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

irishdude11

If Fianna Fail's Sean Gallagher gets elected the Irish public will once have once again shown how easy they are for FF to manipulate. After all the hardship inflicted on the public and all our family members who have been forced to emigrate because of FF, it would be an absolute disgrace if a lying FFer like Gallagher became our President.

nice_very

LordSutch wrote: »

Well yes, I quite possibly would have fought in 1916, along with the other Irishmen who fought & died that easter, either that, or I would have been hiding in an Irish garrison in Dublin along with other west brits quelling the brave Rebels who brought about changes which eventually led to forming our own government, in Easter that year. Of course, all this has nothing whatsoever to do with the Presidential election race, but you asked, so there's my answer.

Back to the 2011 Presidential elaction and with two and 1/2 weeks to go, it looks like Michael D Higgins may very well take the honours at this stage, and in my anti republican/sinn fein opinion its his for the taking, unless he slips up? then I guess Sean Gallagher would be the (younger) man to take it from him because I gnore how well MMG is doing just because he is a SF member.

fixed that for ya

diamondtooth

Yes I believe Gallagher is absolutely a FF candidate and will not be voting for him.
Is it true that Mary Coughlan appointed him to the board of FAS in 2010? That was kept quiet in the debates, if it is true!

Bannasidhe

diamondtooth wrote: »

Yes I believe Gallagher is absolutely a FF candidate and will not be voting for him.
Is it true that Mary Coughlan appointed him to the board of FAS in 2010? That was kept quiet in the debates, if it is true!

It's true - list available here: http://www.djei.ie/press/2010/20100121.htm

owainglyndwr

I found it amusing tonight when Olivia O'leary called MMG a liar.. It appears to me that Martin is not the only one who has been economical with the truth in his election bid (if in fact he is lying).. Michael D Higgins even had to fess up to his Pensions .. Whats the head count on liars so far?

Aren't these elections great ? Your learning about the candidates skeletons BEFORE they are elected .. The winner will have baggage but nice shiny Teeth and not so mass appeal .. Looks like Michael D just might be the safe option !

owainglyndwr

irishdude11 wrote: »

If you are looking for lies in this election look no further than Fianna Fail's Sean Gallagher -

1. Sean Gallagher saying - I left any involvement in Fianna Fáil in terms of being a member of the party or being active back in 2009.
2. Sean Gallagher going up and down the length of the country officially launching the election campaigns of several FF TDs in February 2011. Sean Gallagher attending an ogra ff event in 2010.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzNRhohYHIA

Gallagher IS 100% FF, just in case some people are still unaware.

I noticed they disabled comments on that clip .. I hate censorship and there seems to be a lot of that going on in Ireland lately.

General General

owainglyndwr wrote: »

I noticed they disabled comments on that clip .. I hate censorship and there seems to be a lot of that going on in Ireland lately.

Download, then upload on your youtube account & let the comments rain on.

Welcome back, by the way...

owainglyndwr

General General wrote: »

Download, then upload on your youtube account & let the comments rain on.

Welcome back, by the way...

I did that with an AIPAC clip ..Google "AIPAC brain washing America's finest!"

Thanks .. The Mods put me on the naughty step for 3 days ! :eek:

Deedsie

Matt Cooper has a presidential debate this evening from 16:30 on TodayFM.

Phill Ewinn

Deedsie wrote: »

Matt Cooper has a presidential debate this evening from 16:30 on TodayFM.

Can't tell if they're lying on radio as you can't see their lips moving.

Phill Ewinn

irishdude11 wrote: »

If Fianna Fail's Sean Gallagher gets elected the Irish public will once have once again shown how easy they are for FF to manipulate. After all the hardship inflicted on the public and all our family members who have been forced to emigrate because of FF, it would be an absolute disgrace if a lying FFer like Gallagher became our President.

Sean is what I'd call a professional Fianna Failer. He's had a lot of success on the back of that. Getting handed this and that by FF. Time now to pay up for that allegiance. He's chosen his sides. It's not the side the tax payer is on. It's not the side your children are on. It's FFs side. The side that ruined this country for the benefit of their banking mates.

My name is URL

Phill Ewinn wrote: »

Sean is what I'd call a professional Fianna Failer. He's had a lot of success on the back of that. Getting handed this and that by FF. Time now to pay up for that allegiance. He's chosen his sides. It's not the side the tax payer is on. It's not the side your children are on. It's FFs side. The side that ruined this country for the benefit of their banking mates.

He didn't receive too much for being a member of FF

The independent candidate held seats on several boards over the last four years including Fás, InterTrade Ireland, the Drogheda Port Company, and several charity organisations.

He was paid €9,000 a year in 2008 and 2009 by InterTrade Ireland, then €8,100 in 2010 and €4,050 so far this year. Gallagher claimed €400 in expenses during 2008, but has not made any further claims since then.

