Sean Gallagher why is he doing so well in the polls?

Ronan|Raven

The man is a spoofer of the highest order.

spiralism

I really worry for this country if we elect Gallagher to the office, it indicates that we actually havent got a clue, he is FAR less qualified than Norris, MD and Mitchell, even McGuinness. I'd take any of them over him

for what its worth, a thursday election rules out a lot of the student vote, which would lean towards MD and Norris, Gallagher is lucky in some respect there too

Sierra Oscar

headmaster wrote: »

You forget one thing, he's a FF'r and we take care of our own. Some silly people thought there was no back, how wrong they were, how very, very, wrong. Great stunt by M Martin, fooled ya, didn't he? Ha ha ha

Ah now come on, as an FF member to an FF member we can both really say that being associated with FF is not why Gallagher is leading the polls. He is leading them because he simply is the best candidate.

Although this is turning out to be a big victory for Michael Martin within the party itself - the questions surrounding his leadership have dissipated over the course of the election. From day one he was stating that the people wanted an Independent candidate, as internal party polling indicated, and he has been absolutely correct so far.

jimmycrackcorm

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Y'know, I'm kind of the opinion that the presidency, the top job in the country, should be the LAST position anyone holds before retiring. A fitting reward for a life dedicated to public service.

See, my problem is that I see it as a job to do something for the country and not as a reward. Mary McAleese has performed a job admirably. We pay enough cushy public service pensions as it is without adding a plush pad in the park as a retirement bonus.

In 7-14 years time I don't particularly want to see SG (or anyone else) using it for their own personal, political or financial gain. It cheapens the position if SG ends up handing out business cards with 'Entrepeneur, Dragon & ex-president of Ireland' at trade-expos

It would be more likely that he, or any ex-president would take on a position that is less "Arthur Daly'ish" as you describe. Mary Robinson didn't return to law.

Other than Mary Robinson, what has any other former president done after leaving office?

Quite a few died.

mikeyboy

headmaster wrote: »

You forget one thing, he's a FF'r and we take care of our own. Some silly people thought there was no back, how wrong they were, how very, very, wrong. Great stunt by M Martin, fooled ya, didn't he? Ha ha ha

Despite the fact that I detect a note of sarcasm in your post I think you're probably right. As far as I can remember Fianna Fail's traditional core vote would have been somewhere around 40% which is also Gallagher's rating in the polls.

Colours

Sean Gallagher is your typical wide boy who profitted from the "I'm all right Jack" profligate ways of the Fianna Fail cowboys who landed this country in its current mess. He's coy about disassociating himself from Fianna Fail while at the same time making sure not to openly condemn their antics which brought the country to its knees. What exactly does the word "entrepreneur" actually mean beyond business networking and development? Big deal! Most people could give themselves this label with regard to what they do in their daily work. I too don't get what it is about him which appeals to people. I'd say it's because he resonates with the younger electorate by being involved with youth groups - or at least dropping this into his spiel every time he gets the air space.

nommm

Process of elimination really.

He hasn't tried to help a paedophile and he's not Dana so that puts him ahead in my books already. McGuiness's links to the IRA are off putting to say the least. That leaves Davis, I think she hasn't got enough charisma, doesn't put her point accross well etc.

So we're left with Gallaghar and Higgins, both come accross well in interviews which is important seen as president is simply a figure head that needs to be able to represent us well internationally. I believe both are fit for the job but Gallaghar might get peoples votes simply because he's a bit younger, we'll be less likely to have to spend money on another election.

hangon

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Ah now come on, as an FF member to an FF member we can both really say that being associated with FF is not why Gallagher is leading the polls. He is leading them because he simply is the best candidate.

but WHY is he leading the polls? which is the crux of OP?
if it is not FF related then what is it?
if GE results prove to continue as devastating for FF as it appeared in the last one into the next one,due to lack of funding they can only continue to dwindle 'so SG is only a front man to gain all those votes FF lost because people wanted to punish them but were shocked when they came in at only 19 seats.? interesting theory,but knowing FF it may not be a theory.

Jimoslimos

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

See, my problem is that I see it as a job to do something for the country and not as a reward. Mary McAleese has performed a job admirably. We pay enough cushy public service pensions as it is without adding a plush pad in the park as a retirement bonus.

