General Election 2020 - See MOD note in First Post

friendlyfun

What a poor candidate John Cummins came across as. Totally taken up things the wrong way with Darren Skelton and Dermot Keyes. Cutting and butting the whole time on on other candidates.

Chip Whitley

So how do people think the candidates did tonight? I'll be upfront and say that my own political ideology would probably align with the Green Party somewhat and I'm a fan of Marc O'Cathasaigh, but I'm also realistic with regards to who will more than likely hold power/be in a position to enact change for Waterford.

Who went up in my estimation:
Matt Shanahan (More than a one issue candidate now I feel)
Eddie Mulligan (Has dealt with adversity and come back strongly)
Una Dunphy (Spoke confidently and with informed viewpoints)

Who went down in my estimation:
John Cummins (Spent too much time arguing)
John Pratt (His whole ideology seemed to be, "shur just vote me in and I'll do me best"
Bernadette Phillips (Is passionate but most of her answers didn't really delve into policy)


The rest were fine, Mary Butler and Damien Geoghegan haven't changed my mind on them. Ronan Cleary/Aontú hasn't a hope of getting my vote.

friendlyfun

Chip Whitley wrote: »

So how do people think the candidates did tonight? I'll be upfront and say that my own political ideology would probably align with the Green Party somewhat and I'm a fan of Marc O'Cathasaigh, but I'm also realistic with regards to who will more than likely hold power/be in a position to enact change for Waterford.

Who went up in my estimation:
Matt Shanahan (More than a one issue candidate now I feel)
Eddie Mulligan (Has dealt with adversity and come back strongly)
Una Dunphy (Spoke confidently and with informed viewpoints)

Who went down in my estimation:
John Cummins (Spent too much time arguing)
John Pratt (His whole ideology seemed to be, "shur just vote me in and I'll do me best"
Bernadette Phillips (Is passionate but most of her answers didn't really delve into policy)


The rest were fine, Mary Butler and Damien Geoghegan haven't changed my mind on them. Ronan Cleary/Aontú hasn't a hope of getting my vote.

Mulligan, Shanahan, Geoghegan, Ó Cathasaigh, came across as very strong and directed. Cummins was somewhat strong too but his behaviour was incredibly childish throughout, I think he got annoyed by some questions. So maybe he should get a thicker skin. Shanahan fairly put him in his place and told him to "take a chill pill" because I think that's what everyone there was thinking.


Phillips had passion but no clear insight about anything, same with Pratt, Butler said she didn't favour exclusion zones so I felt that was fairly abhorrent. Cleary is too socially conservative for most people I'd imagine.

All I can say is that most people running as candidates shouldn't be there at all and politics is definitely not their calling. It's a shame one of of them present is already a sitting TD.

jmcc

Cummins came across as bad mannered. A typical party man.

Regards...jmcc

Gael23

Labour are very unlikely to go into government after the spanking they got in 2016

friendlyfun

Lot of people on social media talking about John Cummins arrogance and rudeness from the debate last night. It as actually shocking trying to see him take shots at both moderators ( Darren and Dermot). Not someone I'd want to represent me anyway. Behaved in a very stroppy manner. Too big for his boots.

AdMMM

https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/highlights-from-the-hard-shoulder/waterford

Ivan Yates ran through the constituency on their "Calling It" Podcast. He has Waterford as:

1. Cullinane
2. Butler
3. Geoghegan
4. Shanahan

AdMMM

friendlyfun wrote: »

Lot of people on social media talking about John Cummins arrogance and rudeness from the debate last night. It as actually shocking trying to see him take shots at both moderators ( Darren and Dermot). Not someone I'd want to represent me anyway. Behaved in a very stroppy manner. Too big for his boots.

I don't think John would be a fan of Darren and vice-versa. Obviously a bit of history there and wouldn't be surprised if he thinks Darren if biased towards SF.

Muttley79

I personally thought John Cummins came across as very arrogant,rude and a bad chip on his shoulder.if he got elected he would end up as a Fine Gael tea boy.i thought the strongest of the night was Matt shanahan,mark o cathasaigh and Damien geoghan.i thought the weakest were mary butler and Ronan cleary.the rest were bang average.

