The Grubs: Mr Grub goes to Washington

Today's Daily Express

The potential breakthrough comes as it was revealed that Gerry McCann is to travel to Washington tomorrow for three days of meetings with US politicians. He is hoping to meet President Bush’s wife, Laura.

The visit is part of the couple’s campaign to keep their daughter’s name in the headlines, but also to raise awareness about all missing and abducted children. In Washington Gerry will visit the National and International Centres for Missing and Exploited Children.

For one thing, we can forget about all the touchy-feely camouflage because we all know Gerry is about as genuine as a two bob note.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is connected to ICMEC, who helped design the new campaign poster which carries the organisation's logo. The Boards are full of political and corporate heavyweights - "Cause Marketing" designed to make companies look as though they actually give a toss.

Gerry needs the organisations for damage control, they need him to raise their profile.

Another thing to consider - the make up of the organisations also provide useful contacts both here and in the US, if Gerry is being groomed for a political career when he eventually returns to the UK. That's provided of course there is nothing to prevent him from leaving Portugal.

He already has political and influential connections and the media - especially local media - build him in to an example of a devoted parent, tirelessly searching the world for the child snatched from the care of a loving, devoted family, (yes I know, but I am pretending to be on "their side" - even if I do have to go a long way down the food chain in order to be on the same level).

Mother from Liverpool, father from Glasgow - both became doctors. The Sun, even described him as one of Europe's top heart surgeons, despite the fact he has a relatively short and undistinguished career in a health system that is one step up from Rwanda, and a few years ago was scratching around looking for a job before ending up in a place he didn't really want to be in, and can't get out off. Victor Chang he is not.

What more would a political party want? High profile, devoted parent and salt of the earth. Devoted to his patients as long as they collapse on a plane and he can mention it in his blog.

As for his visit to the US, because of syndication, many major US newspapers follow pretty much along the lines of the UK press in their coverage of the McCanns and often carry the same articles. They may not be as wide awake to what is going on as we are.

I have emailed a contact in the US whose husband is a Hollywood script-writer, and pointed her towards the "Madeleine McCann" label. It may not help, there may be nothing he can do - but at least it's worth trying to...wait for it.....call in a few favours:)