NEVER a man to shy at small hurdles when it comes to getting himself on television, the Governor hardly batted an eyelid when ATV's Newsline told him it couldn't organise the usual outside broadcast (OB) unit to come up to Government House at the weekend.
Of course, he'd sacrifice an extra hour of his gubernatorial time (worth $891.15 of taxpayers' money, by our calculations, assuming he works a 60 hour week). He'd happily make the trip to the station's Broadcast Drive studios. In the interest of selling the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) deal, no sacrifice would be too great.
Publicity may also have had something to do with ATV's inability to rustle up an OB unit. The studio gates opened to reveal a battery of enthusiastic press photographers, ready to capture the Governor being made up and having his hair done.
And just to get its money's worth, ATV had Newsline interviewer Sally Blyth point out that it was the first time the Governor had come to a Hong Kong television studio.
THE programme was also privileged to get a taste of what Government House likes to describe as Mr Patten's 'vigorous and robust' style. Co-interviewer Frank Ching was soon being accused of asking 'preposterously eccentric' questions.
Typhoon Chris, as opponents of the bill have discovered, is in combative mode. He will, when challenged, defy anyone to come up with a shred of evidence that black is anything other than white . . . ahem . . . evidence that anything is not to be found in black and white in the Basic Law.
Mr Patten's got to defend the agreement, of course, especially to get it through the Legislative Council. But does he have to be so confrontational? 'Why not?' ask his aides. 'It's always been one of his great strengths as governor that he has such powerful argumentative skills.' We thought of another reason: peerageophobia - or fear of premature elevation to the House of Lords. Remember what happened last time a Governor thought Legco would meekly accept an agreement on the CFA? NO, that doesn't necessarily mean he'd be going back to Britain early like that other peer of the realm, Baroness Dunn. Lord Wilson wasn't recalled until they'd found a replacement either. Lord Patten could still stay in office until the first chief executive took over the reins.