Questions about the role of the presidency may need to be addressed. For the present I'd prefer someone who understands and accept the limitations rather than undermine the presidency (McGuinness I'm think about here).

It is a job to do something for the country, but its remit is extremely limited. Greeting foreign dignitaries, most of whom are non-executive or ceremonial head of states anways isn't going to bring the jobs flowing in. For all the talk on McAleese's great work in bringing the Queen over, the fact is that this can mostly be credited to the politicians, north, south and in London. Our president meeting the British monarch was a symbolic gesture but it came years AFTER the real work had been done.

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

It would be more likely that he, or any ex-president would take on a position that is less "Arthur Daly'ish" as you describe. Mary Robinson didn't return to law.

Mary Robinson already had a distinguished career behind her, there wasn't much else higher she could have aimed for - perhaps UN general secretary. Sean Gallagher is no Mary Robinson and will most likely be looking to build on his somewhat underwhelming career here in Ireland after the presidency.

hangon

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Questions about the role of the presidency may need to be addressed. For the present I'd prefer someone who understands and accept the limitations rather than undermine the presidency (McGuinness I'm think about here).

Overall Jimoslimos i agree with your post except that the only powers are calling the council of state.
refusing to sign a bill into law until the supreme court agree's it is Constitutional(then it must be signed or the President has to go)

refusing to dissolve the Dail if their is a chance a Govt can be formed without an election for a limited time
MMG has said he will follow precedent on these matters.

a president even needs permission to go abroad from the GOVT.(was refused to Mary Robinson once)
a president who referred a bill to the supreme court resigned when a Govt minister called it a "Thundering disgrace".
bottom line is the Govt will win everytime over the Prez.
it simply is not true that MMG could undermine the State even if he wanted to and that is not his agenda for running anyway.

puffdragon

While the rank and file of the now disgraced Fianna Fail in Donegal are trawling the pubs in a vain attempt to muster drunken voters for what they mistakenly believe is a Fianna Fail revival, I laugh at them , sorry remnants of a once jubilant but now sadly corrupt political party, how can anyone support this man ? why is he so high in the polls ? it must be the old old "vote with me daddy thing" Grow up people please!

I'm 49 and voted for Fianna Fail until my father died so I know where most of you are , Iv'e lived through the troubles in the north and been subjected on many ocassions to searches and wee english accents telling me to "empty your bag there mate" although not being their "mate" dident make much of a difference.

I've been beaten for singing republican songs in Ardstraw on the twelth of july and also been beaten in Carrick on Shannon for having a northern accent.

Of no particular strong republican side my mother( who is now 96years old) can still tell me that what we are living through now is nothing! "sure my father had to go for meal to Fintown with a donkey and kart, a three day journey no bother to him"

So at the end of all that I possess a keen sense for crap, a nose if you will for things of a deceitfull manner and Galagher reaks of Fianna Fail , there may be grants for the chosen , and there may be loans if your in the club, but mainly Mr Galagher will play into the hands of the IMF who make money from our distress .

Sierra Oscar

hangon wrote: »

but WHY is he leading the polls? which is the crux of OP?
if it is not FF related then what is it?

Because he is the most youthful candidate, he is energetic and he is positive with his message.

InchicoreDude

People are sheep; Once one poll showed a slight increase, or a media correspondent mentioned he was good, people jump on the bandwagon. Very few people in this country actually consider a candidate themselves; they follow what the media says

Annasopra

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

All of the other candidates have at some stage chosen to criticise others and I have'nt heard him do it.

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

He hasn't criticised, directly or indirectly, any of the other candidates either.

So what was he saying when he said the Aras shouldn't be a retirement home?

ArtSmart

hangon wrote: »

This is not a troll i am genuinely puzzled.
what is the attraction to people?

Manach wrote: »

He is not in one of the parties of the current government, which means that he benefits from people would be more inclined to give any independent a preference over FG/Lab.

LOL.

Although in a sense you're right.

for FF voters SG is a perfect candidate he's FF, but he's running as an independent - so that can assuage their guilt for shafting FF and now give FF the presidency, but without actually X'ing beside the FF sticker.


The second reason is the other candidates each have an Achilles heel, for MDH it's age.

