The C&H Irish presidential election discussion thread

jumpguy

Ugh, Gallagher as a speaker just annoys me. He seems to have no personality and everything he says sounds rote-learnt and robotic.

EDIT: Omg I'm watching this on RTÉ Player only now. SHUT UP ABOUT THE BILLION DOLLARS DANA, YOU CAN DO FÚCK ALL, AND IT'S JUST REMINDING ME OF DR. EVIL!

KnifeWRENCH

Agnostic Mantis wrote: »

I think I made it pretty clear that I don't think the president should be considered as an ambassador for Ireland, when it is a position based on this kind of image-making.

Whether you consider the president an ambassador or not, the reality is that it is part of the role. So I don't think it inappropriate that a good ambassador is selected.
For example would you be happy with someone like Dana (far right Christian, anti-contraception, EU hating, family values campaigner) as our head of state? Maybe you wouldn't care but I personally shudder at the thought.

I believe we already have ambassadors for Ireland, ie: people of Ireland, and that other guy, what's his name, oh yeah, the Irish ambassador.

We have just one ambassador? Wow, he must be busy! :P

Maybe the reason that I'm not voting is to do with the fact that this image-making and maintaining has nothing to do with the actual office.

Then don't vote based on the image-making. Vote based on who you think will do the actual political aspects of the job the best. It's certainly a better approach to take than not voting at all.

The president performs an important role from time to time, with regards to signing on laws being passed, or instigating referendums- I don't think this kind of bizarre public spectacle should not be a part of that office's basic function.

Ok, you don't think the public spectacle thing is important. That's certainly a valid point.
But while you recognise that the president can perform an important role, you still say you won't vote. I'm afraid can't take that point of view seriously.

Damn! I should have posted in the gardening forum, because that would've been a much better place than a thread on the actually topic of my post. My post's been thanked, so it would seem people agree with me- maybe this was actually the right place to post after all?!

People generally don't post on the X-Factor thread to go "OMG the X-Factor is so pointless, I don't care about it." Same kinda thing here imo.
Again, your point about the media's handling of it being undignified is valid. It's just a shame you couldn't make that point without the condescending tone towards people who actually take an interest in who our next head of state will be.

Very good point. Are you a speech writer for one of the candidates by any chance?

Not yet sadly but I have been told I'm a good writer before! And if I was a speechwriter I'd stay away from hyperbole like "This election is the most cringe-worthy tripe ever"

Yeah, the fact that an event is taking place in the future means any comment on that topic is totally irrelevant, there being no precedent for a budget in the history of forever. And you're right, it is better to talk about these things just as their about to happen, rather than before time, when some sort of difference can actually be made. It's a good thing this thread was started today, when the event is actually happening, and not over a month ago.

Generally, speculation about the budget doesn't happen until a couple of weeks beforehand. In and around the time the Book of Estimates comes out. To suggest the presidential election is responsible for no-one commenting on the budget at this time isn't very accurate imo. And sadly it's very unlikely that any level of public debate is going to impact very much on the budget; more than likely it's going to be "Cut. Cut. Austerity. Cut."

jumpguy

Right then.

Dana - Just not intelligent enough for the job. Nice amiable lady, but for the entire debate she went on about the senior bondholders whenever she could. Jayzuz.

Mitchell - He brings nothing new to the table. He seems old, tired, and I really dunno what FG was thinking putting him as president. He's just your average, run-of-the-mill politician, nothing outstanding or even interesting at all. His tirade against Pat Kenny at the end of the Frontline debate was utterly pathetic. Fair play to Pat for putting him in line.

Higgins - Great man, I do wonder if he's too old for the job, but he seems quite energetic for his age. Also, if he got presidency, it'd send out a great message to older people that "being too old" is only a mindset - any age is what you make it, and staying proactive and happy could do wonders to offset dementia-related problems.

Davis - Neaghh...I dunno if she's done the best job campaigning. She's grand...but there's better candidates there.

Gallagher - Oh wow. What a turnaround. I sincerely hope he doesn't get presidency after that. Verrrrrry cynical. And also, he's an awful orator imo.

Norris - He did very well in that debate, and he's once again being kinda considered by me, despite his previous comments on paedophilia. I dunno, people can change as they learn more.

Who am I forgetting....

Oh yeah, McGuinness - A bullish, aggressive man, with bitterness in his heart over the North and links to the IRA. It'd be a disgrace to see him get presidency - it'd be completely inappropriate.


Seriously considering trying to juggle my timetable so I can get home on Thursday night to vote and miss a minimal amount of lectures on Friday...also 5-day weekend...mmm...

JamJamJamJam

jumpguy wrote: »

Higgins - Great man, I do wonder if he's too old for the job, but he seems quite energetic for his age. Also, if he got presidency, it'd send out a great message to older people that "being too old" is only a mindset - any age is what you make it, and staying proactive and happy could do wonders to offset dementia-related problems.