Wanderer78

not only was cummins arrogant, i thought his response to our mental health system was just disturbing

mooseknunkle

Wanderer78 wrote: »

not only was cummins arrogant, i thought his response to our mental health system was just disturbing

What did he say?

Wanderer78

mooseknunkle wrote: »

What did he say?

probably best if you watched it 2.15 mark

hardybuck

I only skimmed it, but can see where a lot of the feedback re Cummins is coming from. I was surprised that he had so much airtime, but I wonder if that was him trying to raise his profile and maybe strike a couple of knockout punches.

He made one comment about Civil Servants that was very out of order. I wouldn't be surprised if someone was having a quiet word with him about it afterwards.

The likes of Geoghegan and Butler seemed to be a bit cuter, letting him get worked up.

friendlyfun

Butler was a disgrace. The woman doesn't belong in politics. She said wasn't in favour of exclusion zones so perfectly okay for women who just had an abortion to be taunted.

BBM77

AdMMM wrote: »

https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/highlights-from-the-hard-shoulder/waterford

Ivan Yates ran through the constituency on their "Calling It" Podcast. He has Waterford as:

1. Cullinane
2. Butler
3. Geoghegan
4. Shanahan

What the hell is the point of voting for Shanahan? Like them or not at least one of Mulligan or Cummins will be in the party in power and maybe become a minister or junior minister. Nobody has to tell me how badly FG and FF has treated Waterford when in government but to me electing Shanahan or another independent is just shooting ourselves in the foot. The whole concept of a single issue candidate is ridiculous.

Crusty Blaa

BBM77 wrote: »

What the hell is the point of voting for Shanahan? Like them or not at least one of Mulligan or Cummins will be in the party in power and maybe become a minister or junior minister. Nobody has to tell me how badly FG and FF has treated Waterford when in government but to me electing Shanahan or another independent is just shooting ourselves in the foot. The whole concept of a single issue candidate is ridiculous.

Having watched that debate last night:
A) Shanahan is certainly not a single issue candidate.
if elected he will more than likely be very tied in with FG and could well hold a higher position than any other candidate on the stage.

Max Powers

Crusty Blaa wrote: »

Having watched that debate last night:
A) Shanahan is certainly not a single issue candidate.
if elected he will more than likely be very tied in with FG and could well hold a higher position than any other candidate on the stage.

Higher position than any other candidate...so you think the next government are going to listen to shanahan, who is not in their party, than their own TD? This doesnt happen, the whole reason for being in a party is favours to get stuff, shanahan has nothing to trade, there are favoured independents for all the main parties out there already and besides, any party would rather deal with a smaller party than a load/few independents. Vote shanahan in and we may aswell forget we ever did because he will disappear, never to be heard by anyone worthwhile in Dublin.
I cannot believe we are going to elect another John halligan.......useless.

DLS_75

I thought Matt was good last night. Also, and I’m probably in the minority here, I thought cummins was great. Do we not need someone as tenacious as him? Yeah he may have been “petulant” at times but I wouldn’t be too worried about that.

Certain candidates who haven’t a hope of being elected were given too much speaking time.

Production of the debate was excellent.

friendlyfun

DLS_75 wrote: »

I thought Matt was good last night. Also, and I’m probably in the minority here, I thought cummins was great. Do we not need someone as tenacious as him? Yeah he may have been “petulant” at times but I wouldn’t be too worried about that.

Certain candidates who haven’t a hope of being elected were given too much speaking time.

Production of the debate was excellent.

Is it tenaciousnes or Cummins worrried that Shanahan might shelve his hopes at becoming a TD? I think he was felt very threatened last night.

azimuth17

I thought Cummins was truculent, Geoghegan typical county councillor, Pratt nice but the same, Mulligan very good, Shanahan effective and having heard his work background would think that comparisons with Halligan don't hold up, Mary Butler, party hack, O'Cathasaigh OK, but the huge Tramore vote is an imponderable. Difficult to see where this election is going as Geoghegan, Butler,Pratt all feeding from west county conservatives?

BBM77

DLS_75 wrote: »

I thought Matt was good last night. Also, and I’m probably in the minority here, I thought cummins was great. Do we not need someone as tenacious as him? Yeah he may have been “petulant” at times but I wouldn’t be too worried about that.

Certain candidates who haven’t a hope of being elected were given too much speaking time.

