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

ArtSmart

Bergkamp, em, 'live long and prosper' dude.

Bergkamp 10

I cant recall Higgins ever disagreeing vocally about any Fianna Fail policy. Probably because as is public knowledge he backed most of them.

The delusions of grandeur on here regarding this particular candidate is embarrassing.

ArtSmart

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

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.

a few searches of you tube clips of the Oireachtas debates will show you that.

Colours

Johniebgood I think you'd agree that it was fairly OUTSPOKEN of the Labour Party to be the ONLY party that opposed the bill in favour of the blanket guarantee for the banks which it is widely accepted now was an awful mistake to have been passed and as a result of which our country will be in thrall to the bond holders for many years to come. Please note that neither Fianna Fail, Fianna Gail or Sinn Fein spoke out then; no they put their hands up and said aye and the bill was passed thanks to them.

ninebeanrows

GAME OVER

The Irish Times Poll: Gal 40% (+20); Hig 25 (+2); McG 15 (-4); Nor 8 (-3); Mit 6 (-3); Dav 3 (-9); Dana 3 (no change

ArtSmart

Weathercheck wrote: »

GAME OVER

The Irish Times Poll: Gal 40% (+20); Hig 25 (+2); McG 15 (-4); Nor 8 (-3); Mit 6 (-3); Dav 3 (-9); Dana 3 (no change

Game Over?

Not over til the transfers sing dude.


but if Gallagher does it, this really will be a banana republic

jonniebgood1

Colours wrote: »

Johniebgood I think you'd agree that it was fairly OUTSPOKEN of the Labour Party to be the ONLY party that opposed the bill in favour of the blanket guarantee for the banks which it is widely accepted now was an awful mistake to have been passed and as a result of which our country will be in thrall to the bond holders for many years to come. Please note that neither Fianna Fail, Fianna Gail or Sinn Fein spoke out then; no they put their hands up and said aye and the bill was passed thanks to them.

Labour did vote against it to their credit but I think the problem was in place at that stage no matter what the solution was.

jonniebgood1

ArtSmart wrote: »

but if Gallagher does it, this really will be a banana republic

What significant difference do you see it making?
A real example please?

Crazy Horse 6

Spacedog wrote: »

If this string of pi*s gets elected, Ireland Burns!

Whilst i agree he's a string of piss Ireland won't burn. We let our country be taken over by the elites in Europe and did'nt even put up a fight. Nothing will change.

road_high

ArtSmart wrote: »

Game Over?

Not over til the transfers sing dude.


but if Gallagher does it, this really will be a banana republic

I agree, I absolutely despair that this FF hack could be president. The only reason there's relatively little dirt on Gallagher is the fact he has done so little in his life. FF "has a future" now according to RTE :rolleyes:
Bloody hell...........

Fuinseog

people will not vote for michael D cos he is small. Sean g is tall and has a big jaw, an attractive feature apparently. it does not matter that he has being somewhat untruthful. to be honest I never heard of the guy until a month or two ago, while Michael D has being a public representative for decades.

Renno123

I am myself surprised by the sharp rise in his support, and more surprised that he has managed to maintain the lead over a substantial period.

it is well noted that the presidential election doesn't carry the same party affiliation as general elections. voters are attracted more to the personality or "likability" of the character rather than for political matters.
his popularity may be just that he is a fresh looking face, and a guy who people recogonise from t.v
its plausible we are seeing another "George Lee factor" :rolleyes:

Fuinseog

Crazy Horse 6 wrote: »

Whilst i agree he's a string of piss Ireland won't burn. We let our country be taken over by the elites in Europe and did'nt even put up a fight. Nothing will change.

and people do not really want change because it can bring more uncertainty.

Phonehead

I can't believe the Irish voting public are still none the wiser! honestly we deserve everything we get.

Colours

"But" nothing JohnnieBgood .. you made a statement that you don't recall when Labour were ever outspoken other than in foreign policy and I pointed out a very recent and important example of how the Labour Party in fact were the only ones to set an example and speak out and speak up about the the terrible position that passing this blanket guarantee was going to land the Irish people in. There is no "but" to that statement. The Labour party were the only ones who were in fact "anti-establishment" in that particular instance.

ArtSmart

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

What significant difference do you see it making?
A real example please?

now, johnny, be good.



had to use it.

