Clinton's Belfast odyssey proves an epic crowd-pleaser

If the queue which was wriggling its way towards Belfast's new Odyssey Arena in the lunchtime sunshine was anything to go by, …

If the queue which was wriggling its way towards Belfast's new Odyssey Arena in the lunchtime sunshine was anything to go by, Northern Ireland's new society had truly arrived.

Rebellious DUP MLAs were rubbing shoulders with past and present RUC chief constables and Sinn Fein ministers, all under the watchful eye of those ever-present inconspicuous Secret Service agents busily talking up the sleeves of their trenchcoats.

"I thought you were going to sell your tickets," one person said to the DUP's Jim Wells. "No way," came the answer. And then after a few seconds: "Depends on how much you are offering."

Inside, around 8,000 people, many of them schoolchildren and community workers, were entertained by songs about love and peace. As a group of bell-ringers cleared the stage for a band of percussionists, many took the opportunity to storm the all-American burger-bars in the corridors. "The food might be American, but the queues are definitely Russian," joked a community worker from Dublin, as the hungry crowds seemed to be growing in breadth rather than length.

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"Is there no getting away from that man?" one of the usherettes uttered in mock despair as local heart-throb Brian Kennedy, who had performed for the US President the night before in Dundalk, arrived on-stage.

The crowds were eagerly watching the monitors in the auditorium to see whether Mr Clinton's motorcade had at last left Stormont. A fashionably colour co-ordinated school choir tried to shorten the waiting-time by starting a Mexican wave in the hall. To the great delight of photographers, many of the MLAs present joined in.

"It's not often you see Gerry Adams with his hands in the air," one person observed. "Who knows, could be a sign of surrender."

At five minutes past four, with Pink Floyd roaring in the background, the crowd got what they had been waiting for. Bill, Tony, David and Seamus took to the stage. Patiently nodding approval, especially when Mr Mallon conjured up an image of domestic harmony by introducing Mr Trimble as "my partner and my friend", Mr Clinton appeared to be angling for a new job with the proprietors of the Odyssey Arena.

A heckler was determined to bring up the US administration's foreign policy record. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll listen to you if you let me finish," Mr Clinton said, unruffled. The heckler continued, unperturbed. Proving every inch the slick performer, Bill turned to the crowd. "OK, in that case I'll make a deal with you. I'll ignore him if you will." The crowd roared approval.

Mr Clinton did not even appear perturbed when Mr Trimble suddenly got up and left the podium. Excited media speculation tried to spot the remark that might have offended the UUP leader's sensitivities until news filtered through that he was hurrying to catch a plane to Sicily to participate in a conference on organised crime.