Production of the debate was excellent.

Was thinking that to. You have to be a bit of a dick to make it as a politician. When voting you want to be thinking who is a potential minister and can fight for things at the cabinet table. That is the reality of politics in Ireland, everything else is just window dressing. Fairness or population size rarely come into it.

hardybuck

BBM77 wrote: »

Was thinking that to. You have to be a bit of a dick to make it as a politician. When voting you want to be thinking who is a potential minister and can fight for things at the cabinet table. That is the reality of politics in Ireland, everything else is just window dressing. Fairness or population size rarely come into it.

If you asked me what qualities a good politician needs I'd say integrity, intelligence, honesty, determination and diplomacy.

The people at the Cabinet table are your colleagues that you need to work with, not against.

Being a d*** doesn't get you ahead in any profession. You might win a couple of battles but you'll lose every war.

Cummins wouldn't get within an asses roar of the Cabinet in any event to it's a bit irrelevant.

Cummins is more bark than bite.


Thankfully he won't be elected.

Yes Boss

DLS_75 wrote: »

I thought Matt was good last night. Also, and I’m probably in the minority here, I thought cummins was great. Do we not need someone as tenacious as him? Yeah he may have been “petulant” at times but I wouldn’t be too worried about that.

Certain candidates who haven’t a hope of being elected were given too much speaking time.

Production of the debate was excellent.

You are certainly in the minority. His constant interjections, just turned into noise.

mooseknunkle

Wanderer78 wrote: »

probably best if you watched it 2.15 mark

Why wasnt David Cullinane at it ?

Flyin Irishman

mooseknunkle wrote: »

Why wasnt David Cullinane at it ?

Previous engagement with primetime

jmcc

Cummins appeared to be barely Ballymagash UDC material rather than TD material. I wouldn't be surprised to see Mulligan take Butler's seat.

Regards...jmcc

CrabRevolution

Cabaal wrote: »

I'd tend to agree,
SF know for a fact they can't form a Goverment on their own, they simply don't have enough people running to form one. Is this intentional perhaps? Afterall they've known a election has been on the cards for sometime.

Best they can hope for is a coalition, but they pretty much know FF, FG and labour won't want to form a goverment with them.

So this creates an ideal situation for them to be able to comfortably stand on the side lines claiming they know how to run a country with no actual fear of having to do so.

Meanwhile people that fail to do research or look at their track record in NI (not having a government, NI having more homeless issues, failure of SF on Brexit etc) think SF seem to be the answer for everything. The only way SF look good on Brexit in NI is because the DUP on their own and in full control of NI's future got screwed over by the Tory's.

Now i say this as a person who doesn't have any specific party alligance, last time I blindly followed a party was when I was around 17.

If I look at manifesto's of FF, , SF, FG, Labour, Social Dems etc I can honestly say they all have good things, but they also have things that are pipe dreams that won't fly for a numbers of reasons including budgets, public going against the idea, civil/HSE/Teachers going against the idea.

Frankly it really scares me when people can't be critical of aspects of a party manifesto they decide to allign themselves with.

Can I ask how SF 'failed on brexit'? Is it another criticism of abstentionism, or do you think they could have prevented brexit?

friendlyfun

Max Powers wrote: »

Higher position than any other candidate...so you think the next government are going to listen to shanahan, who is not in their party, than their own TD? This doesnt happen, the whole reason for being in a party is favours to get stuff, shanahan has nothing to trade, there are favoured independents for all the main parties out there already and besides, any party would rather deal with a smaller party than a load/few independents. Vote shanahan in and we may aswell forget we ever did because he will disappear, never to be heard by anyone worthwhile in Dublin.
I cannot believe we are going to elect another John halligan.......useless.

We also had a Deasy who did sweet F all for over a decade.

jupiterjack

azimuth17 wrote: »

I thought Cummins was truculent, Geoghegan typical county councillor, Pratt nice but the same, Mulligan very good, Shanahan effective and having heard his work background would think that comparisons with Halligan don't hold up, Mary Butler, party hack, O'Cathasaigh OK, but the huge Tramore vote is an imponderable. Difficult to see where this election is going as Geoghegan, Butler,Pratt all feeding from west county conservatives?

Pratt is definitely not feeding from a west Waterford conservative vote.