Oh, I hadn't thought of that Everyone's saying 'He's too old!!' or 'He's not too old!!', while not so many people are saying 'He's old, but so what?' So good point, Guy of Jumping.

jumpguy wrote: »

Norris - He did very well in that debate, and he's once again being kinda considered by me, despite his previous comments on paedophilia. I dunno, people can change as they learn more.

I thought his comments on paedophilia were simply discussing historical facts about some ancient Greek traditions of men taking responsibility for the sexual education of boys/young men, which got manipulated into "He's defending paedophilia!!"..? Now, I'm not sure because I'd just heard that particular defence of Norris a couple of times so it might be untrue, buuuuut I assumed it was :P

EDIT: I'm not sure that you're talking about the letter, but on that topic I don't think there's anything in there defending paedophilia. I think it's just more of an attempt to protect a person he loved. It's kind of interesting to read considering all the fuss over it. (At the same time, it's a little bit dull, really). http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0730/norrisletter.pdf

That is all

shadowninty

I think Norris's problem is he never knows when to shut up

Colm!

jumpguy wrote: »

Omg I'm watching this on RTÉ Player only now. SHUT UP ABOUT THE BILLION DOLLARS DANA, YOU CAN DO FÚCK ALL, AND IT'S JUST REMINDING ME OF DR. EVIL!

Funny that you mentioned that.

found via reddit.com/r/ireland


five thousand euro.

unknown13

JamJamJamJam wrote: »

Why are some people not voting for Higgins?

Because we live in a country whose political system is called a Democracy and we are under no obligations to be dictated who we can and can't vote for.

djcervi

It's good to see your views on all the candidates. I was really thinking about voting for Seán Gallagher, but since last night's debate I don't think I want to give him my no. 1. As soon as money and accounts were mentioned, it just brought back Bertie Ahern and all that.

I'm thinking David Norris again. Although I think he could be good, I think he could be a bit of a PR disaster. The whole Pederastry talk he had with some journalist, was probably a bit controversial, considering child sex abuse. Referring to the ancient Greek idea of a mature man showing a young man how it all works is probably not the best way of doing things, when you refer it to your own experiences growing up. Then again, we could question what was the nature of that conversation exactly. I don't know exactly if there was a mention of statutory rape/ age of consent along with that. I'm well aware that I'm probably basing my view on sketchy information, but that's all I got till I get more information.

I was thinking Mary Davis. Apart from the tried and tested 'Mary method', I liked her background in Special Needs Olympics, since Special Needs is close to my family. But I just get the impression that she just talks, that's really it.

Higgins is a tough one as well. My views are socialist, so I would go for the Labour Party candidate. But I'm just afraid of the position turning back into a retirement position. Both Marys veered away from this. Though I think he knows his stuff.

The rest of them: just wouldn't want to see them.

Another day to think about it. :eek:

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

I should have moved my vote to Galway. I don't think it'll be possible to get home to vote.

Aoibheann

Guys, some of the more recent posts here have been a touch passive-aggressive. Just a request/mild warning for you all to get back to the topic at hand without making jibes at each other.

Junco Partner

just realised my polling card is gonna arrive back home while i'm in college no voting for me

Lawliet

Looks like Higgins has it, David Norris has already congratulated him. Quite happy about this! Surprisingly Dana is doing better than Davis, appearently being a bit of a wreck is better than having no personality at all.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

You know what I just realized? Sean Gallagher was attacked for being a Fianna Failer in disguise but why didn't Mary McAleese get criticized for being a Fianna Failer? She really got off lightly these past few years.

JamJamJamJam

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

You know what I just realized? Sean Gallagher was attacked for being a Fianna Failer in disguise but why didn't Mary McAleese get criticized for being a Fianna Failer? She really got off lightly these past few years.

Probably because she got out before the trouble really emerged. Apparently she wasn't tooooo strongly FF so that probably helped. Aaand her husband is a dentist so she gets bonus points for that :P

Dentistry ftw!!

SarahBeep!

JamJamJamJam wrote: »

Probably because she got out before the trouble really emerged.

And she's unreal!!! Delighted with all the results tbh. I am surprised that Norris did so badly like.....Martin Mc Guinness in 3rd....what the hell like! :eek:

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Not surprised with McGuinness almost everyone I know was voting for him number one. I know 'What Duffys mates say' isn't a reliable poll, but still.

randylonghorn

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

You know what I just realized? Sean Gallagher was attacked for being a Fianna Failer in disguise but why didn't Mary McAleese get criticized for being a Fianna Failer? She really got off lightly these past few years.

Um, probably because Sean Gallagher was up for election *now* while Mary McAleese's last time to have to submit to the will of the electorate was 14 years ago? (She was returned unopposed 7 years ago.)

And as President in office, she was and should be devoid of a public connection to any particular party or party ideology (whatever her personal views might be).

That she pretty much succeeded in this is evidenced for me at least by the fact that I had forgotten that she was originally nominated by FF.

Her personal views crept through once or twice all right I think ... as they will with anyone I guess. And those views owed much to her personal background as a nationalist born in Northern Ireland, and I suspect her choosing FF as her political party down south also owed much to those views and background. I never had any sense of her as a "Fianna Fáil President" though.