Bertie TV Show

[pete]

Any one seen this on RTE? Very well done show.

Last week had some very interesting insights into the "dig outs". Bertie also used to marriage breakup excuse again.

[centre mid]

I've watched the first couple of episodes, interesting stuff alright. The days the Reynolds/Spring government fell was fascinating. Bertie sitting right beside Reynolds with his head staring down at a page, his cabinet colleauges kept passing documents and legal arguments via Bertie, none of which he seemed to pass on. He denied that they was anything a foot but many comentators at the time suggested he knew what he was doing.

[pete]

Clearly coalitions were much more entertaining in the 80s & 90s

Regarding the monies he received once again he could not explain why he took the money when he was earning 60k+ as Finance Minister & had 50k savings at the time - both considerable sum of cash at the time. All he could say is he would not need to take the cash if he was not separated from his wife. For a guy who complained about others bringing up his private life he isn't slow to do so himself.

The most revealing interview was with developer who contributed to the 3rd "dig out". At the time he had just moved back to Dublin & was not a friend of Bertie. It seemed obvious that he was using the contribution to get himself in the good graces other contributors who were Berties friends. You could say Bertie was selling friendships of sorts.

[Macy]

Have only been catching the second half as it clashes with Spooks. It seems as balanced as RTE is ever going to get, better than the total revisionism on Haughey anyway. However, I still don't see how they can put this out before Mahon has reported.

Disgusted that he continues to hide behind his break up, as if that makes it okay. Even accepting his explainations it just appears to indicate he was hiding money from his wife and kids when it came to settlement.

Surely Miriam O'Callaghan shouldn't be involved in Prime Time and stuff like the election leaders debate? Never mind the conflict of interest in her Brother running for FF, this is two largely sympathetic documentaries her company has produced. She chaired the Inda v Bertie debate (where she let Ahern interupt a lot imo), and then a few weeks/ months later her company is looking for access to Ahern for a documentary? And he's still likely to run for President if Mahon can't make anything stick, and she'll be lined up to do any debate on that no doubt too.

[pete]

Had to laugh this week when they showed an old click where Bertie was explaining why Burke had to go - because you can't take money the way he did. At the same time Bertie was pocketing bundles of cash in "dig outs"

Also some good clips showing the folly of the rainbow disorganisation & Bertie the charmer on the campaign trail. Reynolds also looked really p*ssed at his shafting.

Also loved the way the program did reconstructions of phones ringing.

[Macy]

Had to laugh this week when they showed an old click where Bertie was explaining why Burke had to go - because you can't take money the way he did. At the same time Bertie was pocketing bundles of cash in "dig outs"

That's always been his contradiction. He was told not to have Burke in cabinet, but then keep the people who know where the bodies are buried close I guess...

[mypost]

It seems as balanced as RTE is ever going to get, better than the total revisionism on Haughey anyway. However, I still don't see how they can put this out before Mahon has reported.

Well the report has come out. No sign of RTE editing or replaying the documentary with references to what it revealed.