By Carol Lucas
“De plane! De plane!”
I’m sure many of my readers remember this catchphrase used to announce the guests that were about to arrive on Fantasy Island. It was delivered by the charismatic Tattoo (Herve Villechaize), known for his short stature (3 feet, 9 inches) and a very distinctive accent. Standing beside the little guy, watching the plane land, was Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalbán).
I discovered that to help keep the character’s exact nature a mystery, the producers deliberately never gave Mr. Roarke a first name.
While we may remember this fantasy drama, I’m not sure many of us knew the thinking that went into its creation. I certainly didn’t, but what I found was sufficiently fascinating to include in this piece. More on that later.
Of course we all waited to see what characters would be delivered to the island that week, and more importantly, what kind of drama they brought with them as well.
So what is my point in this reminiscence? I’m sure many of you who have read thus far have determined where I am headed. The news was rife this past week with details about “de plane.”
As usual, most Republicans, especially those who fawn over 47 in all situations, were silent. However, amazingly enough, there were some with a modicum of common sense, albeit temporary, who claimed this was just wrong.
For instance Josh Hawley, you know the fist shaker who gave his assent to the Jan. 6rioters. Even good old Josh couldn’t tolerate accepting “the palace in the sky,” and argued it would be better if Air Force One were built in the United States. Point well taken.
Then there was Ted Cruz who warned about “significant espionage and surveillance problems,” and highlighted Qatar’s history of supporting groups like Hamas. Susan Collins, who often isn’t quite sure where she stands in the political scheme of things, came down on the “no-go” side by criticizing the transaction as “rife with political espionage” and raising ethical and constitutional concerns.
Sadly, Susan, neither ethics nor the constitution is high on 47’s list.
Rand Paul of Kentucky expressed concern about the appearance of impropriety and the potential impact on future arms sales with Qatar … finally a Republican who gets right to the nitty gritty of things.
Rick Scott hedged his bets when he stated he wouldn’t want the President flying on an unsafe plane and then noted Qatar’s support for Hamas. Absolutely, Rick. Sometimes we have to “just say no” to our kids for their own safety’s sake — hard as it must be to say, “no” to “Donnie two dolls.” But your little P.S. regarding Qatar’s support of Hamas was a nice recovery.
Finally, it was Senate Majority Leader John Thune who pointed out there would be “plenty of scrutiny” of the deal. Do you think, John? I’d say justifiably.
Of course, Democrats were on this immediately, and most of them questioned the “the gift” and the unspoken strings attached. Maybe even more important, I believe it is fitting to provide some perceptions from across the pond, the BBC. They stated the following:
In his eagerness to accept a plane from Qatar, Donald Trump has achieved a remarkable feat, uniting many partisans across America’s bitter political divide.
The problem for the White House is that unity is happening in opposition to it.
Predictably, Trump’s opponents in the Democratic Party slammed the president after he indicated he would accept a luxury jet from the Qatari royal family.
More noteworthy – and potentially more troubling for the president – is that some of his strongest supporters also have serious reservations about the deal.
Maga influencers have described the move as a “bribe,” grift, or an example of the high-level corruption that Trump himself has consistently promised to root out.
The White House says that the new plane – which could require years and millions of dollars to refit and upgrade – will be transferred to Trump’s presidential library at the end of his term.
So why did I use Fantasy Island to kick off this piece? I discovered the following which sheds a bit of light. Years after the series was off the air, in an interview with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Montalbán finally revealed that his motivation was imagining Roarke as a fallen angel whose sin was pride, and that Fantasy Island was Purgatory.
Furthermore, when the owner and operator of this luxurious island invites guests of all types to live out their most elaborate fantasies, chaos quickly descends.
I will leave it to you, dear reader, to connect the dots. Perhaps we might consider a rephrase to read, “de horse, de horse,” the Trojan horse, that is.
Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”
