I was amazed that FF would seek a reference for their leader, a Taoiseach of 10 years standing, from a serving British Prime Minister; and then present this reference to the Irish people in a Party Political broadcast. I don't think it's acceptable for outsiders to intervene in the Irish election. Tony Blair has made another error of judgement getting involved with this.
Amazing FF Party Political broadcast
- Thread starter michaelm
- Start date
Agreed. I thought that there was an unspoken rule among head of states not to get involved in the electoral process in other countries.
Whatever about praising his role in the peace process, that at least had an international dimension, talking about Ireland's economic success and Ahern's responsibility for it was unacceptable.
Butt out Blair!
Whatever about praising his role in the peace process, that at least had an international dimension, talking about Ireland's economic success and Ahern's responsibility for it was unacceptable.
Butt out Blair!
Z
z108
Guest
I didnt see the broadcast. I've never sat through one in my entire life for very good reason but I remember John Major in the UK expressed support for Bill Clintons opponent back in the day and as a result he got froze out of the Whitehouse at the time. Correct me if I remember wrongly. It was a long time ago and I was very young at the time but I remember hearing about it and I think it was between Major and some American president where Major expressed support for the incumbent.
What amazed me was the FF handlers seem to have forgotten two very basic principals of electioneering:
- people want to know about the future in an election, not the past
- don't associate your leader with a load of political has-beens: it rubs off, and makes him look like yesterday's man
No doubt they listened to their focus groups, who all told them they admired Bertie for his NI work (and who wouldn't?). Big, big mistake though to use it for an election broadcast.
Past deeds, no matter how great, are mostly forgotten by electorates (e.g. Churchill in the '45 election, where despite literally saving his country from oblivion was dumped).
Not one word about what they'd do if re-elected. You mightn't agree with the (current) opposition parties, but at least they're talking about the future.
FF are doomed I say!
- people want to know about the future in an election, not the past
- don't associate your leader with a load of political has-beens: it rubs off, and makes him look like yesterday's man
No doubt they listened to their focus groups, who all told them they admired Bertie for his NI work (and who wouldn't?). Big, big mistake though to use it for an election broadcast.
Past deeds, no matter how great, are mostly forgotten by electorates (e.g. Churchill in the '45 election, where despite literally saving his country from oblivion was dumped).
Not one word about what they'd do if re-elected. You mightn't agree with the (current) opposition parties, but at least they're talking about the future.
FF are doomed I say!
According to The Irish Times Fianna Fáil TD Seán Fleming attacked FG last month over a letter from Angela Merkel read out to the party's ardfheis. Fleming is quoted as saying 'The Irish people have a very deep-rooted sense of not being told what to do by foreign powers' and that FG had demonstrated 'a massive inferiority complex' by getting endorsements from people in other countries. Last night's broadcast was in a different league altogether.
C'mon . . you can't see that reading a letter received at one's conference is not comparable to soliciting a US ex-President and a serving British prime minister to provide endorsements to be used in a party political broadcast?
I would think that getting Bliar to endorse Ahern is a FF own goal .
Well only in the way the endorsement arrived-to me the important fact is they both used endorsements.
From the coverage in the media I don't really think either party have done themselves any favours, and the timing of the FF 'stunt' probably means they are worse off......
Maybe it's because he fought the battle to save his party from the loony left and sees comrade Pat's party as being of that ilk
(and why wouldn't he support Bertie, sure he's one of the only socialists in the Dail )Maybe it's because he fought the battle to save his party from the loony left and sees comrade Pat's party as being of that ilk
Wasn't it Kinnock that fought off the Millies (Militant Tendancy) at the same time as Spring fought off the Irish Millies? It's really hard to find anything that could be described as 'loony left' in any current Labour policies.
Indeed - some might even consider Pat Rabbitte's recent call for work visas for certain EU immigrants to be looney right wing!