Cowengate

It seems that Conor Casby, the amatuer painter who ridiculed Brian Cowen, may be charged with indecency, incitement to hatred and criminal damage (for banging a nail into a gallery wall) and may possibly have to go to jail.

This seems both heavy-handed and self-defeating since it garners terrible headlines and comment and keeps the story in the public imagination. The Times this morning even informs readers that Mr Cowen's nickname, Biffo, is an acronym of Big Ignorant F***** From Offaly. As observed here a day or so ago, no politician can withstand such ridicule, ignomany and open contempt for long. It is far worse even than the odium being heaped on Brown from every quarter. The only upside so far is that people have probably already forgotten the Taoiseach's blunder in America the other week when he read the wrong speech on a teleprompter.

Not a suitable person to lead the nation in times of recession. The bullying of RTE (who, admittedly, cowered cravenly) for reporting on the insurgent artworks and the generally Stalinist response of Fianna Fail look terrible. A total loss of self-control.

Nothing was said during the 1980s when posters were circulated of Mrs Thatcher and Mr Reagan admiring model cruise missiles that looked strangely like vibrators.

Come on Cowen, lighten up, ignore it, or this is will be how history remembers you.

And don't forget to wash your hands.

PS, Hasn't Mr Casby got the rubbery, blubberly Charles Laughton lips, the jowel and the sneering expression, hateful eyes and so forth, off to a tee? A frighteningly good likeness - and maybe he can give art classes when he's inside.