George Lee on Frontline

Seth Brundle

Cabra wrote: »

Anyway George will be back in RTE by the end of the month - I'm sure they have a vacancy in children's programming - or he could join Charlie Bird on the woe is me nobody loves me wagon!

Doesn't he still have dibs on his old job?

Cabra

Not allowed - he would be considered tainted to comment on Government economic policy - RTE hacks who dip their toes in the murky world of politics end up assigned to something obscure and inoffensive - think Sean Duignan - Orla Guerin ended up leaving RTE. Anyway, they've appointed Sean Whelan as economics editor, even though his not an economist - only in RTE could it happen!

Greentopia

Jip wrote: »

I don't think you could be further from the truth. He had no idea of the back room slog involved and went in feet first.

He said himself now that he wasn't afraid of hard work, that wasn't the problem.
Yes he was impatient to get things done because of the dire straits we are in and wanted to get things done NOW, not years down the line.
That to me is a good thing! I think he knew what the "backroom slog" meant-a gradual erosion of his integrity and honesty and becoming institutionalised-as he said politicians are in Dail Eireann, and couldn't stomach it.

BTW, I'm not a member of any party and don't live in his constituency. I just feel the country is worse off now for not having him in politics.

I guess the term "honest politician" can only ever be an oxymoron.
At least in this country anyway

I actually LOLed when I heard Leo V. say the majority of politicians are honest here. What a joke!

Fiskar

Do you not think the George Lee saga is symtomatic of the problem in Irish politics, Too many jadded personalities?
I can see it unfolding as follows, Kenny wants to be Taoseach (by default, his ego being bigger than the number of seats FG will win), Gilmore wants to be Taoseach by merit (probably win more seats). This powerplay will play into the hands of F Fail who unless the F G leadership is sorted pre election stand to lose less seats by virtue of the F G - Labour fighting over the spoils of power.
Now Fg have lost a seat in south county Dub that they probably won't win back. :rolleyes:

hmmm

Gretchy wrote: »

The level of education that GL brought to this party outshone the majority he joined there.

What was this exactly and you do know Bruton's economic credentials? We're not about to make Charlie Bird head of the relief effort in Haiti because he was a reporter there.

yoshytoshy

Who takes george lees place now ?

Seth Brundle

yoshytoshy wrote: »

Who takes george lees place now ?

In Fine Gael? I doubt they even know yet.
In DS? We'll know after a by-election.

Dotsie~tmp

yoshytoshy wrote: »

Who takes george lees place now ?

Dublin Bus.

yoshytoshy

kbannon wrote: »

In Fine Gael? I doubt they even know yet.
In DS? We'll know after a by-election.

Oul georgie will probably be reporting on the by-elections for rte

InReality

George is going to be on VB now!

Its hilarious in a way , just as well he was able to leave frontline at 10pm !

imangry29

The audience did a great job of praising Lee for taking a stand whilst taking pot shots at Fine Gael. For some reason the country pours far more scrutiny over Kenny and Fine Gael than we do over Cowen and the current government. Should we not be embarrassed by Cowen's hands off approach to EVERYTHING??? No instead we analyse every aspect of Kenny, his voice, persona, even hairstyle etc. (very important matters indeed) Lets not forget who the electorate have returned to power most often. Lee is right in criticising the system but the system is a product of FF historical dominance. FG has the most radical policy for reform of the system, (http://www.finegael.org/media/b/109/article/). Any credit to Kenny for this? Keny has faced down the "institutionalised" even within his own party. Has Cowen shown similar leadership?? Where are FF/Green plans for reform of government???

Ultimately Lee was impatient (nine months as TD, how many months of this was the Dail sitting???). His hurried exit vindicates Kenny/FG decision not to promote him. What use would his impatience and petulence be at the Cabinet table? We can install top economists as civil servants. Politicians need to be skilled team players eg, Bruton, Varadkar and to a lesser extent Creighton. Do not blame Kenny for Lee's ego.

gandalf

imangry29 I think the reason that Kenny has so much scuntiny from the country is we have to have a leader who is light years away from the idiots who have been leading us for the last 20 years. Unfortunately given this episode it is obvious that Kenny is not that man.

If FG want to win the next election they need to take action now. If they don't then god help us all.

Cabra

And here he is in a TV studio near you! Now he's on TV3 with Vincent Browne!

RoundyMooney

I'd say there's some bang off that suit by now, he's been under studio lights, and running around like a rabid greyhound all day.

Will be interesting to see if VB goes for the Enda question.

Cabra

And he'd have to do his own make up for studio in TV3 - no make up rooms out there! At least his foundation would still be good from RTE!

