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Blair most likely WILL be president

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  • Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭bkelly86


    Am i right in saying Bertie Aherne had the same post when Ireland had the E.U. presidentcy?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 642 ✭✭✭Kalashnikov_Kid


    And funnily enough this was all they were talking about on Sky News wrt the Irish vote on Lisbon today. I wonder why....


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,872 ✭✭✭View


    free-man wrote: »
    Amazing.

    You really don't want to believe he's the favourite do you

    Personally, I believe that Juncker is most likely to secure the position should he want it. I honestly believe that Blair carries too much baggage to be acceptable to a lot of the member states.

    Time will tell as they say...


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,980 ✭✭✭meglome


    ascanbe wrote: »
    Reading the discussion on this forum, over the last number of days, i've noted that you, along with a few others, have been doing a sterling job of attempting to ridicule anyone who happens to express an opinion different to your own.
    I'm not surprised you need a break.

    I was tetchy earlier for sure. I like to be as straight a talker as possible without getting banned :) and if someone is talking out of their arse then they're talking out of their arse.

    However that doesn't change the fact there is no such thing as the EU President. No matter how many times people say Tony Blair will get the job, he won't as the role doesn't exist.

    Now if we're talking about the President of the European Council then there is a possibility that he could get the job. I personally wouldn't be in favour of that and I think many EU states won't be. The British newspapers, i.e. they are in English so we can read them, are full of the story. All that means is the British are hyping up 'their' man (or slagging him off depending), one country of 27. So in conclusion we are a country mile off him actually getting the job and talking about it round and round like he actually has the job is really fúcking pointless.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    ascanbe wrote: »
    It's not a fact that Tony Blair will become President of the European council.
    But is it okay for people to express distaste at the possibility on here without getting mobbed?
    Reading the discussion on this forum over the last week or so has been enlightening, due in no small part to the contribution of your good self, but also frustrating; opinions expressed by those advocating a No vote have constantly been jumped upon and sometimes deleted, while opinions such as 'voting Yes is key for the economic recovery of Ireland' have not only been tolerated but endorsed.
    I shouldn't be surprised, though; that baseless assertion was a key component of the entire Yes campaign.

    Hold up a minute.

    If you read through the thread what was being contested was the assertion that he was a shoe-in for the new job as EU President that comes with massive new powers, which is not the case at all. As it is an existing position of President of the European Council, with no voting or executive powers and the only ones declaring him home and dry are the UK press.

    Most of the people highlighting these facts, myself included, have expressed just as much distaste at the prospect of him getting the job.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,980 ✭✭✭meglome


    bkelly86 wrote: »
    Am i right in saying Bertie Aherne had the same post when Ireland had the E.U. presidentcy?

    Yup that's right. And as much as I dislike Bertie the world didn't end.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,872 ✭✭✭View


    bkelly86 wrote: »
    Am i right in saying Bertie Aherne had the same post when Ireland had the E.U. presidentcy?

    Yes - technically, I think the member state holds the Presidency, but as you obviously can't send a member state on a diplomatic mission, in practise, the role is held by the head of government.


  • Registered Users Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    bkelly86 wrote: »
    Am i right in saying Bertie Aherne had the same post when Ireland had the E.U. presidentcy?

    YEP and Blair had it already.

    Brown will have it if it's a No.

    Edit: Probably Cameron.

    Sarkozy could have it again! Who knows?

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Registered Users Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    View wrote: »
    Personally, I believe that Juncker is most likely to secure the position should he want it. I honestly believe that Blair carries too much baggage to be acceptable to a lot of the member states.

    Time will tell as they say...

    Wouldn't that be amazing?

    The smallest state getting the role?

    (Is Malta smaller?)

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,749 ✭✭✭CCCP^


    prinz wrote: »
    Actually it does. The President of the EU Council will be elected from now on, rather than getting the job just because it was his country's 'turn', far more dangerous policy IMO.

    Cool, when do we get to vote for him?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 52 ✭✭tattoodublin


    :D Do we all get to hang portraits of Tony in our offices and workplaces, perhaps a small one beside the family photos on the mantle?

