John Connolly (a pro-Israeli blogger, rather than the horror writer) claims that he was leaked the Nawi details by a member of Higgins' campaign team, which is not to say that either Labour HQ or Higgins himself provided any info. For what it's worth, this has reached a whole new level to the first controversy, in that this was entirely Norris's own disaster, due to total naivety and an inexperienced backroom team, who should have been prepping him for every worst-case-scenario type issue. He should have the good sense to cut his losses and make a dignified exit, but it doesn't appear that that's how it will play out.
If this is the case then it's bang goes the FG theory. Though I'd still have issues with his team over the interview issue from a few weeks back. He handled it in a very poor way and became more shrill with each passing moment. The media luvvies in D4 were lapping it up and trying to rescue one of their own, but in doing so were killing his campaign.
Should he quit the race for the park? No, but will he? Probably.
I repeat, why the assumption that this was mishandled by his team? The implication, from what I've heard at least, is that they resigned because he didn't tell them of this smoking gun. How could they have mishandled something they didn't know about, regardless of how inexperienced they may or may not be?Originally Posted by culloty82
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
Macy, you have a valid point and their resignations seem to have come because of something passed on from a political rival to wipe out his campaign altogether. However I think the point culloty is making (which we'd all concur with) is that when the initial controversy broke - about the interview - whoever was advising him on how to handle it needed a good kicking. He dealt with the issue very badly and even when public support was still in his favour he kept ranting and attacking the "restaurant critic" - showing him in a very poor and nasty light. A good team would have told him to keep his gob shut.
This issue, the letters to Jerusalem, just went above and beyond, yet could still have been met head on and dealt with had he not lost a fair bit of public sympathy from the first event. It will be interesting to see what the 3rd bombshell will be - if the rumour is right.
Finian McGrath, John Halligan and Thomas Pringle have all withdrawn their nominations - hard to see how Norris can gain 20 nominations now.
Press conference this afternoon. This is the end...
Sounds like it. It's a shame and wrong to go out over something like this, though when you see what happened to Adi Roche and the allegations levelled against her....
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/an...n-2836452.html
The other rather damaging link I'd rather not post, but is the headline of the lead article from the same paper today. Over the weekend they were polite and decent, the Indo shoed it's teeth today in a need to sell papers and advertising.
Last edited by Spudulika; 02/08/2011 at 9:08 AM. Reason: link
Norris officially pulls out of the race. On Newstalk now, but no links yet.
Edit: just up on RTE - http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0802/norrisd.html
Thanks EG, he's going on Drivetime tonight. I wonder will he resign his Seanaid seat?
I doubt it. I hope not. I suspect that for whoever leaked the info, it's job done.
Bloody shame.
Now who's next in the firing line. Please god be Gallagher.
Even though he's the perfect Trinners head, I still want to see him in the Seanaid, however from the way it's being put in the media right now his position might be untenable. What would happen if DN was a Bishop who wrote to a lawyer to support a priest who had done the same thing?
I don't think he has anything to fear on that account - and I'm not saying it as a fellow (if less than perfect) Trinners head!! Any resignations of politicians for interfering in judicial processes that I can think of have been junior ministers (Molloy, Killeen, Sargent) who resigned the office but not the seat. I reckon there'll be something else to occupy the media within a week or so.
You think it'll take that long? If Rovers win tonight DN will be forgotten about until they go after Mary Davis.
He probably had to go, but it means the only decent candidate has gone. Best of the rest is probably Higgins who will be 81 by the end of the first term.
It really needs a new candidate to enter the field.
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
I couldn't agree more, but with the nastiness of this campaign and the last two (Adi Roche's brother; Lenihan and the tapes, Pee Flynn's snide remarks about Robinson's newfound interest in the family) who in their right mind would go for it? The only ones used to that kind of thing are politicians - and we have enough of them already.
It's getting late for a new independent to get a council nomination, and anyway there are few enough left if you take out the ones already declared or controlled by FG. So unless FF, SF or the ULA run somebody, we've got Hobson's choice.
I like the sound of this Hobson fella.
It's Higgins' now to lose which means that we await the dirt which will be found on him.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Dana.
Just reported on Newstalk: she's interested.
I'm just going to have a little lie-down in a dark room with a cold compress....
Edit: well, that didn't work. Here's the link: http://www.newstalk.ie/2011/news/dan...paign-sources/
Last edited by Eminence Grise; 03/08/2011 at 2:02 PM.
Jaysus, no. Say it ain't so
Norris out. Dana In.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
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