What i mean is it will demonstrate to me, that lessons have not and most likely will not be learned.

to elect a political / cultural nobody, with no international experience or political experience , with no back ground in law, or fighting for human rights or bloody well anything* of a presidential nature to my mind means we havent grown up and away from civil war nonsense. because the ONLY reason SG is doing well, is bec the FF vote wont go anywhere but towards FF, despite the brief moment of anger a few months ago,

Already, allfookingready, the FF voters are back in action.

so SG getting in = a country with way too many muppets for my liking.

* and a bit of 'youth work' dont cut it.

road_high

I can't believe people want this muppet as President. He represents and embodies everything that was wrong with this country while FF were in power. And if people think this joker is not in for the salary/perks they are sadly mistaken. Cheap soundbites about "creating" jobs and other such rubbish. As President :rolleyes:

Howjoe1

I keep asking myself the same question. I don't actually know of one person that is going to vote for him. Can we seriously elect someone so embedded in the FF ethos after all that has happened?

If he is elected, I think I will immigrate. I'm hoping the transfers can get MDH over the line.

Liam Byrne

You have to wonder how quickly some people forget

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/gallagher-shared-in-payout-of-euro860000-2913915.html

http://www.examiner.ie/eart.aspx?id=171089&m=5.3.13.0#.Tp7D4SP1g44

Jeboa Safari

Colours wrote: »

"But" nothing JohnnieBgood .. you made a statement that you don't recall when Labour were ever outspoken other than in foreign policy and I pointed out a very recent and important example of how the Labour Party in fact were the only ones to set an example and speak out and speak up about the the terrible position that passing this blanket guarantee was going to land the Irish people in. There is no "but" to that statement. The Labour party were the only ones who were in fact "anti-establishment" in that particular instance.

Did they? I thought they didn't oppose the overall guarantee, but voted no because of some minor technicality or ammendment they couldn't get? I may be mistaken though.

jonniebgood1

ArtSmart wrote: »

to elect a political / cultural nobody, with no international experience or political experience , with no back ground in law, or fighting for human rights or bloody well anything* of a presidential nature to my mind means we havent grown up and away from civil war nonsense. because the ONLY reason SG is doing well, is bec the FF vote wont go anywhere but towards FF, despite the brief moment of anger a few months ago,

Already, allfookingready, the FF voters are back in action.

so SG getting in = a country with way too many muppets for my liking.

* and a bit of 'youth work' dont cut it.

MD's cultural side is a strong point but labelling a vote for SG as a vote for FF is to easy. Look at the last GE.

The reason he is getting support is nothing to do with FF, it is that he has been positive the whole way through. I don't think I have heard him be negative once.

jonniebgood1

Howjoe1 wrote: »

If he is elected, I think I will immigrate.

This sort of thing makes me wonder for our country.

Colours

And another thing that irks me about Sean Gallagher is how he talks about how he has overcome his "disability" to get to where he is today, ie the fact that he had a problem with his eye sight which has since been corrected. So I don't see that this is actually a disability. If he needed the support of a guide dog with him then yes I'd say he has a disability but he seems perfectly fine to me. In fact better than most as he doesn't even wear glasses!

It's like me putting in my CV that I've overcome having a bad back and still gone to work in spite of it and seriously expecting a potential employer to take me seriously or think that this raises me above my competitors.

Howjoe1

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

This sort of thing makes me wonder for our country.

Why? oh wait IF Gallagher is elected President he is going to create jobs for us all as promised :rolleyes:

jonniebgood1

Howjoe1 wrote: »

Why? oh wait IF Gallagher is elected President he is going to create jobs for us all as promised :rolleyes:

If he loses there will be lots of jobs I suppose?

road_high

Howjoe1 wrote: »

Why? oh wait IF Gallagher is elected President he is going to create jobs for us all as promised :rolleyes:

The only job/s this joker will create are for himself and his FF cronies around the Aras...mark my words...

ArtSmart

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

MD's cultural side is a strong point but labelling a vote for SG as a vote for FF is to easy. Look at the last GE.

The reason he is getting support is nothing to do with FF, it is that he has been positive the whole way through. I don't think I have heard him be negative once.

Jonnie, he was at around 10% at first. when news of his FF came out it surged, - the more it was mentioned the highey his % went.

