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BARACK AND MICHELLE Obama have not yet responded to the Dublin Lord Mayor’s controversial invitation to pick up the keys to the capital city.
Ray McAdam renewed the Obama’s invitation to the Mansion House to collect the award during their trip to Dublin later this year, which was first offered to them in 2017. The Lord Mayor and Fine Gael councillor today said Dublin has yet to hear back.
McAdam told The Journal that the Mansion House is engaging with the family through the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“I wrote to the Obamas before I went on leave. I expect to follow up on that this week, I spoke to the Tánaiste [Simon Harris] yesterday and I expect to be in contact with the Irish embassy in Washington,” he said.
The move last month was described as ‘stupid’ by opposition councillors, including People Before Profit’s Conor Reddy who said the invitation should be rescinded over Obama’s support of Israel and military expansion in the Middle East whilst in office.
Another councillor has said the award has become so lacking in meaning that “you could pick it up in Penneys”. Councillors have threatened to table an emergency motion to overturn the original 2017 vote, which passed 30 to 23, with four abstentions.
Opponents at the time argued that measures Obama had taken as president, such as the authorisation of drone strikes, large scale deportations and his cabinet’s support to overthrow the Honduran government, disqualified him from the award.
On 17 July, McAdam wrote to the Obamas, asking them to accept the award during their visit for an upcoming interview at the 3Arena in September. He said that Dubliners “long admired” his leadership and “commitment to public service”.
McAdam as asked by The Journal about this the opposition to the new invitation today, during an event at the Mansion House today to announce a weekend to celebrate the Beatles, as part of the repairing of cities Dublin and Liverpool in the UK.
He said: “The city council in 2017 took this decision [...] I don’t think we should be second-guessing ourselves or review decisions or take votes again.
“I don’t agree on every aspect of US foreign policy. This is not an acknowledgment of US foreign policy, this is an acknowledgment of the contribution that was made of, what I believe was, a consequential US president.
“As well, it’s important to say that I think Mrs Obama, in her role as First Lady, played a significant part – in terms of raising awareness for healthy living and healthy food for kids – and I think she’s an incredible role model for young women and young girls.”
McAdam referenced the “excitement in town” for the former US President’s College Green address in 2011 – where Obama repeated his famous campaign slogan in Irish (Is Féidir Linn) – as a way to measure Irish support for the family.
“I hope that, when they’re here in September, that they will have the opportunity to accept the Freedom of the City,” he added.
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