Amalgam

He's a walking talking guff merchant. It is a ceremonial post. Himself, like Dana, make it sound like they're putting themselves up for job of 'Master of us all', when, in reality, they can do almost f_ck all with the post.

I can't undertsand how people can consider voting for someone that got a suspicious grant, then gave themselves a suspicious and potentially illegal 'loan', totalling, conveniently, close to the exact figure of the grant.

Yes, the others are a horrible bunch of professional moochers you'd happily nudge off a cliff.. but I'm shocked people can't scrutinise the shallowness of this person's character, study what's being presented, it just doesn't ring true.

ArtSmart

nesf wrote: »

Look at how the candidates lay out politically. You've McGuinness on the hard left, Norris and Higgins both firmly on the left, Dana and Mitchell on the conservative right and Davis espousing a weak leftish centrism. Gallagher has the centre/centre-right all to himself. I'm firmly convinced that if someone like Cox had gotten the nod from FG that Gallagher would be having a much tougher time of it.

Right now, excluding Davis as a non-entity along with Dana, you have the extremes taken up by Mitchell and McGuiness with the vote splitting down left vs centre/centre-right lines with Norris and Higgins splitting the left vote (though Norris should transfer strongly to Higgins).

Looking at how we voted last time out with most of the centre vote leaning right this isn't overly surprising. That and people seem to warm more to job centric rhetoric over social economy rhetoric right now. Things like fairness etc are the concerns of a nation back at work not one drawing the dole.

10/10.

and just to emphasis - FF have held the centre right as has FG.

FG lost this election by choosing Mitchell. Cox or MaireadMcG would have been much stronger. (they mightn't have won, but SG would be squeezed allowing MDH a clear shot.
hmmmm, i wonder...)

Eliot Rosewater

hangon wrote: »

what puzzles me most is why people of any age cannot see by even reading a one page CV of all the candidates puts Michael D miles ahead in terms of a life dedicated to statesmanship and culture than the others?

I could see how one could view Micheal D. Higgins' long tenure in Dail Eireann as a good thing. However you can also see it in a negative light too: he had a relatively sheltered career in a very well paid position and never had to really face the private sector challenges that most people have to face.

ArtSmart

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

I could see how one could view Micheal D. Higgins' long tenure in Dail Eireann as a good thing. However you can also see it in a negative light too: he had a relatively sheltered career in a very well paid position and never had to really face the private sector challenges that most people have to face.

em, you do realise the the presidency is 'a relatively sheltered career in a very well paid position' dont you? and not a private sector operation?

joking aside, all that 'well paid' work in the political and public service arena but nationally and internationally is exactly the experience required for the job.


unless, you're suggesting public servants are the bane of our life and the cause of our sufferings? Because, believe it or not, some from the private sector have suggested just that!

You nearly think builders and bankers were govt employees....

ildaite

We don't have the greatest record of good judgement electing leaders of late... FF, now Seán Gallagher. Oh, Ireland, I despair.

jbkenn

mango salsa wrote: »

So what was he saying when he said the Aras shouldn't be a retirement home?

Oh, it's a retirement home all right, and in Sean Gallagher case it will be gravy all the way.
SG is 47, after 7 year term where he will collect over €2 million in salary, he will 54, and entitled to full Presidential pension of €147,000 p.a.
Average male life expectancy in Ireland is 80 years so he could theoretically collect about €4 million in pension, and as the missus is considerably younger than him she will be entitled to half his pension for her lifetime.
Yup, he is some entrepreneur, spotted a guaranteed cash cow with no downside.

Eliot Rosewater

ArtSmart wrote: »

em, you do realise the the presidency is 'a relatively sheltered career in a very well paid position' dont you? and not a private sector operation?

I realise the presidency is a sheltered position, but I don't realise how that has anything to do with my point.

ArtSmart wrote: »

joking aside, all that 'well paid' work in the political and public service arena but nationally and internationally is exactly the experience required for the job.

In your opinion, and as I said it is one I can sympathise with. However if one wants a president that is proactive one could reasonably desire a person who has not had a "safe" position for all of their past history.

ArtSmart wrote: »

You nearly think builders and bankers were govt employees....

Well they mostly are these days, eh?

