Taoiseach Kenny

[dahamsta]

Great public speaker, crap politician; and I say that in defiance of the idiots crediting him with the success of the election, rather than the failure of the government.

So, when will Coveney launch his attack? Sooner or later? And will he succeed?

[Mr A]

Kenny is untouchable for the foreseeable future. I think he has done brilliantly since the leadership heave.

[mypost]

He has succeeded where Dukes, Bruton, and Noonan have failed, by winning FG's first election since 1982. Everyone else has profited from the government's collapse, but winning 45, possibly 50 seats (in 2 elections) even in a small country like this is a tremendous achievement.

In Europe, he gets on well with Merkel, which may be a huge help in the tough negotiations on the well-known European issues. He won't be challenged for a good while yet.

[dahamsta]

What makes you think he gets on well with Merely exactly? The pictures on the telly?

[mypost]

They're both leading players in the EPP. Merkel for obvious reasons, Kenny is Vice-President.

[dahamsta]

And that makes them BFFs does it?

[mypost]

I don't know what you mean, but as I said before, I think their good relations may help us in our dealings in Europe. We'll wait and see what happens. What Merkel and the rest of them will like, is dealing with the head of a strong government, unlike dealing with a lame duck PM and vulnerable government with no credibility, as they have been until now.

What I will say, is that you don't get where he was to where he has, without fighting and working very hard, and getting results. Not only has he dragged his party off the canvas 9 years ago, and walked his constituency this time, he's got more quota than everyone else in this election. He's no Obama, but he has earned his shot at the big prize, and I'm sure he will do a decent job at it.

Meanwhile, rumour has it that Ray D'Arcy has already checked-in at the airport, waiting to board the first flight out.....

[dahamsta]

My response would be a repetition of the 1st sentence of my 1st post. And he walked this election because he's the party leader who would be Taoiseach, a (retarded) fundamental of our electoral system, as anyone with a basic knowledge of Irish elections should know. Micky Martin walked Cork South Central, for example, when he should've been battling for the last seat despite his abilities.

I'm delighted to see ABFF in power, but if you want to credit someone with Enda's new title, you should send Bertie flowers, and Biffo chocolates.

[Real ale Madrid]

He's one of ten vice presidents. He's not the vice president. This he gets on well with Merkel is over stated.

[mypost]

Ireland has spoken. FG have got 70-odd seats.

Kenny got the most votes in the state. Of course, some of the vote has to do with his position. But 17,400 votes is a lot in this country. A bad politician doesn't get anywhere near that many, as many FFers are finding out this weekend.

[geysir]

In the scheme of things would anyone have regarded Kenny as anything other than mundane Fine Gael, if Fianna Fail hadn't immolated themselves and the country?
There was a blast from the past on RTE news. They showed an archive reel from when he was first elected a TD. When the mic was shoved his way, young Kenny took a short pause (soundbite recall moment) and declared 'he would do most he can for the most of the people' or something to that effect. He hasn't stopped since, i.e. speaking in soundbites.

[mypost]

Kenny has gained 40 seats+ in two national elections, cleaned up in the last two European elections, and has helped made FG the biggest party in the state at local and national level. You can argue over his image, over his public speaking etc, but he gets results, be it in good or tough climates. Brian Lenihan can make a speech in Cambridge English, doesn't mean he'll get the right results for the country though.

[paudie]

Kenny is proof that, in this media age, someone who doesn't come across at all well in media events can win an election. He has FF to thank for that of course.

I'd say you'd have to give Phil Hogan a lot of credit for the victory in the leadership heave and the election. He seems to be one tough operator.

[dahamsta]

Kenny has gained 40 seats+ in two national elections, cleaned up in the last two European elections, and has helped made FG the biggest party in the state at local and national level. You can argue over his image, over his public speaking etc, but he gets results, be it in good or tough climates. Brian Lenihan can make a speech in Cambridge English, doesn't mean he'll get the right results for the country though.

I would again backreference to sentence #1 in post #8. Kenny is a talentless hack, with the sole exception of solo public speaking.

[Spudulika]

The only way FG would not have picked up more than 30 seats in this election would have been had the repellent Brendan Smyth been vomited back from hell and been put in place by the numptys like Varadkar and Creighton. Even then he would have had to have started each speech with "I regret nothing and I don't accept that what I did was wrong" for him to lose FG the election. The depth of hatred of FF was barely rescued by the meeja fawning over one of the most talentless FF'ers to wear the leaders crown and Enda only had to stay on his feet to win.

In saying that he's not as dumb or bland as he appears, though he is atypical of what is most disgusting about Irish politics - dynastic cronyism. Like Cowen he took over Daddy's seat, and what is common in Irish life ("money" and "breeding" marrying into one another to produce a a deeper receding chin line with each generation), Kenny and the rest of the hand me down TD's won't change it. It was the most embarrassing piece of tv to watch Mini Me Healy Rae, complete with ill fitting flat cap, turn on Dobbo to say he's not from the FF gene pool, and his gombsheen father telling the viewers that he'd looked after his simple people in Kerry. This is what will continue to rule us.

The EPP is a rag bag collection of the right and far right and extreme right. When you put FG in the same bed as the extreme right wing collection of unreconstructed war criminals of HDZ, it's not a thing to be proud of.

Enda will be spun nicely for the 2 years he'll survive in government.

[mypost]

The depth of hatred of FF was barely rescued by the meeja fawning over one of the most talentless FF'ers to wear the leaders crown and Enda only had to stay on his feet to win.

