Friends reunited: old Ulster foes pay their respects to Hillary

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It was the kiss that was heard around the hotel lobby. Martin McGuinness's noisy smacker on Hillary Clinton's cheek yesterday morning beneath the glittering chandeliers of a Washington hotel was all the proof anyone needed that here were old friends reunited.

Clinton's relationship with McGuinness and Northern Ireland's first minister, Ian Paisley - who greeted her with a chaste handshake - was forged during her husband's presidency in the 1990s, when he appointed a peace envoy to prod the process forward.

"It's wonderful to see them both and to reminisce about times in the past," Clinton said after their meeting.

There was more love from the White House in the afternoon in a meeting with George Bush that lasted close to an hour. The pair had been allotted 15 minutes on the official calendar.

Bush described the encounter as an historic occasion, and promised further US engagement. "I know one way we can help, and that is to encourage our business leaders to take a good look at the economic opportunities that Northern Ireland presents," he said.

But the reunion with their old friend Clinton remained an emotional highlight. "I've known Hillary Clinton a very, very long time and we have a lot to be thankful for, for her husband's contribution, for her contribution," McGuinness said.

The two men, once sworn enemies, know friendship. McGuinness now has only amiable things to say about Paisley and the benefits of getting along.

"Until the 26th of March this year, Ian Paisley and I never could accomplish anything about anything," McGuinness said. "Now we have worked very closely together over the course of the last seven months, and there hasn't been an angry word between us."

The pair were equally effusive in their thanks for Clinton's presence in Washington during the throes of her presidential campaign. "We are old hands at electioneering. We know what it takes," Paisley said.

An opinion poll this week showed Clinton losing ground to her main rival, Barack Obama. She has been on constant defence of her claims that her years as first lady gave her foreign policy expertise.

Yesterday's meeting with the Northern Ireland leaders gave her an opportunity to reclaim those credentials. "I think Senator Clinton is a wonderful woman, a wonderful human being, a tremendous senator," McGuinness said.

Mr McGuinness' credentials

A Sinn Féin politician and former Irish Republican Army (IRA) leader, McGuinness is the MP for the Mid Ulster constituency and the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.

More specifically:

McGuinness negotiated alongside Gerry Adams with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Willie Whitelaw, in 1972. He was convicted by the Republic of Ireland's Special Criminal Court in 1973, after being caught with a car containing 250 lb (113 kg) of explosives and nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunition. He refused to recognize the court, and was sentenced to six months imprisonment. In the court he declared his membership of the Provisional Irish Republican Army without equivocation: 'We have fought against the killing of our people... I am a member of Óglaigh na hÉireann and very, very proud of it'

[Peikko 1,575]

Do you want to open the battle lines again? I am not sure why you highlighted his criminal convictions, it's not as if most people don't know his back ground, is it?

Or, is there another point to this that I have clearly missed?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Do you want to open the battle lines again? I am not sure why you highlighted his criminal convictions, it's not as if most people don't know his back ground, is it?

Or, is there another point to this that I have clearly missed?

I dunno - I realise that politicians often deal with distasteful figures with shady histories, and relationship between the United States and Northern Ireland is a curious one. As far as that goes - an endorsement from someone like McGuinness makes me shudder... Doesn't really say anything about Hillary of course - but still... At least they're not funding Sinn Feinn on the side anymore...

No there's no point really - just doing my big of VJ-Trolling

[Peikko 1,575]

I lived in NI for over 25 years and quite honestly I am astonished regarding the changes that have occurred over the last 5 years, and indeed particularly the last year. Astonished and I have to say somewhat relieved (I still have connections with the Province).

Although it's not easy to reconcile the 'military actions' of the IRA or indeed the UVF it was such a complex issue that it seems to me that the only way forward was for the actions of the combatants to be put aside. The alternative was to allow the cycle of violence to continue.