The Official After Hours Presidential Election Thread **POLL RESET 23/10**

Mr Benevolent

We already elected Biggins the AH President for Life. What other elections could we possibly need?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

So the religious family thou-shalt-not-whatever are polling 0.83% of the vote combined. Lovely.

SV

The amount of people voting for Norris on this poll is disheartening.

joke of a man.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

kraggy wrote: »

Jesus wept. Norris on 41%.

Let nobody who says they're voting for Norris ever criticise or complain about the likes of Bertie Ahern, John O'Donoghue, Michael Lowry again. Cause if you do, as I'm concerned, that'd make you a hypocrite, pure and simple.

After the heartache of the last 3 years we've been collectively crying out for a change from gombeen politics where TD's etc have inappropriately used their position to influence that which is none of their business. And here we are with Norris on 41%.

No wonder Ireland is on its last legs.

The people you mentioned bancrupted teh country, stole and probably did far more damage and caused more pain to children then Norris' six letters did. Who's the hypocrite now?

(And no, I'm not/wouldn't be a Norris voter)

COYW

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

So the religious family thou-shalt-not-whatever are polling 0.83% of the vote combined. Lovely.

Dana is never going to poll well on a forum like this. She will get her votes from the pro-life supporters. I know a few people who are voting for her on that basis.

Gmol

Waiting for the headline 'David Norris in aras race' or 'Cavan candidate wins tight aras race' so my vote is with either of them

Notorious97

The Army serves Ireland, regardless of who is the figure head, the Army serves Ireland. As a previous poster mentioned they had to do their duty when FF came to power, even though the opposing force had killed General Michael Collins and countless other Irish soldiers.

I will be voting for MMG, I think the work he has done towards the peace process is a good reflection on him. I personally never thought he would sit down with Unionists as he has done, when they put him forward for Deputy FM i definitely thought he wont get on with them. I was thankfully pleasantly surprised to see how some sense of normality has been given to NI, and that the people can finally get past the troubles and move on. I put this down in part to MMG’s contribution to this, along with equally impressive contributions from the Unionist side.

I will not be voting for Norris because I really do not see what value he can add to this country. I am all for Gay rights, whatever they want they should have, after all we were founded on the idea of liberty and equality. I stand by my opinion people are voting him in because he is gay, and they see this as some statement of how we have moved on. We don’t need a gay president to show we have moved on, Irish peoples attitudes to the ways of the past have drastically changed, and for the better, him being gay shouldn’t have any good or bad influence on his running, but i feel this is the basis people will vote for him. I am aware he has some core supporters who feel differently and that’s their opinion.

The rest to be honest i couldn’t be bothered with.

It will be a good race to watch im sure, good luck to all but i know who i would like to see serving as our President.

Lord Trollington

SV wrote: »

The amount of people voting for Norris on this poll is disheartening.

joke of a man.

I would say thats a little OTT.

But I still cannot figure out why he is getting the votes on here that he is.

Is there many people in AH that are gay/lesbian that share a lot of his views?

I think the Key Question for everyone on here is what do people look for in a president?

newballsplease

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Hilarious post.

You can forgive someone who used to be in command of a terrorist organization responsible for the death of 1,700 people, yet someone who asked for clemency for a convicted pederast is an abomination?

Not a supporter of Norris BTW. One of these men is a mere political disgrace, the other is a disgrace of a human being.

So were DeValera and Mick Collins disgraceful human beings?

arybvtcw0eolkf

I wonder, if Norris has wrote a letter of clemency for an Irish priest accused of violating, raping, an Irish child would that have been different for his supporters now?...

Or can we sit comfortably by and let it happen to other's in the same way we can call on the unionist parties up in the north of Ireland to enter into a power sharing assembly with Adams, MMG & Co. but we dare not ask it of ourselves?.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

COYW wrote: »

He is one shrewd operator and I think he would represent the country very well when abroad from a business perspective. As a salesperson for the county, no one else can hold a candle to him.

I'd be a bit skeptical about someone who sees the country run on business lines. He does seem like a good candidate, though, that aside.

keano_afc

I'll be voting for Michael D. If he's any sense he should come out and declare himself gay, it would be in the bag.

Pal

The voting for Norris is very encouraging if it proves to be accurate.
IMO he would make an excellent President.
Looks like 41% of others agree.

One has to bear in mind that a lot of people under 30 were not around during the seventies and eighties, but if they were, they might feel differently about who they vote for. Or more importantly, who they don't vote for.

KeithAFC

newballsplease wrote: »

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Hilarious post.

You can forgive someone who used to be in command of a terrorist organization responsible for the death of 1,700 people, yet someone who asked for clemency for a convicted pederast is an abomination?

Not a supporter of Norris BTW. One of these men is a mere political disgrace, the other is a disgrace of a human being.

