The Find Madeleine Campaign. Controlled Strategy or Runaway Tiger?

[Sherlock Holmes]

The point has been raised that it is sometimes hard to discern whether the actions the McCanns have taken since the disappearance of their daughter ( hiring detectives, orchestrating media campaigns, libel claims, etc.) are part of a controlled strategy by the McCanns, or are the result of the McCanns having become caught up in a modern media frenzy that is beyond their influence.

Are they stuck on the back of a runaway tiger, as Redblossom puts it - or are they cleverly in control?

[Victoria]

The point has been raised that it is sometimes hard to discern whether the actions the McCanns have taken since the disappearance of their daughter ( hiring detectives, orchestrating media campaigns, libel claims, etc.) are part of a controlled strategy by the McCanns, or are the result of the McCanns having become caught up in a modern media frenzy that is beyond their influence.

Are they stuck on the back of a runaway tiger, as Redblossom puts it - or are they cleverly in control?

They could fade away any time they want. They won't because they know that the best chance of finding out what happened to their daughter is to keep the case in the public eye, and so far they have shown that they will do absolutely everything within their power to keep the pressure up.

[CPN]

The point has been raised that it is sometimes hard to discern whether the actions the McCanns have taken since the disappearance of their daughter ( hiring detectives, orchestrating media campaigns, libel claims, etc.) are part of a controlled strategy by the McCanns, or are the result of the McCanns having become caught up in a modern media frenzy that is beyond their influence.

Are they stuck on the back of a runaway tiger, as Redblossom puts it - or are they cleverly in control?

Just to say the original Chinese proverb is: ''Ch'i 'hu nan hsia pei'', translated as ''He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.''

"A rough interpretation of the proverb would be ''Once a dangerous or troublesome venture is begun, the safest course is to carry it through to the end''.   Or in plain speak, it is easy to get on the Tiger but very difficult to get off without incurring danger to oneself." -  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070708081303AAkhGND

[jassi]

They could fade away any time they want. They won't because they know that the best chance of finding out what happened to their daughter is to keep the case in the public eye, and so far they have shown that they will do absolutely everything within their power to keep the pressure up.

I don't think they can fade away- its just not in their nature.
They are desperate to be exonerated in the eye of the public  and it just isn't happening, so they have to soldier on. Even when they appear to be proactive, it is usually in response to some imminent  bad publicity.
In fairness to them, I don't suppose that they imagined for one moment that it would turn out the way it has.

[Mr Gray]

I don't think they can fade away- its just not in their nature.
They are desperate to be exonerated in the eye of the public  and it just isn't happening, so they have to soldier on. Even when they appear to be proactive, it is usually in response to some imminent  bad publicity.
In fairness to them, I don't suppose that they imagined for one moment that it would turn out the way it has.

 whatever the McCanns do it will be construed by those who doubt them as evidence of guilt...bizarre but true...if they sue they are vexatatious litigants and if they don't sue then the story is true. I cannot see how any guilty person would continue to make sure the case is kept in the public eye and is further investigated. They have had every opportunity to fade into the background

[Eleanor]

The point has been raised that it is sometimes hard to discern whether the actions the McCanns have taken since the disappearance of their daughter ( hiring detectives, orchestrating media campaigns, libel claims, etc.) are part of a controlled strategy by the McCanns, or are the result of the McCanns having become caught up in a modern media frenzy that is beyond their influence.

Are they stuck on the back of a runaway tiger, as Redblossom puts it - or are they cleverly in control?

They could just be trying to find their daughter.

[AnneGuedes]

Just to say the original Chinese proverb is: ''Ch'i 'hu nan hsia pei'', translated as ''He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.''

"A rough interpretation of the proverb would be ''Once a dangerous or troublesome venture is begun, the safest course is to carry it through to the end''.   Or in plain speak, it is easy to get on the Tiger but very difficult to get off without incurring danger to oneself." -  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070708081303AAkhGND

Absolutely.
They weren't properly and on time invited to dismount, as it should have been.

[AnneGuedes]

In fairness to them, I don't suppose that they imagined for one moment that it would turn out the way it has.

So do I. But they had a very strong motive, which isn't the case of their supporters.

[Eleanor]

Absolutely.
They weren't properly and on time invited to dismount, as it should have been.

Can I have that in Plain English please?

[jassi]

They could just be trying to find their daughter.

Its certainly a possibility.

[Eleanor]

So do I. But they had a very strong motive, which isn't the case of their supporters.

I have a perfectly strong and understandable motive.  So please don't tell me what my motives are.

[Eleanor]

Its certainly a possibility.

Well thank you.  And I mean that kindly.

[Redblossom]

I have a perfectly strong and understandable motive.  So please don't tell me what my motives are.

We all know what your motives are eleanor....demonisng  people who dare to think  the mccanns mght have  been involved and daring to thnk for themselves, grand motive there......not....brass necks? Oh yes


SH, re your OP, the mccanns are not robots...,they act on their own accord....there is no way they were ever only  acting on any advice and nothing else.....they unleashed the media...they couldnt unleash them ever.....a trap of their own making

[Sherlock Holmes]

Just to say the original Chinese proverb is: ''Ch'i 'hu nan hsia pei'', translated as ''He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.''

"A rough interpretation of the proverb would be ''Once a dangerous or troublesome venture is begun, the safest course is to carry it through to the end''.   Or in plain speak, it is easy to get on the Tiger but very difficult to get off without incurring danger to oneself." -  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070708081303AAkhGND

Thanks for that, CPN!

One wonders when this venture will end.....

[Sherlock Holmes]

They could just be trying to find their daughter.

That's my opinion.

But I also believe that their campaigning contains elements that are counterproductive to that end.