Gerry McCann has just put in an appearance at the International Lawyers Conference in Madrid, talking about the media and the right to privacy and to reputation. Now, who was it who not only welcomed the media attention, but courted it just after Madeleine disappeared? The media scrum in Praia da Luz was so bad, the police had to hide out in a secret apartment and sneak around avoiding the journalists. And then, immediately following arguido status, when Kate and Gerry did a quick flit out of the country, it was Gerry who contacted Sky News with details of the flight they would be on. See Vanity Fair article
"It is Gerry who is behind what he tells me is “the marketing … a high public awareness” of Madeleine. At his side while we talk is Clarence Mitchell, a voluble former government media analyst and BBC reporter, handpicked by Gerry to be the latest in a line of spokesmen. On October 17, Mitchell spoke at Coventry University. His topic: “Missing Madeleine McCann: The Perfect PR Campaign.”
All sorts of people were drawn into the "marketing," of the Madeleine McCann story.
"Thus the Madeleine frenzy, which began as a story about bad judgment and irretrievable loss, has spun out of control, each day bringing fresh allegations, outrage, celebrity alliances—the Pope! J. K. Rowling! David Beckham!—and sensational links to power. At the E.U. summit in mid-October, for instance, British prime minister Gordon Brown, who had regularly been in touch with the McCanns, raised the Madeleine issue with Portuguese prime minister José Sócrates, urging “proper cooperation between the British and Portuguese police.”
Joana Morais carries the story about Kate and Gerry's possible return to Praia da Luz.
"Kate would like to return to Praia da Luz when things are less intense, but we'd like it to be a private visit, probably before the end of the year," said Gerry McCann."
Right Gerry! So, a private visit that only you, I and the world and his dog (but not Eddie, the Enhanced Victim Recovery Dog!) now know about? No press, then, Gerry? You going to tell them all to keep away? Oh no! I vont to be alone!
This coming weekend, I will be looking after my little grandson because my daughter will be attending a conference abroad. She is not telling the little laddie that she is going on a plane because he is somewhat obsessed with planes and would desperately want to go with her. So, with the media and the Madeleine McCann case. Now that Gerry has let the world know that he and Kate may return to Praia da Luz before the end of the year, does anyone believe the journalists are going to stay at home? Just like my little grandson is obsessed with planes and would want to go, the thought of the McCanns' returning to the place where their daughter disappeared into thin air, will be driving those journalists wild. Stay home? No! I am quite sure they will be informed well in advance by the McCanns media machine about the date and flight details.
In Madrid, Gerry said that as parents, they have to, "...continue searching for her." Well, when did they start? On the night Madeleine disappeared, Kate McCann stayed in the apartment. For a week, local people took time off work to search the surrounding area, while Kate and Gerry went jogging, picked friends up from the airport, and popped into the church for 10 minutes here and there to pray for Madeleine. Then, as we all know, they went on their jaunt round Europe, stopping off to see the Pope on the way.
Gerry McCann also said that a lot of information had come in following the "Barcelona sighting." That makes it sound like Madeleine was sighted in Barcelona, whereas two years down the line a man who had been at a party in a restaurant in Barcelona in May 2007, suddenly came forward with a story about a "Victoria Beckham look-a-like," who asked him if he was there to "deliver my daughter." Let's bear in mind that "daughter," is also street slang used to describe the weight of a drug purchase: daughter-quarter (of an ounce).
Kate and Gerry are going to make a private visit to Praia da Luz! Yea right! All pigs fed and ready to fly out there with them!