RoundyMooney

Still not saying anything tangible on policy, either.

Cabra

The Enda question is pointless unless the parliamentary party are getting nervous and there is no clear alternative

gandalf

Oh please someone hold Vincent back he is mauling George!!

imangry29

deadtiger wrote: »

imangry29 I think the reason that Kenny has so much scuntiny from the country is we have to have a leader who is light years away from the idiots who have been leading us for the last 20 years. Unfortunately given this episode it is obvious that Kenny is not that man.

If FG want to win the next election they need to take action now. If they don't then god help us all.

If we have to have this Peter Perfect leader, then why is there not more outcry from the public on Cowen's abysmal performance, not to mention our inglorious Tanaiste? Why do we not demand resignations from FF members? Why is noone in FF willing to rock the boat? Shake the system? FF HAVE ALL THE POWER and green friends they need to reform. Lets start demanding more of the Government. The opposition will have to rise to this standard also. What will a leadership contest do for FG?? Answer: Give FF all the political rope they need to stay in power, with their usual bully boy/promise-the-world tactics. Lets see Kenny, Bruton and a few of the younger backs show a united front, put Lee in the past and move on with a message that Lee's departure is not the problem. The current government is.

Greentopia

deadtiger wrote: »

imangry29 I think the reason that Kenny has so much scuntiny from the country is we have to have a leader who is light years away from the idiots who have been leading us for the last 20 years. Unfortunately given this episode it is obvious that Kenny is not that man.

If FG want to win the next election they need to take action now. If they don't then god help us all.

Agreed, and that means only one thing-Kenny stepping down and R. Bruton becoming party leader, but will Kenny be able to swallow his pride and ambition and check his ego enough to do that? Doubtful. I think the current "mutterings" will have to become a loud chorus to oust him before that happens.
I'll stick my neck out and predict that it will happen though before the next election.:p

Cabra

Whine, whine whine, nobody gave me enough hugs - he's really starting to annoy me - he had a mandate to do something, dont they all?

gofortheball

FFers singing this the lenght and breath of the country...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSk5_R26rJE

JonathanAnon

Tenner says that he's hosting Play TV after midnight as well..

Cabra

I'm coming to the conclusion that he couldnt handle not being the star all of the time and didnt think he had to use the existing ways to get his views heard in the party - you have to be prepared to fight your corner where it matters - VB making mincemeat of him!

gandalf

imangry29 wrote: »

If we have to have this Peter Perfect leader, then why is there not more outcry from the public on Cowen's abysmal performance, not to mention our inglorious Tanaiste? Why do we not demand resignations from FF members? Why is noone in FF willing to rock the boat? Shake the system? FF HAVE ALL THE POWER and green friends they need to reform. Lets start demanding more of the Government. The opposition will have to rise to this standard also. What will a leadership contest do for FG?? Answer: Give FF all the political rope they need to stay in power, with their usual bully boy/promise-the-world tactics. Lets see Kenny, Bruton and a few of the younger backs show a united front, put Lee in the past and move on with a message that Lee's departure is not the problem. The current government is.

Because people like me want to make sure that FF are not in power after the next election, we really want to make sure they get a very clear message with a disastrous return of seats.

Unfortunately given the current leadership of the two main opposition parties I am not confident that they will win over enough of the floating voters for this to happen. After today if the status quo is maintained in FG's I believe there is a danger that FF (and the Green if any survive) will be returned as the government again.

tech77

JonathanAnon wrote: »

Tenner says that he's hosting Play TV after midnight as well..

Browne is taking none of it.
TBH, Lee sounded like the rest of them there when Browne asked him a fairly straightforward question about his politics.

hmmm

"Inequality is a terrible thing and we need to do stuff about it".

His input to policy formation will be missed . I can only hope himself and Sarah Palin team up to launch a new party.

imangry29

JonathanAnon wrote: »

Tenner says that he's hosting Play TV after midnight as well..

:D:D

deadtiger, would be afraid that FF would make political hay with a FG leadership contest. Would a new leader have the support of al FG-ers, which Kenny has worked hard to achieve (bar Lee's ego and mutterings of probably Deasy and co)? Contest could reignite old divisions which Kenny has extinguished. Which could end in FF gain.

JonathanAnon

JonathanAnon wrote: »

Tenner says that he's hosting Play TV after midnight as well..

Hey I bet Brian Lenihan rings in for the numbers game and gets it wrong..

Looked bad there the way Vincent skipped the only female contributor (whos a bit cute actually), and got all the men's opinions first..

tech77

Your one from The Star isn't bad. :pac: