Presidential Election

The guy says he's FF lit, had very little involvement with them, only went to a couple of National Executive meetings ever (no wonder the party is broke!) etc etc. He has tried to ditance himself from that party and the culture that everyone now assoicates with them.

Then this story comes along and he gets in a panic...every party may fund raise along roughly similar lines, but the public assoicate FF mainly with this. He tries to deny it for fear of his real FF colours coming to the fore, and insted has made the whole matter worse for himself.

I agree that the line up is brutal. I've no idea who to vote for.
I can't believe FG have made such a mess of this- they worked this right and they'd be romping home. But as only FG can, they shoot themselves in the foot.
I don't want FF to come back to life this soon (or ever!).
I don't want Labour to get in. Fintan O'Toole and the Irish Times, RTE as mentioned above- the usual left wing media majority in this country have all been shouting for him regardless of perceived bias. And then to see Ivana Bacik rooting again for him last night on VB- I fear she may use his success to make a run for the job next time out herself. And the thought of that makes me want to emmigrate to Zimbabwe.

It really is a dud's race
 
Mpsox said:
Isn't that what all politicians do anyway?, except in the case of professional politicians, they lie by answering a different question to the one that was asked.
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That's not what Gallagher did. He didn't answer a different question. He stated that he didn't collect cheques for that fundraiser. His denial has turned out to be untrue.
 
Complainer said:
That's not what Gallagher did. He didn't answer a different question. He stated that he didn't collect cheques for that fundraiser. His denial has turned out to be untrue.
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Yep, he turned a minor isue into a major one by putting his foot in it.

One of the biggest skills a President needs is the ability to not say the wrong thing.
He doesn’t inspire confidence in that area.
 
No, we're not part of the "media" and the moratorium doesn't apply to print media either.

The whole point about bag-gate is that it showed SG up to be a spoofer who can't handle off the cuff statements. He could easily have said that he had collected money on behalf of FF as all the other political parties had done, but he didn't he spoofed and just wasn't able to cope with the question in an intelligent fashion.

Imagine if he's overseas and gets a tricky question that he makes a hames of? He could damage the view of the country, that's why I'd like a safe pair of hands.

Originally I was undecided between MDH and DN but I'm definitely voting MDH now.
 
Nobody has asked Michael D any hard questions since the start of the whole Dog & Pony show.
 
Sunny said:
Good point.
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+1. Michael D isnt without his skeletons. Its almost as if the media decided in advance that they were going to give him an easy ride and nobble every other candidate - which is whats happened.
 
Purple said:
Nobody has asked Michael D any hard questions since the start of the whole Dog & Pony show.
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Maybe there weren't any to ask. I will be voting for him anyway, the only one of the shower I think that is anyway credible.
 
Purple said:
Nobody has asked Michael D any hard questions since the start of the whole Dog & Pony show.
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I think there's a difference with him. He's been in elections since the 1970s. If there were any skeletons, they'd surely have been revealed by now.

But he hasn't been asked to defend his knee-jerk liberal responses, like to this country's support for US redition flights, or the Palestinian cause. How would that work on visits to USA and Israel as Head of State ?

And I thought his claim, on the last TV debate, that he, as junior Minister, had created thousands of jobs in the Irish film industry, was risible. And not challenged by anyone.
 
csirl said:
+1. Michael D isnt without his skeletons..
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Please do tell us more.


TarfHead said:
But he hasn't been asked to defend his knee-jerk liberal responses, like to this country's support for US redition flights, or the Palestinian cause. How would that work on visits to USA and Israel as Head of State ?
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You mustn't have been paying attention. I've seen him responding clearly to these issues a number of times.
TarfHead said:
And I thought his claim, on the last TV debate, that he, as junior Minister, had created thousands of jobs in the Irish film industry, was risible. And not challenged by anyone.
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Why risible? He was the Minister, and he did bring in the relevant policy and supporting legislation?
 
Complainer said:
You mustn't have been paying attention.
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True, I tend to switch off when he opens his mouth

Complainer said:
Why risible? He was the Minister, and he did bring in the relevant policy and supporting legislation?
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OK. He was an enabler for an environment that allowed several high-profile films to be made in Ireland, which provided some short-term employment for extras in crowd scenes and caterers and some trades. Once the films were wrapped up, the 'jobs' created then ceased.

That's why I believe his claim to be risible.
 
To be fair to Bertie Ahearn, himself and his Ministerial Colleagues created lots of jobs as well. I will say it again. Bertie for President.
 
Bertie is advising the Basque people that if they have peace they will have an economic mircle like ours.

Best we share him around than keep him to ourselves!
 
cashier said:
Maybe there weren't any to ask. I will be voting for him anyway, the only one of the shower I think that is anyway credible.
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Most of them might have seemed credible if they were given a free pass like Higgins (and I don't mean the bus one).
 
I know that no one individual can claim sole responsibility for any particular policy, but the film and a/v industry here is very much alive and kicking. From http://www.irishfilmboard.ie/irish_film_industry/Facts_amp_Figures/35
• The audio visual content production sector in Ireland is worth over €550 million.

• The sector employs over 6,000 individuals, with over 560 small and medium enterprises operating in the sector.
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MrMan said:
Most of them might have seemed credible if they were given a free pass like Higgins.
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There was no 'free pass'. The only difference was that he was capable of answering the questions, which seemed to be impossible for most of the others.
 
Complainer said:
The sector employs over 6,000 individuals, with over 560 small and medium enterprises operating in the sector
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And MDH created all those jobs ? They wouldn't have existed without him ?

Fair dues.

He can have my #1 to alongside yours !
 
Complainer said:
I know that no one individual can claim sole responsibility for any particular policy, but the film and a/v industry here is very much alive and kicking. From http://www.irishfilmboard.ie/irish_film_industry/Facts_amp_Figures/35
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Do you think the tax breaks that he gave to the film industry are any different in principle to the tax breaks given to the (far bigger and more internationally successful) horse racing industry by Charlie McGreevy?
Has anyone asked him that?

Has he really been pressed on why he supported the tax amnesties given by Ruairi Quinn?

Has anyone asked him why he didn’t and doesn’t condemn Palestinian terrorism perpetrated by Arafat and why he was so fond of the man?

Has anyone delved into his personal life?

I know that you are a card carrying member of the Labour Party and fair play to you for giving of your time to support the political process but that shouldn’t mean you have to suspend your critical faculties when issues related to Labour are being discussed.
 
Birroc said:
I think 5/4 on PaddyPower for Higgins represents great value.
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Higgins slipped out to 5/2 before the Pat Kenny presidential debate. Doubled my bet and waited for the Gallagher implosion - he obliged in spades!
 
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