When the Corporate Media give Dick Cheney an easy ride

[Swagman]

When the Corporate Media give Dick Cheney an easy ride.


"Coward ... protesters against Dick Cheney dressed as police in a dangerous attempt to direct traffic into police lines. / The Daily Telegraph "

As the 100 strong motorcade swept into Sydney Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd were already girding their loins to lionize arguably the most powerful man in the world. No-one asked the most obvious question-why was Dick coming to Sydney?. Canberra is the Capital of Australia and where Parliament sits. Its' where all government departments are housed, where all foreign embassies are located. But when John Howard was swept into power in a landslide election in 1996 he forsook the official PM's residence in Canberra, The Lodge,for the magnificent harbor-side 18Th century mansion Kirrribili House (normally used to house visiting dignitaries) as his residence.

Defying tradition, this "conservative" gave as reason the fact his children attended Sydney schools. His predecessor Paul Keating's children had also attended Sydney schools but Keating had relocated them to Canberra schools. Howard along with his Liberal Party colleagues and the particularly the News Ltd newspapers had persistently labeled Keating as a Chardonnay Socialist. In every sentence his name was prefaced with the word "arrogant"until it became synonymous with "Keating". One of the last controversies was when Keating accepted on behalf of The Lodge, which is owned by the nation, a $17,000 Thai teak dining table purchased from a donated fund overseen by a board of distinguished patrons. A great patron of the arts, Keating was repeatedly labeled by News Ltd as a "dilettante". After moving into Kirribilli House Howard spent a fortune on re-decorations, a new wine cellar and runs up annual wine bill of $20,000. His weekly bill to fly to Canberra when Parliament sits is estimated to be around $30,000. The yearly cost of running 2 households, The Lodge ( mainly empty but with a full staff) and Kirribilli House is in the $millions.

While Air force 2 with Cheney onboard was approaching Sydney the NSW Premier Morrris Iemma was already announcing that no "violence" would be tolerated from demonstrators. The Minister for Police and Police Commissioner made similar announcements. The Stop The War protest movement had applied and been granted a court permit to march down Sydney's George Street and meet at the Town Hall on the day of Cheney's arrival. At the last minute police informed them they couldn't march. An illegal act by the police. At the Town Hall about 100 protesters gathered with signs that said "Go Home Dick and Take John With You" "Dick Cheney Warmonger". Confronting them were about 500 police with batons. Behind them were about 100 mounted police. A slight scuffle broke out as police forced the protesters further back onto the footpath-3 arrests were made as tempers became heated. Headlines that night in News Ltd's Daily Telegraph screamed "WHEN PROTESTERS TURN VIOLENT". Journalist Tracey Ong's lurid account that followed, accompanied by a photo of a protester almost being throttled in an arm lock as he was forced into a police wagon told of the arrest of a 17 old youth. Around the country News Ltd newspapers carried similar tales and headlines.

Meanwhile the local Sydney Morning Herald revealed that over 1200 police had been called in from country areas for Cheney's visit and how his 3 day visit would cost taxpayer's over $2million . On the Central Coast where police stations had been abandoned, residents claimed phone calls attempting to report a sexual assault and house burglaries went unanswered.

The following day Cheney gave a speech to the American Australian Association in which he lauded the Australian commitment in Iraq ( a mere 540 soldiers) and stated that the US could not leave until the mission had been accomplished. The previous day Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson had claimed in a speech that there was no chance of a successful outcome in Iraq and had spent the next 24 hours try to spin his words into a different meaning.
Cheney then moved onto the inner city Victoria Barracks and addressed, amongst others. returned Australian Vietnam Veterans. The Australian Newspaper ( News Ltd) lauded his speech. Mike Carlton , radio announcer and columnist of the Sydney Morning Herald pointed out that Dick Cheney had "other priorities" when pressed on why he didn't sign for service during the Vietnam War. John Howard when visiting Vietnam recently said in a speech he still supported Australia's involvement in that war, much to the dismay of several diplomats in his audience. He also had other priorities during that era although eligible for service.

Outside the Shangralai Hotel, Cheney's residence, 80 protesters held vigil confronted by 500 police. Streets around the hotel were cordoned off for several blocks. 2 female protesters wore similar overalls to the police with POLICE written on the back in pink writing and with obvious false mustaches began a dance. They often perform at street fairs, markets and parades. A similar group the Fashion Police "arrest" " racegoers at big race tracks. Suddenly police weighed in arrested the 2 girls and knocked down and elderly protester.

That night's Daily Telegraph headline screamed "COWARDS" and a lurid tale followed from Joe Hilderbrand and Tim Blair ( a right wing News Ltd columnist) about protesters new tactic of "impersonating" police officers and how they had tried to mis-direct traffic ( traffic had been blocked for 2 blocks) and how and elderly pensioner had been thrown to the ground. When the "pensioner", herself a 75 year old protester phoned to complain they quietly dropped her from later editions. The story of the "Cowards" was re-printed nationwide. Labor Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd, riding high in the polls as preferred Prime Minister and keen to keep all media proprietors on-side called the protesters "ferals".

Lost in all these reports were any examination of Australia's role in Iraq or Dick Cheney's role in getting America into Iraq. There has been no serious examination of Cheney's influence over George Bush or the current trial of his former Chief of Staff Lewis Scooter Libby. No mention of Haliburton. Nothing except tales and the demonizing of a handful of protesters.

When the American architect Walter Burley Griffin won the contract to design Canberra in 1914 it was to be a shining example of a capital city. Situated halfway between the 2 most populated cities Sydney and Melbourne and designed on circular streets with a vast lake in the city. Traffic would move easily and the city could expand ever outwards as government and the populace grew and the business of government and likewise,ceremonial functions and visiting heads of state could easily be moved with safety and with minimal disruption to the lives of the general public.
Today a small group of protesters are still standing guard outside the Shangralia Hotel. Over at Kirribilli House, the maids and butlers are preparing cocktails for when Dick Cheney returns from a harbor cruise where he will join John Howard and a group of Liberal Party stalwarts ,businessmen , media tycoons Lachlan Murdoch, James Packer, Kerry Stokes on the magnificent sweeping lawns that roll down to the sparkling pool that nestles along the foreshore directly opposite one of the world's most superb sights, the Sydney Opera House. Maybe one guest can ask the obvious question-why is Dick Cheney in Sydney ?

[TomClash]

1. Dick to John

Thank you for supporting the Empire. We're attacking Iran soon.

And where can I get a violet crumble?