WalterMitty

He's the typical failed celtic tiger spoofer "businessman". Achieved nothing of substance and is just a good talker with a hard neck. Irish people gave FF 40+% in 2007 despite all the bertie corruption allegations and evidence of FF excess and economic uncertainty ahead so nothing suprises me.

foggy_lad

spiralism wrote: »

I really worry for this country if we elect Gallagher to the office, it indicates that we actually havent got a clue, he is FAR less qualified than Norris, MD and Mitchell, even McGuinness. I'd take any of them over him

for what its worth, a thursday election rules out a lot of the student vote, which would lean towards MD and Norris, Gallagher is lucky in some respect there too

And Fianna Fail resisted for years the calls to have elections at wekends or at the least on fridays when students and others away from home during the week could vote!

jbkenn wrote: »

Oh, it's a retirement home all right, and in Sean Gallagher case it will be gravy all the way.
SG is 47, after 7 year term where he will collect over €2 million in salary, he will 54, and entitled to full Presidential pension of €147,000 p.a.
Average male life expectancy in Ireland is 80 years so he could theoretically collect about €4 million in pension, and as the missus is considerably younger than him she will be entitled to half his pension for her lifetime.
Yup, he is some entrepreneur, spotted a guaranteed cash cow with no downside.

Don't forget the Garda driver and the protection detail at his house for the rest of his life, Michael D would work out an awful lot cheaper!

oppenheimer1

foggy_lad wrote: »

And Fianna Fail resisted for years the calls to have elections at wekends or at the least on fridays when students and others away from home during the week could vote!

While this is true, FF did not table a motion in the last Dail calling for polling days to be only on Fridays or Saturdays. However Kenny did sign the papers for that motion. Hypocrisy of the highest order - politics as usual then.

Don't forget the Garda driver and the protection detail at his house for the rest of his life, Michael D would work out an awful lot cheaper!

Ex-presidents and taoisaigh will no longer have the garda driver for life. They will only get a state car for use on major state occasions.

thebman

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

hangon wrote: »

what puzzles me most is why people of any age cannot see by even reading a one page CV of all the candidates puts Michael D miles ahead in terms of a life dedicated to statesmanship and culture than the others?

I could see how one could view Micheal D. Higgins' long tenure in Dail Eireann as a good thing. However you can also see it in a negative light too: he had a relatively sheltered career in a very well paid position and never had to really face the private sector challenges that most people have to face.

Except that is the presidency too, is it not?

In a political career, you learn a lot about watching your words and careful use of English. Someone like Sean Gallagher lacks this essential experience.

celticcrash

A chancer


Chancer: to push one's luck. To stay in the game a wee bit too long. To believe one is above repute. To annoy someone to the extent that they are bound to get a headbutt.

Bergkamp 10

Micheal "Fianna Fail" Higgins is getting of lightly here. It seems we have too many upper class, ice tea drinking, sunday independant readers on boards.ie who dont want their cosy thing exposed by the likes of Gallagher or McGuinness and have given up on Mitchell so are piling by Higgins and dirtying the name of every other candidates.

I cant be the only one to notice, that any time the likes of McGuinness, Norris and now Gallagher have looked a threat to Banker Higgins, dozens of new posters appear claiming stories of "i heard down the pub".

Bottom of the barrel politics by "Banker Bill" Higgins.

oceanclub

P.

ArtSmart

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

In your opinion, and as I said it is one I can sympathise with. However if one wants a president that is proactive one could reasonably desire a person who has not had a "safe" position for all of their past history.

depends what you mean by safe.

if you mean avoiding physical danger, barring the odd lion tamer job, most people dont work in physically dangerous jobs ('cept maybe some public servants, A&E nurses, garda, firemen etc)

if you mean 'secure', well having to ask for your job back every fours years is not exactly secure.

if you mean 'unchallenging' well i'd have to definitely disagree on that!

if you mean 'non-confrontational', easy decisions etc, again i disagree.


So what do you mean by 'safe'?


as for the bankers now being public servants, (if only it were true though)

ArtSmart

Bergkamp 10 wrote: »

Micheal "Fianna Fail" Higgins is getting of lightly here. It seems we have too many upper class, ice tea drinking, sunday independant readers on boards.ie who dont want their cosy thing exposed by the likes of Gallagher or McGuinness and have given up on Mitchell so are piling by Higgins and dirtying the name of every other candidates.