He received €11,000 from Fás last year, but said the entire fee was donated to charity. All Gallagher’s other board positions were unpaid and carried no expenses.

Mary Davis received €190,000 for the time she spent on various quangos over the same period.

Dismissing Gallagher just because he had/has ties to FF is very myopic. The majority of people voted for FF in consecutive elections, most of them didn't in the last one. People can change their allegiances and outlooks.. thank feck.

Phill Ewinn

Haven't heard Gallagher criticise FF at all in this election. If he's all about creating jobs, why is he mates withose those who destroyed so many jobs?

Do you imagine Gallgher getting elected to the Aras will make what his mates did alright? Fvck him, fvck his mates. FF winning any election in this country would be an insult to every right minded individual.

Mountainlad

I know McGuinness is from Derry, but does anyone else think it a bit rich that he lauched his campaign in a different country? And he said about being president of Ireland, not just the Republic or something along those lines. I mean, that's not true, he won't be president of all of Ireland, just this state. I'm not saying all the supporters of him are guilty of this, but a lot of people backing him are just 'our finest patriots' who in reality don't have a clue!

It's one thing being forgiven for leading an organisation that murdered innocent people (and not something I'm ready to do)...it's another to make that person President. The office may have little influence, but it is still given the title 'head of state', and really an ex-terrorist is not somebody who should occupy such a position, at least not in my view.

To be honest, it seems as if the whole letters controversy has done Norris as much good as it has bad. I feel he can't be elected really. What he was attempting to condone is illegal, it is wrong. He attempted to abuse his position in the Seanad, and also the way he wrote the letters seemed to me as if he elevated himself above 'normal' people with the way he spoke of himself...and not once did he mention he was in a long-term relationship with the man in question. It's obvious from that, and the fact that more letters have come to light now, that he would happily conceal things like that, which would portray him in a bad light. In other words, he's displayed blatant dishonesty.

Most of the rest of the candidates are rather weak in my opinion. How Dana got nominated is beyond me, and the poll clearly indicates the extent to which Gay Mitchell is faltering. I don't see Seán Gallagher as president material either.

Michael D. is getting my vote (or at least would be), as to me he is the only respectable person there. I'm a big supporter of the national language as I went through my 1st and 2nd level education thorugh Irish, and it's clear he has done much work in promoting the language.

As another poster mentioned though, it is almost by process of elimination that I've come to that decision.

One question, are we assigned polling slips to vote in the polling station in our consitituency? I'll probably be in college on the Thursday, so would it mean I'd have to travel home to vote? It would seem odd to me that that would be the system in place, as it would virtually rule out all third level students from voting, a significant proportion of registered voters.

Fishooks12

Deedsie wrote: »

Matt Cooper has a presidential debate this evening from 16:30 on TodayFM.

Hopefully Matt will keep the volume on Norris down if he decides to start shouting and roaring again

Fishooks12

Mountainlad wrote: »

To be honest, it seems as if the whole letters controversy has done Norris as much good as it has bad.

With all due respect that's simply in-true. Norris went from 9/4 favourite to 33/1 outsider all because of the **** storm caused by those letters (albeit his performance in the debates didn't help him). They certainly have not done him much good at all and has ultimately cost him his chance

Rookster

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Hopefully Matt will keep the volume on Norris down if he decides to start shouting and roaring again

Maybe he should be neutered.

RachaelVO

Watching the webcast on today FM, MMcG is doing really well. Dammit! I really want to not like him, but in as much as I don't agree with his politics, I'm liking him more and more! He just sounds like a good laugh and someone I'd like to go for a pint with!

Dammit, he's wrecking my head!

billybudd

Mountainlad wrote: »

I know McGuinness is from Derry, but does anyone else think it a bit rich that he lauched his campaign in a different country? And he said about being president of Ireland, not just the Republic or something along those lines. I mean, that's not true, he won't be president of all of Ireland, just this state. I'm not saying all the supporters of him are guilty of this, but a lot of people backing him are just 'our finest patriots' who in reality don't have a clue!

It's one thing being forgiven for leading an organisation that murdered innocent people (and not something I'm ready to do)...it's another to make that person President. The office may have little influence, but it is still given the title 'head of state', and really an ex-terrorist is not somebody who should occupy such a position, at least not in my view.

To be honest, it seems as if the whole letters controversy has done Norris as much good as it has bad. I feel he can't be elected really. What he was attempting to condone is illegal, it is wrong. He attempted to abuse his position in the Seanad, and also the way he wrote the letters seemed to me as if he elevated himself above 'normal' people with the way he spoke of himself...and not once did he mention he was in a long-term relationship with the man in question. It's obvious from that, and the fact that more letters have come to light now, that he would happily conceal things like that, which would portray him in a bad light. In other words, he's displayed blatant dishonesty.

