Drapier, like many others on Thursday, watched the Monica Lewinsky interview regarding her shenanigans with Bill Clinton. Looking at it reminded Drapier of whether or not Bertie Ahern can soar free from the many arrows which the Opposition has thrown at him. Clinton's difficulties and his ability to carry on regardless are a classic example of how adverse situations can be used to the advantage of those under pressure.
A number of weeks ago it looked even to Bertie's most ardent supporters that he would be snowed under by allegations and innuendo. Now, it looks that, if the Opposition wishes to really put him personally under pressure, it will need to come up with real meat.
At the time of writing it would appear that Fine Gael is going to put down a motion about Padraig Flynn. Drapier is not altogether sure if this would be wise in that nothing very new has emerged, other than Flynn's continuing refusal to respond to the Dail on the basis that he will, he says, go to the tribunal.
On Tuesday the Opposition, at Taoiseach's Question Time, had 15 or so questions on the list before the question about Flynn. In order to ensure that there was plenty of time to ask questions about Flynn Fine Gael postponed all the other questions which, to varying degrees, were of very topical issues of the day. The Fianna Fail backbenchers said "So much for the Opposition priorities". Try as it might the Opposition didn't really knock the Taoiseach off his stride.
On the other hand, John Bruton got completely caught up in what legal advice Padraig Flynn had received from his solicitors and from the tribunal lawyers. He tried a bit of light relief when he suggested that Flynn should have taken legal advice before going on The Late Late Show, only to receive the retort from one Fianna Fail wag that it was a pity that he (Bruton) did not take legal advice before he rang Tom Gilmartin.
When Bertie Ahern was away on Wednesday, the Opposition used its chance to question Mary Harney about her attitude to Flynn and to Bertie Ahern's responses the day before. She handled the situation quite well.
On his return on Thursday the Opposition tried to question the Taoiseach, only to be greeted with groans and yawns from the Fianna Fail backbenchers. Bertie Ahern did, however, have one or two sticky moments on this questioning as to why he did not raise with Flynn the motion from the Dail requesting him to make a statement. Tommie Gorman's TV footage made Ahern's explanation even more difficult.
The Government was on stickier ground in relation to the response from Europe regarding the structural funds. While the Government is not yet throwing in the towel it looks more likely by the day that Clare and Kerry will fall out of reckoning and that, even then, the State may not be divided in two, which is what the Government wants.
The Taoiseach was giving nothing away on Thursday when he was asked if he would publish the correspondence from Europe. He declined and berated the Opposition for what he regarded as its disarray on the issue. All in all, the omens are not good, though there are a few weeks left to fight the uphill battle.
The Government seems to have something of an Achilles heel in the asylum-seekers issue. From reports in the paper it would appear it is fairly well divided. The Opposition made out that it was a PD versus Fianna Fail (and more particularly, John O'Donoghue) situation, though Mary Harney said on Wednesday that that would be an inaccurate interpretation, suggesting that some of Fianna Fail were in favour of allowing asylum-seekers to work (like the PDs), whereas others were against.
It seems as if the Government is paralysed as this issue has been around for some time. It will be very interesting and the Opposition will be keeping a good eye on the matter as to who wins out, the PDs or O'Donoghue. Drapier is not altogether sure (like the Government) which is the correct way to go.
Most of the media and the Opposition seem to be suggesting that the asylum-seekers should be allowed work, although Drapier is not altogether sure if the silent majority in the State would like to see an open cheque on this. One way or the other Drapier thinks that the Government's indecision could cost it dear.
Drapier happened to tune in on the Dail Committee proceedings on the Finance Bill. For the life of him he did not understand what in the wide earthly world (Jackie Healy Rae's phrase) Michael Noonan was going on about when he was referring to David Beckham and the Spice Girls. Drapier thinks it was that he was using these famous people to illustrate an anomaly in a ministerial proposal.
Noonan's knowledge of pop stars surprised Drapier. Drapier heard a snippet of the John Bowman radio tribute to Dermot Morgan on the latter's first anniversary. Part of the programme referred to his great mimicking of Michael Noonan. Drapier wondered what Dermot Morgan would make of the Finance Bill debate and reference by Noonan to Spice Girls.
In another snippet from the committee's proceedings Drapier noticed that Charlie McCreevy was sticking to his guns, as only he can, in relation to his pension changes. Whatever McCreevy is proposing, he has brought together an unusual alliance of people, involved in pensions, unions, employers and others.
Listening to this Drapier was reminded of the credit union debacle when McCreevy's well-intentioned changes were greeted with such protest that he was obliged to row back on them. But he doesn't look as if he intends to give in on this one.
He did have support from an unusual quarter in that Sean Barrett of Fine Gael broke ranks from his party to fully back the Minister. Mind you, Drapier did notice that Barrett did declare before he spoke that he had an interest in an insurance company. From what Drapier can make out insurance companies might now be able to become more involved in the pension area because of McCreevy's changes. McCreevy, being McCreevy, will not give in too easily.
Mind you, Drapier must hand it to McCreevy. He has been proved right in a number of changes. He was castigated for slashing by half capital gains tax. What happened? The CGT take went up by £76 million!
Again, the motor industry screamed long and hard about McCreevy's changes in vehicle tax. What happens? More cars are sold in the first two months of 1999 than were even sold in four months of the best previous year.
It sure is a funny old world we are living in!