I cant be the only one to notice, that any time the likes of McGuinness, Norris and now Gallagher have looked a threat to Banker Higgins, dozens of new posters appear claiming stories of "i heard down the pub".

Bottom of the barrel politics by "Banker Bill" Higgins.

em...


so, everything ok in your life?

you getting enough fresh air etc?

Colours

That's brilliant! And right on the button!

Henry Ford III

Gallagher's seeming popularity I reckon has more to do with the various shortcomings of the other 6 candidates.

Not that he's without his own shortcomings mind.

Colours

Oops was a bit slow in posting my reply so a few got in ahead of me. My "brilliant" comment was in reference to the identity parade pic of the FF mugs above a la The Usual Suspects, not the airy fairy stuff that ensued!

Michael D Higgins along with the rest of his Labour party colleagues were the ONLY ones who voted AGAINST the bill promoting the blanket bail out of the banking institutions back in 2008.

Fuinseog

why would the people vote for a businessman who has very little political experience.
is gallagher not symbolic of big business men who ruined the country? is this what attracts the voters to him?

ArtSmart

Colours wrote: »

Oops was a bit slow in posting my reply so a few got in ahead of me. My "brilliant" comment was in reference to the identity parade pic of the FF mugs above a la The Usual Suspects, not the airy fairy stuff that ensued!

Michael D Higgins along with the rest of his Labour party colleagues were the ONLY ones who voted AGAINST the bill promoting the blanket bail out of the banking institutions back in 2008.

'scuse me!

Bergkamp 10

ArtSmart wrote: »

em...


so, everything ok in your life?

you getting enough fresh air etc?

Just the truth.

Sean Fianna Fail Gallagher.

Micheal " I signed the banker bill, I'm an ex Fianna Fail member who is in hiding" D Higgins

Fair is fair? Clearly not in this election.

Bergkamp 10

Colours wrote: »

Oops was a bit slow in posting my reply so a few got in ahead of me. My "brilliant" comment was in reference to the identity parade pic of the FF mugs above a la The Usual Suspects, not the airy fairy stuff that ensued!

Michael D Higgins along with the rest of his Labour party colleagues were the ONLY ones who voted AGAINST the bill promoting the blanket bail out of the banking institutions back in 2008.

Early Nineties banking bill

Micheal Higgins signed and supported Fianna Fail. A massive reason we are in this mess.

Banker Bill Higgins is doing a good job fooling people. But then people on here seem fooled easily.

thebman

Bergkamp 10 wrote: »

Micheal "Fianna Fail" Higgins is getting of lightly here. It seems we have too many upper class, ice tea drinking, sunday independant readers on boards.ie who dont want their cosy thing exposed by the likes of Gallagher or McGuinness and have given up on Mitchell so are piling by Higgins and dirtying the name of every other candidates.

I cant be the only one to notice, that any time the likes of McGuinness, Norris and now Gallagher have looked a threat to Banker Higgins, dozens of new posters appear claiming stories of "i heard down the pub".

Bottom of the barrel politics by "Banker Bill" Higgins.

This post is just bizarre TBH. You seem to think Higgins is in ff despite running for Labor and Gallagher isn't despite all the revelations that he was until very recently.

And what exactly do you mean by cosy thing? If you want the ff way of doing things, Gallagher would appear to be the perfect choice given his recent past.

jonniebgood1

Fuinseog wrote: »

why would the people vote for a businessman who has very little political experience.
is gallagher not symbolic of big business men who ruined the country? is this what attracts the voters to him?

It is tough to chose when the other option is an establishment politician!

Colours

Apols ArtSmart no offense intended. I was alluding to the direction the discussion took in suggesting Michael D and the Bankers are close associates. Thought I should clarify that I most definitely don't think that this brain wave is "brilliant" !!