Oh wait, you reckon it was because of his performance in the debates n stuff? or his positiveness? naw, 'fraid not - that might have got him another 3-5 % from Dana, Davis, even Mitchell defectors. but that's it. nope, it a FF thing baby.


from liam byrnes' post, a well written article, says it all, nicely.
http://www.examiner.ie/eart.aspx?id=171089&m=5.3.13.0#.Tp7D4SP1g44

jonniebgood1

ArtSmart wrote: »

Jonnie, he was at around 10% at first. when news of his FF came out it surged, - the more it was mentioned the highey his % went.

Oh wait, you reckon it was because of his performance in the debates n stuff? or his positiveness? naw, 'fraid not - that might have got him another 3-5 % from Dana, Davis, even Mitchell defectors. but that's it. nope, it a FF thing baby.


from liam byrnes' post, a well written article, says it all, nicely.
http://www.examiner.ie/eart.aspx?id=171089&m=5.3.13.0#.Tp7D4SP1g44

But FF don't have 40% to share? they had 19% in GE, probably less support now!

Birroc

hangon wrote: »

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

Everybody loves a Fianna Fail Builder...

Mr.Micro

mfitzy wrote: »

The only job/s this joker will create are for himself and his FF cronies around the Aras...mark my words...

Lavish bills as well that the taxpayer will have to pay. Probably a refit at the Aras as well, new wardrobes, FF parties, the lot.

ArtSmart

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

But FF don't have 40% to share? they had 19% in GE, probably less support now!

I'm guessing his max under normal circumstances his share of 'neutral' voters would be 18% - MAX.

So, add in the 22% of guilt riddled FFers and hey presto! A new Pressie, (who's not a pressie)

ted1

Majority of people saying they'll vote for him won't turn up on the day. So he'll be down

Howjoe1

ted1 wrote: »

Majority of people saying they'll vote for him won't turn up on the day. So he'll be down

Plus I think the "don't knows" will come out to vote against him.

micro_dot

or is it the way 37% voted FF before 2007, 37% are FF now, going back generations, into families, across by marriage.

All FF'ers are practised nice fellas. They all wear anoraks. They all drink pints.

The only thing that gives me some hope is that that 37% had nothing to do with Bertie afterall. It's in the genes.

Maybe giving emigrants the vote would shake things up. At least the thousands who've left. I mean, every other country does it, except us.

Because it looks as though we are about also give politicians the right to investigate us with no holds barred, like that's a good idea. It's feeling more Flann O'Brien all the time.

WhatNowForUs?

nommm wrote: »

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.[/QUOTE]

Maybe true, but in the long term we'll spend more money through pensions.

Happyman42

WhatNowForUs? wrote: »

nommm wrote: »

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.[/QUOTE]

Maybe true, but in the long term we'll spend more money through pensions.

Whaddabout me, yis baxtards?????

partnership

he's a bit younger, we'll be less likely to have to spend money on another election.[/QUOTE]

Well that is a reson not to vote for him cos he will be allowed to get that lucrative pension for a very long time! If he does 14 years then we could end up paying a pension for about thirty years! Elect Michael D and chances are you won't have to pay the pension for that long no disrespect to Michael D!

Sand

The idea of Michael D Higgins being President and quoting awful poetry at every opportunity makes me wake up in a cold sweat. Dana and McGuinness are just total non-runners - ones a crazy Catholic fundamentalist, the other is a washed up terrorist.

Norris Id have had time for previously, but hes been badly found out in the election, especially hes foolish decision to re-enter. I dont so much mind his decision to act as a character witness on behalf of his old partner (he's entitled to consider his friend innocent until proven otherwise) but I do very much mind his citing his status as an Irish senator and using Oireachtas materials to make the statement as its a misuse of his office.

Gay Mitchell - meh. Fine Gael didnt want him to run, he forced his way into the race. Hes finding out there was a reason FG didnt want him to run...

Davis is okay - hasnt impressed. I'm not sure someone whose done the rounds of quangos and state appointments through the Celtic Tiger is the sort of person we need in any state role these days and I've not seen her do anything to convince me otherwise.

Gallacher by a process of elimination. Shure, he has Fianna Fail links - but theres not much damage he can do as President regardless. I think thats the main attraction - Gallacher has kept his head down, done his thing. Meanwhile, the other candidates are busy self destructing, tearing strips of each other or reminding everyone why they hate them.

If anything, a Gallacher win might lull Fianna Fail into a false sense that *they* are popular because Gallacher is popular. That will hopefully lead them into getting mouthy again and reminding the electorate why they hate them.

