Am Bushed!

Are you left wondering at the end of George W’s visit, whether we’restill talking about the same daft cowboy turned Prez that we all love to hate?And confused about whether India’s just done a good or a bad thing by doingnuclear business with him?

I certainly am. And I’m writing this in the desperate hope that I have somecompany to keep in my wayward drift.

For one, I don’t want to hear the word `separation plan’ again unless we’rediscussing Siamese twins or the next week’s Bold and Beautiful please.

For another, will someone please tell me why I have to be on one sideof the fence or the other on the nuke business? If I tell people that I’mliberal left, but despite that did not go and shout at Jantar Mantar andactually think India did a good job in selling her case to GWB. I know somepeople will say I don’t know my left from my right. Well, I disagree.

First of all, even though I hate Bush from the bottom of my heart, I wouldn’trecommend that India not do business with America on those grounds. Thank Godour government has a little less naïveté than that when it comes to decidingon foreign policy. But at the same time, I’m not really sure if we needed toopen our nuclear reactors, albeit civilian ones to weapons inspectors in orderto do better business. But then again, we’ve still kept eight of them awayfrom the IAEA and can start building fresh military reactors that we don’tshow the rest of the world if we like. So on the nuke subject, I’m somewherein the middle and still a little confused. 24 hours on TV of Bush getting offAir Force One, shaking hands, inspecting buffaloes etc. hasn’t helped clear me`ead yet. Nor have the four newspapers I read.

On the other hand, I can’t take any more saccharine sweet, almostjingoistic comments on TV, where only one point of view seems predominant. Thegovernment’s. Sure, protesters are shown. But only as The Mob. Law and orderproblems. `An embarrassment’ say some reports. Nobody’s talking aboutwhether the UPA government will have some or a lot of explaining to do toassuage the Left, and an especially vociferous Prakash Karat of the CPI (M).Nobody’s interviewing him or calling him, or any left representativesto TV studios.

Then there are other clichés. Am I missing something, or did you, the vieweralso fail to see this automatic easy chemistry and body language between Bushand Manmohan Singh? Sure, well rehearsed camaraderie and the need to be a goodhost. But, personal rapport? I don’t know how our journos can see this,especially given the fact their OBs are miles away from the action and thepictures being taken by their camera persons are being beamed out as they speak,LIVE. Unless of course, they’re a special new breed of people with eyes at thebacks of their heads.

When I looked as carefully as I could at Manmohan Singh’s face, it was asformal and polite and un-candid as ever. At times, even tight and a bit nervous.But then, I only saw it on TV about two dozen times. What do mere mortals likeme know about things like body language, diplomacy and that all important wordin our vocab as of now - separation?

No this is not a bitter rant at all. Just a humble plea to All Ye Who ReportOn Important Events:

1. Don’t assume we’re all in awe of the people you report about. We wantmore critiques: less jingoism please.

2. Please don’t feel you have to flash the word EXCLUSIVE for us topay attention. In fact, that’s quickly becoming a turn off, because it’soften much ado about nothing.

3. Don’t give us push button analysis and comments that are so pat. Itdoesn’t matter whether we’re talking about Bush and Manmohan, Clinton andVajpayee or Musharraf and Vajpayee. Surely, it can’t all be that similar?

4. Have some fun with what you’re doing. I mean Bush who does not haveeither charisma or humour is at this point funnier and more relaxed on camerathan most news reporters on his trail.

Please guys, get real.

5. Why does all the media, newspapers, TV et al feel there are only two waysof looking at the Bush visit? The government or the Left view? And all of youwho have been protesting against Bush, please don’t for heaven sake startsounding like him – either you’re with us or you’re the enemy!

Revati Laul is a freelance journalist and documentary film maker, formerly acorrespondent with NDTV and then with Headlines Today.