It's the image thang

I was just wondering Gerry, is there any news of your wallet?

To be more specific, the "treasured" and "irreplaceable" photographs we heard so much about. You know the photos I mean, the ones you failed to mention on your website but which your family later decided were a heartbreaking loss.

Since the infamous Sun appeal to find your wallet, I have heard little about it. Are the photos no longer treasured and irreplaceable? Are you not interested in their return?

Or did you and your advisors tap into the public mood and realise that more adults believe in Father Christmas, than believed your wallet had been stolen, and decided to let the story go cold? Your wallet may well have been stolen and I am willing to believe you. However, it raises an important - and tragic issue.

Everyone wants your little lass to be found and God willing, returned safely. But that goal is being hampered by the fact that an increasingly high percentage of the public you are appealing to, no longer believe anything you or your family say or do.

The kindest thing I can say, is that many of your statements have been misleading, your actions a source of puzzlement and you seem to change stories to address issues as they arise. All of these negatives combine to chip away at your credibility.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to work out that a lack of credibility would have a negative effect on the search to find your daughter. But it seems a bit too difficult for a cardiologist to understand.

To make matters worse, there is another issue you and your advisors need to address - even if it is unpalatable. Surely you and your family have enough business knowledge to understand that in order to get a result, you need to look at realities. The fact of the matter is this. There is a growing tide of opinion against you - driven by the hard reality that a significant number of people simply do not like you.

I am not trying to insult you - I am stating a cold, hard fact - the sort of fact that often has to be addressed when running a business. Trust me, if I were trying to insult you, you would know - ask Bev, who with her mention of "balls" and "eunuch newspapers" seems to have a thing about male dangly bits.

To be honest Gerry, you are coming across as a bit of a male dangly bit yourself.

Have you considered the possibility that your highly paid advisors are setting you up for a fall for some reason? You are becoming increasingly obnoxious, make belittling comments about offers of help or reported sightings, and spend more time talking about your business activities and social life, than about Madeleine - or even about Kate for that matter, (have your turned this into a one man show?).

There is no point in your family or supporters blaming others for not liking you. It is as though for some reason you are deliberately trying to make yourself unpopular.

You have had many opportunities to portray yourself as Mr Nice Guy, or a Caring, Grieving Dad, but for some reason you choose to continue to present yourself in a way that has even turned many original supporters against you.

Why haven't you or your advisors tapped into this growing tide of opinion? Have a word with our Prime Minister, John Howard, because there is no one more skilled in that art than he is.

Do you think people are willing to come forward with information if they fear they may be ridiculed or even insulted? Sometimes you have to accept things gracefully and at least make a pretence of showing appreciation. But you do not even seem to understand that concept let alone put it into practice.

Sorry to use business-like language, but I thought I might have more of a chance of getting through to you if I used the only language you seem to understand.