In saying that he's not as dumb or bland as he appears, though he is atypical of what is most disgusting about Irish politics - dynastic cronyism. Like Cowen he took over Daddy's seat, and what is common in Irish life ("money" and "breeding" marrying into one another to produce a a deeper receding chin line with each generation), Kenny and the rest of the hand me down TD's won't change it. It was the most embarrassing piece of tv to watch Mini Me Healy Rae, complete with ill fitting flat cap, turn on Dobbo to say he's not from the FF gene pool, and his gombsheen father telling the viewers that he'd looked after his simple people in Kerry. This is what will continue to rule us.

Enda will be spun nicely for the 2 years he'll survive in government.

He's been there for 35 years, there's nothing he hasn't seen, done, or survived. He'll be there for a few more than 2 I think.

I also think it's very unfair to put their extra seats simply down to FF's implosion, when every other party bar the Greens, also benefitted. You could say the same about the change of government up North, across the water, in the USA, and almost anywhere else you care to mention. When a ruling party loses seats at an election, the new administration obviously gains some of their seats to form a new government.

FF have got what was coming to them, and what should have happened 4 years ago. If it had, I doubt the scale of the mess would be as bad as it is.

[Spudulika]

He's been there for 35 years, there's nothing he hasn't seen, done, or survived. He'll be there for a few more than 2 I think.

I also think it's very unfair to put their extra seats simply down to FF's implosion, when every other party bar the Greens, also benefitted. You could say the same about the change of government up North, across the water, in the USA, and almost anywhere else you care to mention. When a ruling party loses seats at an election, the new administration obviously gains some of their seats to form a new government.

FF have got what was coming to them, and what should have happened 4 years ago. If it had, I doubt the scale of the mess would be as bad as it is.

Mypost I do not disagree that Enda is a cute hoor and knows his way around the Oireachtas. He's not dumb, despite the media trying to spin it that way - in fact I'd say he's a lot more intelligent that most of his party. I say 2 years as the danger of a coalition and what's coming down the line will cause massive fractures. Also Labour have the begging bowl out - pushing the issue by saying there's no time to dally, they might as well go out and stand on a corner of the Green to tout for business.

True every party benefitted from the FF implosion, very true, though FG being the biggest "other" party were primed to pick up whatever was going. And yes, I'd agree with the change in the UK - Labour were toxic, the Lib Dems were the Irish version of Labour, the Tories FG.


Don't get me wrong in any way, I detest the performance of FF at so many levels, despite having friends who would be pretty much died in the wool FF. FG bottled it in the last election (imo) as they knew what was coming and dodged the bullet. FF were too arrogant and took the hit. I hope that FG will do something different and finally end the mess of Irish politics - like take on SF as a Junior Partner. It would be some real move and while the initial reaction would be overwhelmingly negative, and there would be many bumps down the line, it would also mean a hand out to a lot of disaffected people on the margins.

[Macy]

So, when will Coveney launch his attack? Sooner or later? And will he succeed?

I assume this is a wind up?

I hope that FG will do something different and finally end the mess of Irish politics - like take on SF as a Junior Partner. It would be some real move and while the initial reaction would be overwhelmingly negative, and there would be many bumps down the line, it would also mean a hand out to a lot of disaffected people on the margins.

The "something different" would be to go in with FF. They're the closest policy wise, and the numbers make most sense. And on the contrary, I think it would further disenfranchise people who voted for SF on the basis of their non acceptance of the EU/IMF deal and the resultant hardship for working people compared to the elites.

[mypost]

Mypost I do not disagree that Enda is a cute hoor and knows his way around the Oireachtas. He's not dumb, despite the media trying to spin it that way - in fact I'd say he's a lot more intelligent that most of his party. I say 2 years as the danger of a coalition and what's coming down the line will cause massive fractures. Also Labour have the begging bowl out - pushing the issue by saying there's no time to dally, they might as well go out and stand on a corner of the Green to tout for business.

We discussed last week FG and Labour as natural partners, with a history of working coalitions. They've governed through severe recessions before, they do business relatively comfortably together, this one has a massive majority and will last a good while. Minimum 4 years imo, probably the full term, heading into the centenary of the Rising.

We've had no Taoiseach for a month, we've had no credible government since last November. We now have a FG/Lab government, we have a credible Taoiseach without baggage from banks, and Celtic Bust. We were already heading for economic downturn at the last election, but FG had no choice but to stay where they were, as they hadn't got the numbers. Now they do.

There are many bumps on the way, but there are a lot of revolutionary ideas. (by our standards) Health Service reform, Public Sector reform, Irish Language reform, credible Job Creation policies not scribbled together on a beermat, a Cabinet where Ministers will be given appropriate portfolios that suit their background, the introduction of Car Pooling, taxing the rich and protecting the poor. There's also the renegotiation of the financial assistance package and with a credible PM and government it will be successfully renegotiated, the abolition of Quangos, and the winding up of Anglo. A far cry from where we are atm.

Give it time and it'll work. Give it a time limit and we'll be back to Square One.

[Spudulika]

Macy, I can't see any difference between FG and FF, they're both right wing, both big business and both have made out like thieves from the financial meltdown. Of course it would be a kick for those who voted for SF to see their party go into government with FG, however it would also lend some credibility to government, prevent major cuts in social support, sports and general services, as well as prevent the devastating IMF measures that will land. I agree it will certainly not be FG-SF, and more likely FG-FF, I can't remember which Labour TD said it, but he stated he'd prefer to be in opposition. For Labour and the left it's better to let the right wing neocons at it, as next time around they'll gain the upper hand, then again, this is putting faith in an electorate that put Healy Rae, Lowry and Martin into the Dail!