Story of an anti-hero

Some people love him and the other way round. Same as Toni Blair in UK Aznar will be marked forever because the war of Iraq. Same as Toni Blair, or Bliar for others, he has ended discredited for that war. Both could have left a better image after theirtime in office but they chose, I guess they thought that this wasn’t a popularity contest, going to the was instead. There is a before and an after, after the picture in Azores.

Our anti-hero has something else in common with Blair: their political legacy has been strongly questioned and contested and they are taking advantage of their experience as ex-PM and making immense amounts of money out of it.

But there is a huge difference between Blair and Aznar, and it is the charisma. While Blair is a snake enchanter, Aznar is a grey bureaucrat. Not the cheerful guy you would go to have some beers with. As Gordon Brown, when he tries being funny, he overact and quickly denotes that this is not his cup of tea. Very few people are so capable as Blair to bring the debate right to the point he wants. Even someone in his hearing to lord Chilcot said the following: The audience also described him as “the finest actor in the West End” after the hearing. Harry Robinson, 74, from Nottingham said: “People arrived because they were troubled by what’s gone on, but Blair was acting all the time.”(Daily Express, 30 Jan 10).

Aznar built his success against any prediction. First as leader of the Popular Party in the autonomous region of Castilla y Leon, and later as a candidate of his party to the Premiership. And he did the miracle. Afterwards the ugly duck becomes a swan and gives conferences all around the world.

In his second legislature he become arrogant (He was PM for eight years). Lately every time he talks he does speak as if he were an oracle. But I do think that deed down inside he feels under-recognized and hopes that History will be fair to him one day. He thinks he was a great statesman and that did the right thing for his country. There is not the most least hint he will be self-critique. He is too arrogant.

Aznar in his hearing for the 11 M bombings. Judge by yourself if you can understand this video.

Despite his self-perception, I am convinced that Jose Maria Aznar has always felt jealous of his predecessor, Felipe Gonzalez.

Unlike Aznar, Felipe Gonzalez is very recognized in the EU as one of its historic leaders and within Spain for his legacy. This is just a guess but I believe Aznar cannot stand it as he thinks that Gonzalez left the public finances in bankruptcy and a high rate of unemployment and he turned the situation to a better one, with a healthy public finances and a lower rate of unemployment. Although, the way he achieve this might be arguable in the light of the current financial crisis, I must acknowledge that cold numbers are on his side.

However, I suggest you to see an interview to Aznar in English in the BBC programme Hard Talk (It is worth). Judge by yourself:

Watch the interview to Aznar in Hard Talk (Part 1)

Watch the interview to Aznar in Hard Talk (Part 2)

Watch the interview to Aznar in Hard Talk (Part 3)