    :D Can we send him 'Thank You' cards when we recieve the death notices of our young ones who have died in a new war, started with Iran, purportedly over Nuclear Issues ( Isreal has tons of 'illiegal' nuclear weapons and nobody says boo, America has over 2,500 nuclear missiles... am i expected to live on a street where everybody owns a machine gun and be told I'm not allowed to own a pistol?) but really over their natural gas?

    :D Hail tony! Hail Tony!


  • Registered Users Posts: 721 ✭✭✭MarkK


    CCCP^ wrote: »
    Cool, when do we get to vote for him?

    Shortly after you get elected as Taoiseach.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    namloc1980 wrote: »
    What is the problem with Blair BTW...(let me guess....IRAQ??)

    So you don't think that the whole Iraq saga is a problem no?
    The way it came about, the way the people were manipulated, the killings, no problem? You don't think that these people (Blair/Bush) are actually criminals of the highest order?


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,292 ✭✭✭✭namloc1980


    realcam wrote: »
    So you don't think that the whole Iraq saga is a problem no?
    The way it came about, the way the people were manipulated, the killings, no problem? You don't think that these people (Blair/Bush) are actually criminals of the highest order?

    Of course I do...I was just putting out the bait :D

    You should read the rest of my posts about Blair. I don't support the guy at all but which do you prefer:
    A) In 2005 (in the midst of the Iraq controversy) Blair became the President of the Council because it was his turn and NOBODY could do anything about it,
    B) Lisbon calls for the position to be elected by the 27 member states Heads of Government and I personally think Blair is too controversial to get enough support among the 27 Heads of Government.

    Option B) is far more democratic


  • Registered Users Posts: 605 ✭✭✭vinylbomb


    I'm just going back through this thread, and noticed you were asked for a newspaper source that reported Blair was the leading candidate for job, and wasn't British based media.

    Did you even read what you quoted? It does nothing to validate your point.
    They are quoting a source in the British media.
    Points of interest in bold

    free-man wrote: »
    A quote from Le Monde:

    You'll have to excuse Google Translate's crude wording:

    "The former prime minister could be appointed at the summit on October 29, pursues the British daily, reporting that the French president supports his candidacy and Angela Merkel has softened its position. German Chancellor hitherto opposed to the nomination of Tony Blair because she believed that the function should return the representative of a country adopting the euro.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4 fassitman


    Biggins wrote: »
    Despite all those that are repeatedly saying that the "No" side is/was blowing smoke about Blair going to be president, TOMORROW on the front page MAIN HEADLINE of the British Times, they are announcing that it is MOST likely that Blair WILL be the first EU president.

    Tomoprrows front page:
    28sa7tf.jpg

    The news sites tonight have been showing copies of tomorrows papers and this story is being repeated to some variation in a lot of them.
    Now I have read the previous links supplied from both sides stating their case one way or another with examples of previous statements, papers comments etc - however its become quite clear now, all those are now just that - past history. What will appear on tomorrows front page of the British Times is likely to be the future!

    Todays paper!
    2vm7as2.jpg
    a group of People I know of, in the UK have a lot to say about Blayer their Website is called F.A.S.S.I.T. , UK


  • Registered Users Posts: 721 ✭✭✭MarkK


    free-man wrote: »
    A quote from Le Monde:

    You'll have to excuse Google Translate's crude wording: ...

    [/I]
    vinylbomb wrote: »
    I'm just going back through this thread, and noticed you were asked for a newspaper source that reported Blair was the leading candidate for job, and wasn't British based media.

    Did you even read what you quoted? It does nothing to validate your point.
    They are quoting a source in the British media.
    Points of interest in bold

    Indeed, I think I found the article.

    "[Google Translate]Tony Blair is on course to become the President of the European Council of Heads of State and Government, says The Times, Friday, October 2."

    http://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/2009/10/02/presidence-de-l-europe-tony-blair-attend-le-referendum-irlandais_1248276_0.html


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭ei.sdraob


    woot is he there yet


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 943 ✭✭✭OldJay


    MarkK wrote: »
    "[Google Translate]Tony Blair is on course to become the President of the European Council of Heads of State and Government, says Rupert Murdoch, Friday, October 2."
    You could translate that even further, y'know.
    See above.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭ei.sdraob


    Justind wrote: »
    You could translate that even further, y'know.
    See above.

