What was Norris in the last poll? I thought he was up in the mid to high 30's?Originally Posted by culloty82
It'll be interesting to see whether he has the 20, as the report in today's times just says it's demonstration of who's supporting him. I guess we'll know in half an hour or so!
But Michael D was at the 18%, the same as Labour in the opinion poll, and was actually the most transfer friendly.
Last edited by Macy; 21/07/2011 at 8:35 AM.
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
So, like today's weather, DN's press conference turned out to be a damp squib. He has the support of 13 Oireachtas members, which IIRC is no advance on how he stood in early June. http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0721/president.html
It's time he got the finger out and secured the nomination, or gracefully withdrew. He's my preferred candidate, and if his campaign were better organised, it could aspire to be merely a shambles.
With Sinn Féin and United Left reportedly standing Robert Ballagh, he's rapidly running out of options, either having to win over virtually all the Government Seanad XI, or the two more remote options of the rural Dáil Independents (Healy-Rae, Fleming, Mattie McGrath, Grealish) or independent support from Fianna Fáil. For the first time, it now looks more likely that he won't get a nomination.
Ah jaysus! Not Robert Ballagh. Does that mean we'll have to listen to his insufferable whining til November.
Come on David....
I was sure Sinn Fein would run someone very high profile to contest as the next President will be marking the 100th anniversary of the Rising. Robert Ballagh? No chance.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
P O'Neill?
Norris secured Katherine Zappone and Fiach MacConghail's support today, but they intend to vote for Michael D. Takes him up to 15 now.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0722/norris.html
Bobby Ballagh? I think I hear the faint sound of scratching coming from a barrell looming in the distance.
He had something like 21% in the previous poll I saw anyway. That was with a much more fragmented field though - lots of FF and FG candidates.
Isn't the undecided vote up over 23%? I wonder if they're Norris voters just waiting to cash in.
I'll be voting for Ballagh, but I feel for Norris, he has support from the public, it's a crime if he doesn't get a nomination. I'd be tempted to vote for him just purely on the basis of 'positive discrimination'. I think it would be great to have a gay Protestant President. It would upset too many narrow minded bigots for us not to want it to happen!
He knew the rules from the start, and despite the head start, he has made little progress with the councils. Too late in the day for him and his supporters to cry foul, imo. Maybe the ire should be directed at Martin and FF - they're not putting an official candidate*, keep banging on about "new politics", and have more than enough seats to push him over the line.
*this might change, as hard to see how they can have a shinner/ ula candidate on the paper, and them not even running anyone!
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
Not exactly Norris' finest interview on Pat Kenny today, gave very vague, open-ended answers to listeners questions, and came across as rather arrogant "I'm fully confident I will be the ninth President of Ireland" - a little humility wouldn't go amiss in his canvassing.
Especially when you're struggling to be even nominated. Ballagh is not running now as well and he's endorsed Norris.
Very true. It was particularly poor stuff. It was like he desperately wanted to avoid saying anything that might be used against him and in the end just wasted 15 valuable minutes. I can’t understand the hash he’s making of his communications, though I’d make a reasonably informed guess that it’s down to inexperience in his team.
He should try the experience card: the independent senator used to scrutinising bills, which Gallagher and Daly aren’t; play up the community and good causes work (might he have more here than Mitchell who's been Brussels-based for a while?); maybe get on the cultural Ireland bandwagon (the Joycean scholar versus the soft-spoken Galway poet). Whatever he does, he has to stop doing what he’s currently doing.
And he has to be more humble. But if he’s too humble, it might prevent him getting the last five nominees; too arrogant brings the same problem.
I was disappointed in his interview, mainly because he's become a politician. He waffled and sidestepped and patronised callers. PK was extremely good with him (as he was when the old interview broke), yet he's now sounding like the complete west brit that will get up people's noses. I use the term west brit cautiously but I can't think of any other way to say it. I would say sheltered D4 media luvvy, but don't want to be accused of sexual bias.
Before he began defending himself from the interview allegations, I was voting for him. His past record of fighting for good causes, many of them out of the public eye, and his contribution not just to literary and arts but to architecture, history and archaeology, are far and above what most other citizens can boast of. Yet he's just sounding awful and I don't see myself voting for him. If he can change this much in public in this short a time, what else will he do? I don't want to see Michael D. Higgins get in, the Aras isn't a retirement home and he's too much of a politico. Roll on this mornings PK!
For what it's worth, one of the things that made me lose a lot of the time I used to have for him (long before he was even mentioned as a presidential candidate) was his completely pompous west brit attitude on a programme (probably a Scannal) on Nelsons Pillar.
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
I'm not aware of that (the programme) though he has a tendency to think he's alot smarter than he is - though in a general sense he is extremely clever and able. Listening to Mary Davis it was nice to hear her mention the Ryan Report and her being in Moscow, she was here to push the Special Olympics plan for Russia (which is light years behind where it could or should be) and she was brilliant. She shamed the local Irish boys who figure they're lords of the universe because they'd been tapping into Irish eejits to buy stretches of bogland in neverland, which then turned out to be government owed and repossessed (the Quinns lost tens of millions in this type of scam). She pointed out that these guys who were all standing around looking prosperous, should put something back into Russian society that didn't involve gala dinners or balls, and meeting lots of willing young ladies (she said this). The then Ambassador tried to soften the blow, but couldn't help himself and mentioned how if Colin Farrell was involved to give of himself, surely other Irishmen could. Davis was excellent, she spoke well and todays interview was to the point, no waffle and clear. The only problem is her thinking that she'll be allowed to hit the road as a roving Ambassador - the civil servants and junket junkies in the Oireachtas will soon stop that!
Heard today's Q&A with Sean Gallagher. He can't handle the FF question at all and comes across as completely dishonest. He was on the FF NEC until earlier this year (regardless of when he last attended a meeting), and spoke on the campaign trail for several FFers in the General Election campaign. He's deluded if people can't see through this nonsense - you don't just role up and get on a NEC (of any party). His denials will probably be his undoing rather than the substance. Funniest thing was some FF texter saying he won't vote for him now for being a deserter!
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
Brian Crowley wants the FF nomination - fairly harmless, but hard to think of any characteristic that recommends him.
Norris' campaign hits the rocks: two of his backroom team quit over possible new revelations about his former partner.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...301621244.html
A couple of initial thoughts: firstly, he's better off without those team members as they'd run a very bad campaign from the start. If he continues to seek the nomination, new advisors might improve his communications and strategy. Or, his campaign is so damaged nobody could run the team. Secondly, bringing up the case of his former partner after 19 years suggests that somebody is doing a lot of digging into Norris's background.
Edit: meant to respond about Crowley. He's hugly popular in Munster, but seen on the conservative Catholic side of FF. With the anger after Cloyne he might have to downplay that part of his political profile, or position himself as a defender of Catholic, but not Church, values. Good luck with that one...
Last edited by Eminence Grise; 30/07/2011 at 11:33 AM.
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