CiaranC

Gallagher is a liar, a failed businessman and an FF snake. Who better to represent our failed republic.

Colours

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

The reason he is getting support is nothing to do with FF, it is that he has been positive the whole way through. I don't think I have heard him be negative once.

I agree that this has been a very clever and cunning game plan which Sean Gallagher has played in this campaign. It works well on the public when you project a persona which is non-confrontational or argumentative even if you're simply just side stepping the contentious issues altogether. I think it's for exactly this reason that Gay Mitchell has not been so popular even though I personally admire the way he's taken a serious stance and has not just tried to be this fake persona who smiles all the time and talks in cliches. I actually think it is an affront to the Irish people to try to hoodwink them by projecting this fanatasy character which Sean Gallagher really is not if you just take a moment to think about how he's got to where he is today.

Beyond the nice guy pretense of Sean Gallagher is a hard nosed business man. You don't get far in the dog eat dog world of business by simply being a nice guy and not stepping on others along the way. I'm sure being in the fold of Fianna Fail up until last year boosted his influence and sway no end with the big business movers and shakers. I regard the fact that he only formally left Fianna Fail last year as just another extremely cynical act in his game plan to dupe the nation and it seems to be working so far. Come on people of Ireland, open your eyes!

ifitburwilll

CiaranC wrote: »

Gallagher is a liar, a failed businessman and an FF snake. Who better to represent our failed republic.

WAKE UP and smell the roses The presidential job is not really a political post of any power , it is really the post of PR person for the country. They will become the public face of this state. Line them up in turn in front of the tricolour and tell me which one gives the country a better image to the outsiders. Which image will say to tourists lets go there for a holiday, which picture will impress on foreign industrialists the rebirth of this nation from the ashes of the wastrels who have gone before, who will make this country smile again, there is only one answer.

caseyann

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/presidential-election/sean-gallagher-linked-to-secret-ff-fundraiser-2911602.html

Not for long lol.
Presidential election frontrunner Sean Gallagher personally invited donors to attend a secret Fianna Fail corporate fundraiser for former Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Mr Gallagher contacted a number of his business friends to invite them to attend the dinner, where guests were asked to donate up to €5,000 to the party.

The Irish Independent has learned that Fianna Fail held the fundraiser in Co Louth, where Mr Gallagher is based, shortly after Mr Cowen became Taoiseach in 2008.
The select group of businessmen invited to the fundraiser were promised exclusive access to the new Taoiseach.

Mr Gallagher will now face questions about the organisation of the function, the list of businessmen in attendance and how much was raised for the party.


Mr Gallagher was a member of Ogra Fianna Fail and served on its national committee. He was also a member of Fianna Fail. He served as an adviser to a Fianna Fail minister and worked for its headquarters. Mr Gallagher acted as director of elections to a Fianna Fail TD. He served on the Fianna Fail national executive, its ruling body. He was appointed to a state board by a Fianna Fail minister and considered running as a Fianna Fail candidate in the general election.


Fianna fail man to the end.

Did anyone who has more than one registered voter in their household notice that they received multiple leaflets from Gallagher? What happened to his cutting down on costs sending out all this crap, didn't he agree in one of those debates to only send one per household? Just thought that was amusing!

ifitburwilll

caseyann wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/presidential-election/sean-gallagher-linked-to-secret-ff-fundraiser-2911602.html

Not for long lol.
Presidential election frontrunner Sean Gallagher personally invited donors to attend a secret Fianna Fail corporate fundraiser for former Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Mr Gallagher contacted a number of his business friends to invite them to attend the dinner, where guests were asked to donate up to €5,000 to the party.

The Irish Independent has learned that Fianna Fail held the fundraiser in Co Louth, where Mr Gallagher is based, shortly after Mr Cowen became Taoiseach in 2008.
The select group of businessmen invited to the fundraiser were promised exclusive access to the new Taoiseach.

Mr Gallagher will now face questions about the organisation of the function, the list of businessmen in attendance and how much was raised for the party.


Mr Gallagher was a member of Ogra Fianna Fail and served on its national committee. He was also a member of Fianna Fail. He served as an adviser to a Fianna Fail minister and worked for its headquarters. Mr Gallagher acted as director of elections to a Fianna Fail TD. He served on the Fianna Fail national executive, its ruling body. He was appointed to a state board by a Fianna Fail minister and considered running as a Fianna Fail candidate in the general election.


Fianna fail man to the end.

