My father, Billy Heffron, was enjoying himself, mid-flow in conversation, a cup of tea in his hand and biro-filed paperwork strewn across the kitchen table of his host — a small farmer outside Ballyhaunis. As agricultural consultant, Billy had called to his farming client a few hours earlier to complete forms for some farm scheme or other. However, in the lively talk and laughter afterwards, which is a well-known feature of my father’s visits, the evening had closed in quickly. Too quickly. The farmer jolted forward and yanked up the volume on the radio which had been infusing the room with low-level MWR FM in the background.

Gotcha! How Trump outsmarts the Media

Gotcha! How Trump outsmarts the Media

It is one of the most memorable moments in movie history. Set in a stifling courtroom, during one of the final scenes of Aaron Sorkin’s A Few Good Men, Jack Nicholson (as Colonel Jessep) delivers his greatest monologue, relishing the opportunity to teach Tom Cruise (as upstart lawyer Lieutenant Kaffee) a few home truths of his iron-fisted command over Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. However, Cruise’s character has instead set a ‘gotcha’ trap for his ego-charged superior, with the provoking demand ‘I want the truth!’. Without awareness of his hubris and impending legal peril, Jessep famously replies with, ‘You can't handle the truth!’ and then is drawn him into admitting that he ordered an illegal punishment of another soldier, resulting in his arrest on the stand. It is one of the ultimate gotchas of our shared cinema culture.

The Risks of Second-in-Command

The Risks of Second-in-Command

Vice-presidential nominees have “virtually no impact,” according to Donald Trump, when recently asked if J.D. Vance would be ready to take over "on day one, if he has to be." This clear snub of his running mate when speaking to the National Association of Black Journalists, had less to do with Trump’s thoughtful analysis of voters’ intentions during presidential elections and more to do with the fact that the twice-impeached and criminally convicted former president cannot abide sharing the limelight with anyone — not even where a supportive platitude would help their shared ticket and therefore his electoral chances.

A Two Horse Race

A Two Horse Race

Following the notorious recent presidential debate hosted by CNN, The Hill reported on July 1st from a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll that 72% of voters have already decided who they will vote for in the upcoming election, with 58% of Independents, 16% of Republicans, and 28% of Democrats yet to decide. Meanwhile, Trump leads Biden in a head-to-head match-up in the poll by 6 points. Since then polling suggests that Biden has lost further valuable ground in swing states due to the public’s reaction to his dismal debate performance. These seven crucial states, where less than a hundred thousand votes can swing the election either way, have the Democratic Party in turmoil over whether Joe Biden should be the nominee to contest the upcoming election against Donald Trump.

"I mean, why come here now?"

"I mean, why come here now?"

She tilted her head sideways, studying me intently. "I mean, why come here now? It's terrible... and if he gets elected again, I... I don't know..." A vibrant older Jewish woman, raised in the Bronx within a theatrical Jewish family, she embodied the no-nonsense, practical, and generous spirit of a New Yorker…