Party Leaders

Probably bad timing on my part, but if the election distracts ye I'll bump it again next week.

I'm wondering what ye think of the current party leaders, if they're the right men for the job, and if not who should be?

Please keep discussion to the leaders only.

Gilmore - badly advised and became a caricature. Intelligent but unimpressive in this campaign, then again all the Labour people seem to have dropped off the pace.

Kenny - can't figure out if he's got the bottle for the job or even the ability to lead. He's been put up like a US style President, and his cronies are none too impressive. He's never led before (government) so this is testing. Don't think he's the man for the job.

Gormley - personally I like him though he sold out to get into government. Has vision, stature and a great presentation manner, though he's going to preside over a non-governmental party if the polls are right. He's one of the few I would trust.

Martin - can't debate, looks awful, acts appalling, meaning he'll be the next but one Taoiseach. Masterful way of making media interviewers kow tow to him and has re-invented himself. Is not a good speaker, comes across as arrogant and slimy, but is getting into the minds of FF voters to get out and vote.

Adams - one of the only leaders who could lead, though he's never going to be in government. From reports up in Louth he's very warm, genuine and getting good reactions (the Irish refugee population out in the Banshog are delighted with him). Spoke well in the one debate on RTE, manages to be dignified when rattled though does the typical politico thing of fudging when stuck.

Higgins - good man, good policies, well respected but in right wing conservative Ireland was always a token guilty pleasure. Too drawn out, too round about though I like his points. He's the thinking mans Roy Keane.

Out of the lot I'd prefer Adams to lead us into negotiations, and also to rattle the EU and other governments. After all former "terrorists" have been elected into the top office elsewhere (I'm thinking Israel, Palestine, Cuba, Croatia) or became so afterwards (USA, UK, France). Though we'll be stuck with Enda for 2 years before Monty leads the soldiers of destiny to power.

FF: Martin has no substance beneath the bluster, and might be in trouble if FF gets under 25 seats (around 30 is more likely). May need FG in power for five years to regroup. Expect a renewal of links with big business to make up the shortfall in Oireachtas funding.
Right man for the job? – For FF: yes. For Ireland: no.
Likely to succeed him: maybe one of the younger brigade, but voters may reject many of them, and it’ll be Martin’s generation that survives. Dara Calleary has a high opinion of himself....

Greens: on yesterday’s news that water quality has improved in the last 3 years; that and stag hunting, civil partnerships, farmers’ markets and forcing O’Dea's resignation suggest they produced some goods for their supporters. I like Gormley’s long term view of politics, but he had the misfortune to lead a party full of flakes - McKenna, White, de Burca... May be the only leader to resign on Saturday.
Right man for the job? – Understands realpolitik better than Eamon Ryan or Dan Boyle, so yes.
Likely to succeed him: Daisy Gogarty may be leader next time they’re in government. Off the radar, Sen Mark Deary was the only Green to increase his pool of councillors in ’09.

FG: Enda is dull and boring. But charisma gave us Jack Lynch, CJH and Bertie. He has liathroidi (in a non-compulsory way) as smacking down Bruton, Varadkar and Coveney, and going back a while, Austin Deasy, proved. Having rebuilt FG from decimation in ’02, he’s done something right. An efficient organiser and administrator. Not much wrong with that...
Right man for the job? – Party leader – absolutely. Taoiseach – I think more WT Cosgrave than Garret.
Likely to succeed him: No vacancy.

Labour: the Gilmore Gale became the Gilmore Old F*rt. Arguably, he’s run the worst campaign. But eclipsing the Spring Tide will save him. In the unlikely event he doesn’t coalesce with FG, and finds FF ahead by a seat or two, he may yet discover that the left likes its bloody revolutions. Intelligent, undoubtedly, but perhaps knows it, and over-estimates himself accordingly.
Right man for the job? – No. Empty vessel. Noise.
Likely to succeed him: Who is there? It’s a bad sign when two of the front bench are former leaders; there’s little new talent with policy experience. Labour let its front bench stagnate and created family/constituency fiefdoms. Is Alan Kelly still the great hope?

Sinn Fein: Gerry is out of his depth on every issue he can't relate to the North. Running in Louth because few constituencies would guarantee a seat. Only running at all to prevent the young’uns in the south ousting the old northerners. Media savvy, but lacking in policy knowhow.
Right man for the job? No. Gerry belongs to a different era and different politics.
Likely to succeed him: Pearse Doherty - if he can avoid doing anything to make it obvious until Gerry slips up.

Socialist Party: you’d miss Joe from the Dáil. A great speaker, with the mot juste to deflate any political ego. Honest, genuine and committed to an ideology (I don’t share it, but admire his passion). Unlikely to be more than a provocative figurehead for a left rump, but entertaining with it.
Right man for the job? Yes. The SP don’t have enough politicians with national experience.
Likely to succeed him: Clare Daly, some day? For now, he’s as safe as houses.

Labour: Gilmore ran a poor campaign, Labour didn't articulate themselves at all well, perhaps because they were under pressure from left and right. Didn't land the shots when the chance was there in the debates. Still comes across as a fairly decent guy though.

FG: Kenny has his weaknesses but I quite like him. If he can pick the right ministers and keep them on the straight and narrow then that's 90% of his job as Taoiseach done. Has run an excellent campaign, even if he has appeared smug at times.

FF: Martin is a discredited spoofer. Quite possibly should be shot along with the rest of the FF cabinet.

SF: Adams did well in the debates but some of his other media appearances were toe curlingly bad. His biggest problem in my view is that you couldn't trust SF to run a corner shop. They'd give all the stock away for free, refuse to pay any of the suppliers and then blame the Brits (or possibly EU) when it all goes tits up.

Green: Gormley actually impressed me more than any other leader. Came across as dignified and wanting the best for the country. They'll take a pasting but maybe their campaign means they have a fighting chance of recovery in future.

SP: Joe Higgins. Admire his commitment and think he really contributes to debate. Hate the fact that he can't complete a sentence without mentioning 'working people'.

Labour: Gilmore ran a bad campaign. I would go with he allowed himself to be over managed - he was back to more himself in the final debate and that appeared to stop the rot in support, in the polls at least. Never nailed the myth about no policies, that the indo (Sheehan especially) in particular continue to propagate. Despite that, he had Labour at least in the races to be lead party, which is something no one else really has. He'll do well if leader of the opposition.

FG: Kenny did alright I thought. They've managed to take the personality out of it. He was helped immensly imo by the elevation of Noonan. No one can argue with the job he did for FG, but that still hasn't translated outside of that.

FF: Martin is a spoofer and had a poor record, and has been found out. Really don't get the media love in for his media/ presentation skills - I think he comes across terribly.

SF: Think Adams did alright, I don't think the mud stuck but sure we'll see. Do people really care was he in the IRA?

Greens: Gormley probably came across alright later in the campaign (he was doing awful mudslinging earlier in the campaign on the incinerator) but has as much credibility as Martin. Talking about democracy when you denied the people for so long didn't come across well. Hopefully their new, probably old, leader will do better.

SP: Joe always impresses me, even if I don't think everything he says is practical (even if I think he is normally right!).

ULA: Similarly, I thought Boyd Barret did ok. The acceptable face of the Socialist Workers Party!