Meetings between heads of state are usually very well choreographed when in public together taking questions from the media. What goes on behind closed doors, away from the camera’s unrelenting gaze, is where real white-knuckle politics take place.
Usually serious or physical disagreements never come to light until political memoirs are published; that was the case with the 1982 book. “The Presidents and the Prime Ministers,” by journalist Lawrence Martin.
He disclosed that back in 1965, Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson had condemned the US bombing of North Vietnam, and while visiting Camp David he was grabbed by his shirt collar and hoisted off the ground by then US President Lyndon B. Johnson.
By contrast, on Friday, Feb. 28 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump in the White House to sign an agreement to supply lithium and other rare earth minerals to the US, as payment for billions of military aid already received by Ukraine during its ongoing war with Russia.
This much publicized deal was to be the first step in ending the war and bringing peace to the region, but a spectacular wrong turn occurred with both presidents getting very emotional, passionate and angry with each other in front of the world’s media.
Finger pointing and raised voices reminded me of those promotional videos about forthcoming events at WWE’s Wrestlemania shows. I had to wonder who would execute a “Piledriver" on the Resolute Desk, that most famous piece of furniture in the Oval Office.
Fans may remember when Willie Nelson opened their extravaganza in 1991 with his rendition of “America the Beautiful," the same show where Marla Maples acted as an interviewer and time-keeper while real estate tycoon husband Donald Trump sat in the front row.
Just like politics, professional wrestling is nothing like it appears to be on the surface and has much to do with trickery, deception and sleight-of-hand. Yet so many gullible folks are as truly mesmerized by the participants in this sports entertainment as they are with politicians.
Donald Trump has a long affiliation with the WWE; his Education Secretary Linda McMahon is a former C.E.O. of the billion-dollar company, and Hulk Hogan is one of his most famous supporters.
President Zelenskyy has a gravelly voice that is associated with most wrestlers, and on Feb. 28, Trump with Vice President J.D. Vance formed a tag-team of “Donnie The Demented Destroyer" and "J.D. The Jugular Juggler" to put the smackdown on “Volod The Cossack Clod."
Sit back and hold on tight to enjoy the action, we are only six weeks into a four-year presidency that’s telling the world, “let’s get ready to rumble."
Bernie Smith
Parksville, B.C.
