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PDs not happy with Bertie, not unhappy enough to pull out of government, voters confused...
FF Election campaign is clearly focused around Bertie as he plastered across every lamp post. Will this back fire or will his supporting increase again as he is hounded by the media about suspicious payments?
I was listening to the radio and yeaterday and there was a big furore about leaked information regarding Bertie's finances. The media focus however was on who leaked the information - as if it was bad form to "rat out" Bertie. FF completely focussed on calling it a smear campaign and trying to discover "the rat". WTF? The real issue is as plain as day - that theres a fair chance our Taoiseach is as crooked as a lamp-post that's had a run in with a boy racer.
I think the media were interested in the accusations as the politicians giving them good quotes about it. I think it will go back to the issue at hand very quickly now.Quote:
Originally Posted by BohsPartisan
Last year he got a boost in the polls when the media went after him so will be interesting to see if he affected this time. Once the first scratch appears on the teflon is]ts time to replace. ;)
A conspiracy theorist could surmise that FF are creating the leaks and Bertie will give it another week before clearing up all the questions to Brian dobson or Pat Kenny and purr about how terrible it is to be smeared like this after all he's done for the country and how his family have been dragged into it.
If so, they could be hanging on until Enda calls for "insirs to these viry sirius quistins is i mitter iv irgency"
Fianna Fail will do everything they can tp turn this around and point the finger of blame at Enda Kenny. FF can't run a campaign based on major issues because they have made a balls of most of them, and so are resorting to a dirty tricks campaign. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it until election time, if Fianna Fail are voted back in the last bit of pride I have in this country will fly out the window
Well considering established FF politicians like Mary O'Rourke went public the last time stating that she thought the leaks were from within FF it's not that much of a leap.Quote:
Originally Posted by Risteard
Don't blame FF particularly, I blame the 40%(ish) of the electorate that fall for this kind of thing. The same gobsh1tes that still stick up for Haughey...
eoghan harris in the sunday indorag blames SF for the leaks, normally i wouldnt read his tripe (or that paper), but this time he could be right, wouldnt put it past the Shinners to be up to tricks like this
The other question is whether McDowell is a liability for the PDs... I reckon he is , on the basis that he is somewhat like the boy who cried wolf... hard to see any future for the PDs and indeed suspect that McD will havwe a hell of a fight to hang on to his own seat.
As for Bertie, FF seem to be now playing a very high risk game... they are at every opportunity now peddaling the line that Bertie is the victim of a smear campaign of leakes coming from FG. Was interesting to hear Bertie's brother quoted along the lines of "..senior officials from FG are responsible for the leakes...but I've no proof..." this is going to get dirtier and the hope for FF is that they can play the " poor ol' Bertie sure he was going through a tough time in the mid 90's.." as against focusing on the currently known facts :
(1) He received "dig outs"/loans of approx €170k
(2) Michael Wall made a loss on the sale of the house Bertie
(3) Michael Wall named Bertie in his will as the beneficary of the house
(4) Parts of the conveancing file covering the sale of the house are now missing.
(5) bertie received a "dig out" of £28k which on the day it was lodged to Ms Larkin's account equated to exactly $45k
(6) At the time he was involved in providing detials of his asets to thecourts as part of his separation case , he was allowing Ms Larkin to hold almost £70k of his money in accounts solely in her name. He also was keeping £50k "under his matress".
(7) Since Bertie's tell all interview with Brian Dobson last Autumn, despite his answering that he had revealed all details of all monies he "received" during the mid 1990's it now transoires that he hadn't mentioned another £30k.
So those are the facts, for me the real question is are they acceptable or put another way is it ok for our former Minister of Finance and current leader of the Government to be involed in such a highly unusual series of financial transactions. I don't think so however it remains to be seen whether the majority of voters agree
Eh, McDowell said he spoke to Jody Corcoran of the Sindo to get more information - pity INM is so far up Bertie's hole it won't publish what it's got. Laughable to suggest that the Sunday Mail would do SF's bidding.Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
The irony of it being Frank Connolly that is scooping all these stories is probably lost on McDowell though, given the shameful way he leaked (unproven) allegations about him to discredit him just as he commenced an investigation into the Thornton Hall purchase...
Not sure why he thinks it would be SF but wasn't a SF Dublin TD caught with details of other candidates from surveillance?Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
I don't think McDowell is a liability for the PDs as lets be honest Harney was hardly a positive for them. I think they get their votes for individuals & overall party policies.
I live Dublin South East and I'd be very surprised if McDowell lost his seat. Very, very surprised.Quote:
Originally Posted by Calcio Jack
He was top in 1st preferences in 2002 and added to that the current FF TD, Eoin Ryan, is not standing as he has been elected to the European Parliament.
I would think John Gormley, McDowell and Ruairi Quinn are shoe-ins, with Chris Andrews of FF edging out Lucinda (election totty) Creighton of FG for the 4th seat.
Seen her posters :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
A bit more oompah loompah-like on the posters than in the flesh. Bad fake tan job (as parodied by Blogorrah a few weeks back).Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
Anne Marie Martin (FG) is currently setting the pulses racing amongst red blooded voters in Dublin South Central apparently
She looks terrified in her picture.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Pete, was that O'Snodaigh who was caught with the details of other candidates?
She looks impressive on the posters, but, this appears to be an act of the magic airbrush. Closer inspection of other FG canvassing rubbish in the letterbox shows her to be far from a pretty sight. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Given that Gay Mitchell won't be contending his seat I was wondering if her posters will be the tie breaker between her and Catherine Byrne. FG will only take one seat and it's an open fight between the two of them with little to differentiate them.
Byrne will have a fairly large Inchicore/Kilmainham following and being a former lord mayor would seem to have the edge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student
Is that where's she's from? Most candidates don't bother canvasing around the plusher parts of the constituency so I never have a clue as to how to differentiate them within party lines.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
In the little newspaper style flyer they sent around recently it was dominated by Byrne. She seems to be the number one within the party anyway. I think I'm going to go Labour 1-2, Green 3, and maybe FG 4-5. At this stage I just think change is for the better. Although I'd have about 0% faith in FG same as FF.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student