Even the shamrock was not safe from the shadow cast by Saddam Hussein in the White House yesterday when Bertie Ahern came for the annual pilgrimage to Washington.
Despite pressing matters such as preparing for war, George Bush managed to spend most of the morning with Mr Ahern and the 200-strong Irish delegation which quietly drowned the shamrock in the East Wing.
Quickly, once the diplomatic fluff was taken out of the way, Mr Bush made clear a few home truths: Ireland has benefited from the generosity of the United States and now the United States expects.
Bertie Ahern understood. Outside in the untypical March sunshine, he split a few hairs and made it clear in Bertie-speak that Shannon would be available to the US military if they decided to go it alone. Nobody else had withdrawn facilities from them, not even the French.
The argument would be great it was true, but Austria has refused to let US troops cross their territory by train, while the Turks have so far refused to repeat their Desert Storm-support.
Over in the East Wing, there was mild consternation amongst some functionaries when there was no sign of the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, who got stuck in a traffic jam.
By the time he rushed in panting, he had missed the photo opportunity with Mr Bush, the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, and others. The president kindly agreed to reform the lines for another shot.
Mr Bush, with other things on his mind, drew the line about spending lunch with the Irish on Capitol Hill, and cancelled at the last minute. Instead the Vice-President, Dick Cheney, who came equipped with cowboy boots, filled in for the Commander-in-Chief and escorted the Taoiseach outside the Senate building for the traditional bagpipes chorus.
After lunch, the distinguished gathering was entertained by the Saw Doctors, who amused themselves at the expense of their hosts with their choice of one of their songs, Michael D. Higgins, Rocking in the Dáil.
If only they knew what Michael D. was saying about them in the Dáil.