So were DeValera and Mick Collins disgraceful human beings?

Some would say yes. Republicans would say DeValera was. Don't think it is a crime for people to have those views.

stovelid

COYW wrote: »

An "Anyone but McGuinness" option would be nice for the 'West Brits' amongst us.

Self-loathing, begrudging, neo-unionist West Britons has a better ring to it and has a more pleasing concatenation of mindless cliches.

keano_afc

kraggy wrote: »

Jesus wept. Norris on 41%.

Let nobody who says they're voting for Norris ever criticise or complain about the likes of Bertie Ahern, John O'Donoghue, Michael Lowry again. Cause if you do, as I'm concerned, that'd make you a hypocrite, pure and simple.

After the heartache of the last 3 years we've been collectively crying out for a change from gombeen politics where TD's etc have inappropriately used their position to influence that which is none of their business. And here we are with Norris on 41%.

No wonder Ireland is on its last legs.

Very well said. Its at the stage now where Norris can do pretty much whatever he wants, people are going to vote for him regardless.

Wolfe Tone

I will be voting for Martin McGuiness. Politically he is miles ahead of the other candidates, he has lots of experience at the type of thing the president does but he is a proven leader and a great man to boot.

stovelid

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

and a great man to boot.

I'd be terrified to boot him.

old hippy

I don't vote back home anymore but if I did, it would probably be for Norris. Martin is a lovely boy but SF's northern contingent have little grasp of southern politics.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Pal wrote: »

One has to bear in mind that a lot of people under 30 were not around during the seventies and eighties, but if they were, they might feel differently about who they vote for. Or more importantly, who they don't vote for.

You could say the same for the young people of today.

In the 70's & 80's the country was largely ignorant of child sex abuse, but we all grew up with 'the troubles' (such a stupid term for a war).

Now we can't plead ignorance to child abuse in Ireland but it seem's as though we can excuse it once its someone else's child.

arybvtcw0eolkf

old hippy wrote: »

I don't vote back home anymore but if I did, it would probably be for Norris. Martin is a lovely boy but SF's northern contingent have little grasp of southern politics.

The general election is over.

keano_afc

Pal wrote: »

The voting for Norris is very encouraging if it proves to be accurate.
IMO he would make an excellent President.
Looks like 41% of others agree.

One has to bear in mind that a lot of people under 30 were not around during the seventies and eighties, but if they were, they might feel differently about who they vote for. Or more importantly, who they don't vote for.

Thankfully boards polls are rarely indicitive of the voting public. If I remember correctly Fianna Fail only got 4 seats in the boards election poll. Hopefully this one is just as wide of the mark.

stovelid

I like Norris in a lot of ways (taught me in college too) but I was appalled by the letter to be fair and won't be giving him a vote.

I'll be giving Micheal D a vote more in the sense of my dislike for other candidates than a ringing endorsement of him.

At the end of the day, I can't really get around spoiling a vote. Wasn't the way I was brought up which was not to squander a vote.

Pal

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

I will be voting for Martin McGuiness..

Respected

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Politically he is miles ahead of the other candidates, .

for an apolitical position ?

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

he has lots of experience at the type of thing the president does .

Like meeting Queens ?

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

but he is a proven leader .

proven Deputy Leader

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

and a great man to boot.

right

arybvtcw0eolkf

stovelid wrote: »

At the end of the day, I can't really get around spoiling a vote. Wasn't the way I was brought up which was not to squander a vote.

+1.

Not when Irish men and women fought and died for it and while other countries struggle for their rights to a free vote.

OP, you forgot the "Can't vote" option.

Bannasidhe

old hippy wrote: »

I don't vote back home anymore but if I did, it would probably be for Norris. Martin is a lovely boy but SF's northern contingent have little grasp of southern politics.

I actually think this is a fair point. As far as I know MMG has never lived or worked or been engaged in politics here. Socio-politically NI is very different to the Republic. Do we want a president who never actually lived among us until he became president?

mikemac

I wanted Michael D seven year ago so I'll definitly vote for him now

Met him often around Galway, very impressed with him

Some say he is old and doddery
But there was some passion in his last speech to the Dáil, passion I've not seen from the others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJJ5q1_5jX8

Let the West awake

Not bothered about discussing the others, I had my mind made up seven years ago

LaFlammeRouge

I'd love to spoil my vote because I don't like any of them. However with the presence of Martin McGuinness, I will be forced to give my vote to either Norris or Micheal D.

The_Minister

Bannasidhe wrote: »

I actually think this is a fair point. As far as I know MMG has never lived or worked or been engaged in politics here. Socio-politically NI is very different to the Republic. Do we want a president who never actually lived among us until he became president?

Actually yeah, what does he know about Ireland?

It'll be like Gerry Adams in the leaders debate all over again.