Another pertinent point is that Michael D is the only one who seems to know what the job is about as well as its limitations. All of the other contenders have a grey area about this and actually misunderstand the constraints of the role of president. So Sean Gallagher is talking through his hat when he says he will create jobs and/or create the climate and conditions for attracting investment and industry because he would not have the powers to do this and indeed would not be allowed to exert any kind of influence into enterprise related policies. Same way that Dana couldn't possibly interfere with due process in constitutional processes. Indeed they would embarrass the country if they attempted to go above their station in the ways they've laid out in their manifestos.

ArtSmart

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

It is tough to chose when the other option is an establishment politician!

hmmm. a died in the wool FFer is not part of the establishment because he was out making the dollars (only during the boom, of course) and not a TD.


I see.


But someone with MD's track record over so many anti-establishment stances, he is part of the establishment because he is a TD?

got ye.

Bergkamp 10

thebman wrote: »

This post is just bizarre TBH. You seem to think Higgins is in ff despite running for Labor and Gallagher isn't despite all the revelations that he was until very recently.

And what exactly do you mean by cosy thing? If you want the ff way of doing things, Gallagher would appear to be the perfect choice given his recent past.

Higgins and Gallagher are both ex Fianna Fail members.

The only difference is Higgins fully supported the several banking bills and motions pushed through by Fianna Fail in the early nineties.

Bergkamp 10

Labour are proven liars and we see this daily.

Hope Gallagher wins, so I can watch the bankers, independant hacks, Fianna Gael and Labour shameless followers and others cry into their pints/ breakfast.

Colours

Bergkamp do you have to go back as far as the 90's to try to dig up some dirt on Michael D?! Grasping at straws comes to mind. I don't actually know what bill you're referring to but important to counter that smear by reminding you that the Irish economy was in a good and healthy state at the end of the last tenure in which the Labour party were in government.

Fianna Fail left the country's economy in tatters and they were aided and abetted all the way by the reckless antics of speculators and cow boys of the ilk of Sean Gallagher!

thebman

Bergkamp 10 wrote: »

Higgins and Gallagher are both ex Fianna Fail members.

The only difference is Higgins fully supported the several banking bills and motions pushed through by Fianna Fail in the early nineties.

No I think you would find the main difference is when they left and what ff were up to in the time they were both in it but your not trying to be objective so I can see why your leaving that part out.

Colours

Bergkamp Michael D joined Fianna Fail as a naive youth but left after six months after seeing the error of his ways and realising that his socialist and humanitarian ideals were completely at odds with the Mé Féiners of Fianna Fáil. Just to clear that one up!

Bergkamp 10

Colours wrote: »

Bergkamp do you have to go back as far as the 90's to try to dig up some dirt on Michael D?! Grasping at straws comes to mind. I don't actually know what bill you're referring to but important to counter that smear by reminding you that the Irish economy was in a good and healthy state at the end of the last tenure in which the Labour party were in government.

Fianna Fail left the country's economy in tatters and they were aided and abetted all the way by the reckless antics of speculators and cow boys of the ilk of Sean Gallagher!

So you dont know the bill. Well you should do some research or are you going to do a Labour and try and spoof about it anyway.

Fianna Fail were only aided and abated by ex pal and Banker buddy Higgins who supported all their banking bills in the early nineties which has left us in this state. Gallagher was out earning a honest living in the real world.

The brown envelopes were probably already exchanging hands.

Bergkamp 10

Colours wrote: »

Bergkamp Michael D joined Fianna Fail as a naive youth but left after six months after seeing the error of his ways and realising that his socialist and humanitarian ideals were completely at odds with the Mé Féiners of Fianna Fáil. Just to clear that one up!

Socialist ideals?

Is this current Labour candidate, who has hidden any of his ever socialist viewpoints in this campaign.

If he is a socialist, then I wouldnt like to see a right winger in your mind.
An anti socialist is what he should be called. A elitist toffee eating snake. Who would sell us all to France if he had the chance.

jonniebgood1

ArtSmart wrote: »

hmmm. a died in the wool FFer is not part of the establishment because he was out making the dollars (only during the boom, of course) and not a TD.

I see.

But someone with MD's track record over so many anti-establishment stances, he is part of the establishment because he is a TD?

got ye.

I am open to correction but what was MD at during the boom? I thought he was in opposition but don't recall anything outspoken other than foreign policy issues?
As I said I'm open to correction on that as if he has a record of calling FF to account over the years of excess then I would like to see it.