Most of the rest of the candidates are rather weak in my opinion. How Dana got nominated is beyond me, and the poll clearly indicates the extent to which Gay Mitchell is faltering. I don't see Seán Gallagher as president material either.

Michael D. is getting my vote (or at least would be), as to me he is the only respectable person there. I'm a big supporter of the national language as I went through my 1st and 2nd level education thorugh Irish, and it's clear he has done much work in promoting the language.

As another poster mentioned though, it is almost by process of elimination that I've come to that decision.

One question, are we assigned polling slips to vote in the polling station in our consitituency? I'll probably be in college on the Thursday, so would it mean I'd have to travel home to vote? It would seem odd to me that that would be the system in place, as it would virtually rule out all third level students from voting, a significant proportion of registered voters.

The current president is always referred to as the president of Ireland. i cannot remember a time when she was referred to as the president of the republic of Ireland.

Bannasidhe

billybudd wrote: »

The current president is always referred to as the president of Ireland. i cannot remember a time when she was referred to as the president of the republic of Ireland.

Is that like how Queen Elizabeth II is usually referred to as The Queen of England?

Doesn't matter what the president is usually referred to as - fact remains she/he is the president of the 26 county Republic of Ireland.

billybudd

Bannasidhe wrote: »

Is that like how Queen Elizabeth II is usually referred to as The Queen of England?

Doesn't matter what the president is usually referred to as - fact remains she/he is the president of the 26 county Republic of Ireland.

I am quite aware of that.

woodoo

So Gay Mitchell says he would be OK with Ireland rejoining the commonwealth if it meant a United Ireland.

I think that's a good idea. It would be like New Zealand or OZ. The queen in the ceremonial role of head of state. But it would be all the people of Ireland running the country and making the decisions.

Lord TSC

Out of interest, what are the benefits of joining the commonwealth? Is it all economic relationship building? Or is there more immediate ones?

squod

woodoo wrote: »

So Gay Mitchell says he would be OK with Ireland rejoining the commonwealth if it meant a United Ireland.

I think that's a good idea. It would be like New Zealand or OZ. The queen in the ceremonial role of head of state. But it would be all the people of Ireland running the country and making the decisions.

DELETED...... How many queens does one country need FFS.

woodoo

squod wrote: »

DELETED...... How many queens does one country need FFS.

What?

Bannasidhe

woodoo wrote: »

So Gay Mitchell says he would be OK with Ireland rejoining the commonwealth if it meant a United Ireland.

I think that's a good idea. It would be like New Zealand or OZ. The queen in the ceremonial role of head of state. But it would be all the people of Ireland running the country and making the decisions.

No rule to say the Monarch of UK & NI, C, A, NZ etc etc etc has to be head of state.

Our athletes would have more contests to enter....

Mountainlad

billybudd wrote: »

I am quite aware of that.

Yeah but he added that he'd consider himself president of the entire country (which doesn't exist) and that he would indeed travel over it during his tenure.

Biggins

Originally Posted by woodoo
So Gay Mitchell says he would be OK with Ireland rejoining the commonwealth if it meant a United Ireland.

I think that's a good idea. It would be like New Zealand or OZ. The queen in the ceremonial role of head of state. But it would be all the people of Ireland running the country and making the decisions.

He just wants a British head of state - end of story!

Bannasidhe wrote: »

No rule to say the Monarch of UK & NI, C, A, NZ etc etc etc has to be head of state.

Our athletes would have more contests to enter....

I think if most of us all seen Mitchel coming, we would all suddenly become runners!

* Whats even worse is that Fine Gael is actually supporting him!
I want to know - are they supporting this mad stance of his too? Good Gawd!!!

billybudd

Mountainlad wrote: »

Yeah but he added that he'd consider himself president of the entire country (which doesn't exist) and that he would indeed travel over it during his tenure.

Some people consider our country a 32 county country regardless of what law says, i am one and no i am not an ardent nationalist.

Bannasidhe

Mountainlad wrote: »

Yeah but he added that he'd consider himself president of the entire country (which doesn't exist) and that he would indeed travel over it during his tenure.

Um...couldn't he only 'officially' visit NI when invited (not talking about popping over the border to have tea with his Mammy or anything, I'm sure M McA may have popped in for a cuppa now and then and M McG is bound to know a few quiet routes where he could slip over the border incognito ) soooo who pays for those 'state visits'? Not sure we could afford many....and do we have to invite in return? If so...who pays for those?

Christ, its starting to look like it could turn into the Dinner Party from hell circuit...'Now Peter, we have to go, Martin came here last month!' 'Why can't Liz go? She's the bloody head of State!?!?!?!'