Again I ask what does this have to do with the task in hand. Don't let your completely justifiable disgust with Fianna Fail deflect you from the matter at hand. Which one gives the country a better image internationally. And for the record I am not a fianna fail apologist or indeed gallaghers greatest fan. I am merely a pragmatist who sees the post for what it is.

ifitburwilll

Deleted User wrote: »

Did anyone who has more than one registered voter in their household notice that they received multiple leaflets from Gallagher? What happened to his cutting down on costs sending out all this crap, didn't he agree in one of those debates to only send one per household? Just thought that was amusing!

I,m not sure but I think the offer was all 7 candidates put their literature in one envelope, but no one agreed.

Wider Road

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!

"go back as far as the 90's to try to dig up some dirt on Michael D".
Do you remember candidates & the media going back to 1974?
Yes or no?

CiaranC

ifitburwilll wrote: »

WAKE UP and smell the roses The presidential job is not really a political post of any power , it is really the post of PR person for the country. They will become the public face of this state. Line them up in turn in front of the tricolour and tell me which one gives the country a better image to the outsiders. Which image will say to tourists lets go there for a holiday, which picture will impress on foreign industrialists the rebirth of this nation from the ashes of the wastrels who have gone before, who will make this country smile again, there is only one answer.

Who are you talking about? Gallagher is of the "wastrels who have gone before". Hes up to his bollox in FF slime.

Tigerandahalf

I'm surprised like most that Gallagher is polling so strong. I'd question his motives for going for the presidency. He says he's an entrepreneur but people like that don't find the presidency appealing....what is in it for him???? From what I've read in the papers over the last few days he comes across as another conman.....FF to the core. This guy was getting business people to fund FF, undoubtedly with backhanders coming down the line. I find it sad that this guy is leading in the polls. Maybe all the opposition has emigrated! Then again as others have said the candidates are poor or have blown their own chances.
One guy (Norris) still thinks he's going to be elected, despite claiming disability when receiving a Senate salary...christ above...and runs around every June with some Joycean hat on his head...elitism comes to mind.
Mitchell has no real record of service and he's paying for it...looking for a handy retirement number...he's bland and would be hopeless on occasions like the recent Royal visit.
McGuinness has his followers but was always going to come up short....though the Sunday Indo has been disgraceful in its vendetta against him...reading Eoghan Harris makes me want to puke talking about morals when he was handed a seat in the Senate for being Bertie's PR...simply sad, but the Sindo is a mess of a paper now.
Dana...hopeless
Mary Davis...I'm surprised that she's doing as bad as she is. The media seemed to take a dislike to her and she got linked to the quangos. However, she did a superb job with the Special Olympics and I don't think she has got near enough credit for that. She comes across well too and seems to be a tough lady too. Perhaps there was too much of the PR attached to her.
Michael D suits the role in many ways but he's a bit clueless, when he starts quoting the poetry and then when he talks about his wisdom..one can only cringe.

God only knows what will happen...but it could be very tight yet..I'd expect voters of other candidates to swing to Michael D to stop Gallagher getting in. I hope Gallagher doesn't get in...we'll have FF rebranding themselves within the week! Must be laughing their arses off.

Jimoslimos

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Mary Davis...I'm surprised that she's doing as bad as she is. The media seemed to take a dislike to her and she got linked to the quangos.

I never took to Davis from the the start but I'm also baffled how she is doing so badly and yet Gallagher is surging ahead. It seems people have rounded on her connections to the last government and various quangos yet are happy to forget Gallagher's involvement.

Would she have been better off with a stronger association to FF?

Although looking at it in another way - these two were very very similar candidates and a gain for one in the polls would ultimately lead to a loss for the other. This has snowballed for Mary Davis unfortunately.

Daniel S

CiaranC wrote: »

Gallagher is a liar, a failed businessman and an FF snake. Who better to represent our failed republic.

I'm pretty sure he has more money than you. :pac:

IMO the reason he is doing so well is there's no alternative (when you dumb it down big time):

Michael D Higgins = Leprechaun
Martin McGuinness = Terrorist
David Norris = Israel
Mary Davis = Quangos
Dana = :rolleyes::D
Gay Mitchell = Only there to stop Martin McGuinness.

So therefore Sean Gallagher is the best of a load of rubbish candidates, as the only thing against him is he was part of Fianna Fáil (which most of the country supported, so can you blame him?). He's a businessman, its in his interest to make "contacts" in government.