Are the opposition right to ease up on Bertie?

yomchi

It seems the opposition have opted not to go all out for Bertie in this latest scandal surrounding his finances.
Do you think its worth while dropping it our keep the pressure on? I think they (opposition) fear the negativity of it and the fact the Bertie is still quite popular - regardless of what he does

opinions?

Oirthir

They're backing off because it's just under 3 weeks to election.

Of course they SHOULD be heckling him for this total and utter "alleged" abuse, because it's disgusting. But look what happened when they went for him in the Autumn, despite them getting him to admit he'd put HIS MATES on state boards for no other reason then he knew them, he WENT UP in the polls.

I can't decide who to be more disgusted with ;

The Opposition for not keeping up the pressure,

Bertie for all this ****e,

or (a portion of) the Irish People for thinking this kind of cute hoorism is ok and a good trait in our "leader"

Oirthir

Oirthir wrote:

The Opposition for not keeping up the pressure,

I assume that they were just dumbfounded after all their criticism of aul' Bertie when the poll came out after Bertiegate I giving a rise to FF. To be honest, I can't really blame them for that. If doing something has the opposite effect of what was intended, it would make sense to stop doing it.

InFront

First they mostly tried laying off of him. Then Pat Rabbitte was asked on Questions and Answers why he basically wasn't doin his job as an opposition leader.

Then the coalition start putting on some pressure, then they get accused of not focusing on the main issues.

Then when they focus on the issues, people wonder why they aren't pressuring Bertie over his dodgy finances.

Then Bertie pickpockets an old woman at the bus stop, and wins the election, or something like that...

Oirthir

InFront wrote:

Then Bertie pickpockets an old woman at the bus stop, and wins the election, or something like that...

If there's a General Election 2007 Boards Awards, that's quote of the campaign right there...

Voipjunkie

I would presume he has a breathing space of a couple more weeks and then he will either resign because FF lose the election or the gloves will be off because opinion polls will not matter for a while if FF get back in

FlutterinBantam

Based on "previous", Opposition are right not to go hard on Bert as it would appear that the Irish local electorate love the "lovable rogue" provided he/she ponies up in their own constituency.

Lowry

Ferris

Haughey

Callelly

Lawlor

McDaid...................etc ......etc

gandalf

TBH the opposition don't have to do anything with members of his own party and their "partners" in Government out to get him.

Victor Meldrew

Jon wrote:

It seems the opposition have opted not to go all out for Bertie in this latest scandal surrounding his finances.
Do you think its worth while dropping it our keep the pressure on? I think they (opposition) fear the negativity of it and the fact the Bertie is still quite popular - regardless of what he does

opinions?

It's a grim state of affairs, but that's it in a nutshell, No one does doe-eyed "they are picking on me" like bertie, we were accused of being bullies in November so the hope is that it stays in the media but don't expect FG or Lab to really put the boot in. (not that we don't want to:D .

Senator

The Irish electorate are fools. There, I've said it. It's harsh but it's true. I lived and worked in Dublin during the Haughey years and the dogs in the street knew the Taoiseach was crooked but the punters loved the "cute hoor" that was their darlin' Charlie. Now, of course, they're all tut-tutting and saying what a scoundrel he was and that sort of thing should never be tolerated again - you know, shady financial affairs, a mistress on the side etc.

And then we consider Bertie ... and his house ... and his money problems ... and Celia trousering dough etc., etc., etc.

The fools, the fools, the fools, they have left us Fianna Fáil.

marie_85

The Opposition can't win either way, to be honest. If they go after Bertie, he'll pull the wide-eyed innocent routine and they'll be slammed by the media for not focussing on the election issues. If they leave it up to FF and the PDs to dig their own hole, they get accused of letting him away with it and get slammed for not doing their jobs as Opposition parties.

yomchi

The fools, the fools, the fools, they have left us Fianna Fáil

hehe

'Ireland unpaid will never be at peace'