    Rupert Murdoch oh dear

    :cool:


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,462 ✭✭✭✭WoollyRedHat


    meglome wrote: »
    Firstly there is no fúcking position of President of Europe. Secondly Blair could be elected to the role of President of the European council. But so could twenty other people. And the fúcking sky could fall down. I need a fúcking break.


    Of course a lot more people besides Blair could become President of the European Council.. but if you read the latest media reports Blair is the favourite to take the position as it stands. So there is a difference to could and likely.

    People are asking what is so wrong with Blair.. well it's simple, he's a lying and contemptous **** to put simply and a lot of people would be against such a lying slimeball from becoming president of the European council


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,292 ✭✭✭✭namloc1980


    Of course a lot more people besides Blair could become President of the European Council.. but if you read the latest media reports Blair is the favourite to take the position as it stands. So there is a difference to could and likely.

    Blair is British and those are British media reports. Obviously in Ireland we have a huge exposure to British media. Are there any European media outlets proclaiming the arrival of Emperor Tony (that don't quote UK media reports)?


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,462 ✭✭✭✭WoollyRedHat


    namloc1980 wrote: »
    Blair is British and those are British media reports. Obviously in Ireland we have a huge exposure to British media. Are there any European media outlets proclaiming the arrival of Emperor Tony (that don't quote UK media reports)?

    O.k fair enough, but if the reports and the sources are perceived to be true then it doesn't really matter if its British or not.


  • Registered Users Posts: 721 ✭✭✭MarkK


    but if you read the latest media reports Blair is the favourite to take the position as it stands. So there is a difference to could and likely.

    What I believe is happening is that the British Tory press (Times, Sun and Telegraph) are pushing the idea that Blair is a certainty for the role.
    By doing this they know they will damage the likelihood of him getting the job.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,462 ✭✭✭✭WoollyRedHat


    The independent is also touting this line:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/euro-star-could-tony-blair-become-the-first-eu-president-1792117.html

    While the Tories may be trying to smear Blair, he is still a forerunner within EU circles.


  • Registered Users Posts: 721 ✭✭✭MarkK


    Duplicate post


  • Registered Users Posts: 721 ✭✭✭MarkK


    The independent is also touting this line:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/euro-star-could-tony-blair-become-the-first-eu-president-1792117.html

    While the Tories may be trying to smear Blair, he is still a forerunner within EU circles.

    He is a leading candidate, but he is far from a certainty for the role.

    It's win-win for the Tory press. If Blair wins, it's "a stitch up pretending to be democracy" if not, it will be "unelected foreigner is our president" etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 605 ✭✭✭vinylbomb


    MarkK wrote: »
    What I believe is happening is that the British Tory press (Times, Sun and Telegraph) are pushing the idea that Blair is a certainty for the role.
    By doing this they know they will damage the likelihood of him getting the job.

    This theory actually could have a bit of something to it, given that the Times (which is the primary cheerleader in this case) leans to the right and Blair is left it doesnt add up.

    Anyway, this is a moot point as all that currently exists is speculation ONLY in the British media.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    I have said it before (perhaps on this thread, I'm not sure): what we are probably seeing is that Tony Blair wants the job, and he and his people are talking up his prospects as part of his campaign.

    Add to that a certain amount of vanity, something that I think we might all agree that Blair has: President of Europe sounds so much more impressive than President of the European Council.

    The other two Presidents of Europe might have something to say about the re-designation of the job.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34,567 ✭✭✭✭Biggins


    The Conservatives have vowed to try and block Tony Blair from becoming the first President of Europe.

    Shadow foreign secretary William Hague declared that his party was preparing to lobby European capitals in an effort to block the appointment.

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1217569/Tories-tell-Brussels-Tony-Blair-EU-President-Ireland-votes-Yes-Lisbon-Treaty.html?ITO=1490&referrer=yahoo#ixzz0SsdMh2Ti
    I honestly don't know that to think.


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