Has President Higgins overstepped the mark?

Ardent

Just seen Higgin's latest disastrous Q&A session at the UN. Wow.

Shaking like a leaf under interrogation and acting like a kid that's just been caught stealing from the cookie jar.

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/philip-ryan-baffled-officials-watch-president-michael-d-higgins-dig-hole-at-un-general-assembly/a1877866779.html

cheese sandwich

While MDH has a long history of cosying up to ‘anti-imperialist’ dictatorships, in the past he was better able to deflect criticism and prevent himself looking like a conspiracy-theorist who read a Chomsky book once.

This current farce clearly shows that his mental faculties are fading alarmingly. Good luck anyone in the political or media classes commenting on it though, the man is a sacred cow to them

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648468#Comment_122648468

Give it a rest dude and face the facts, Higgins bit off more than he could chew here.

Couldn’t wait to have a pop and was caught out.

Tell me how do people follow clowns up blind allys.

Dick phelan

He's never met a left wing dictator he didn't love. From Chavez to Iran MDH has a very sketchy track record. Never understood the love for him, he's a typical champagne socialist

kneemos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648633#Comment_122648633

The Dogs.

He has Dogs

Kermit.de.frog

If it was Mary Robinson or Mary McAleese involved in a fiasco of their own making like this I have zero doubt they would have resigned. For their own dignity and that of the office they wouldn't have stayed.

But this man can never admit to being wrong therefore is not embarrassed and has no shame. Been the same throughout.

StormForce13

I've often wondered whether the phrase "a walking rectum" was originally created to describe the little clown in the Big House.

volchitsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648455#Comment_122648455

Can we see the congratulatory letters he presumably wrote to Putin?

Has he written one to Tebboune in Algeria yet? He got about 85% of the vote, so that deserves congratulations, surely?

What about Hong Kong - they "elected" a head of state a couple of years ago.

And I'd really love to see the congratulations he must surely have sent to Hungary's Tamás Sulyok in February this year - that must be a real laugh to "hear" the gritted teeth in that one.

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648729#Comment_122648729

This is a laughably ludicrous post.

Yesterday, Israel killed 500 people in Lebanon and they have been acting with particular venom in Gaza for the past 11 months and with hatred and prejudice against the Palestinians for many decades.

But suggesting that they have circulated a letter to undermine someone who represents a country they don't like is worthy of resigning?

Catch yourself on for the love of God. This is off the charts.

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648632#Comment_122648632

Tell me how do people follow clowns up blind allys.

Is this in reference to people supporting Israel as it commits a genocide and demands unquestioning subservience and support while doing so. You'll have to ask someone else.

Does anyone genuinely think that the Israeli state doesn't work to undermine opponents of its actions? Is that what you guys are saying, that they don't do that? Because there is overwhelming evidence that they do. So why is the President at fault for suggesting that this is the case?

StormForce13

I would have imagined that a massive egotist like Stumpy Dee would have been delighted that the Israelis had given one of his finest literary works greater publicity. Just goes to show how confused the poor chap has become in recent months.

boetstark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648839#Comment_122648839

Why are you bringing Israel into this. Higgins deliberately lied when discussing something he should not have done in the first place. He was caught out but instead of admitting his error he tried to blame a third party.

He is an embarrassing, self righteous little idiot , with a terrible temper. He has no problem offloading that temper on journalists and aras staff alike.

Nothing to do with Israel. Stop deflecting

kabakuyu

The stroke he suffered has obviously affected him and he is no spring chicken,his confusion is alarming and he could do serious damage to Irelands reputation if he is not reined in.

Is there any mechanism to remove a president who is not competent?

StormForce13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648928#Comment_122648928

Yes.

Article 10.1 of the Constitution: 1° The President may be impeached for stated misbehaviour.

Article 14.1 of of the Constitution: In the event of the absence of the President, or his temporary incapacity, or his permanent incapacity established as provided by section 3 of Article 12 hereof, or in the event of his death, resignation, removal from office, or failure to exercise and perform the powers and functions of his office or any of them, or at any time at which the office of President may be vacant, the powers and functions conferred on the President by or under this Constitution shall be exercised and performed by a Commission constituted as provided in section 2 of this Article.

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648909#Comment_122648909

Why are you bringing Israel into this.

Context.

And what makes you think you know he deliberately lied?

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648310#Comment_122648310

He had no evidence.

The letter was published by the Iranian embassy.

Off the top of his head is a nice way to put it.

keeponhurling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649022#Comment_122649022

Do we know for sure that it was published by the Iranian embassy ?

And if yes, do we know that Michael D "lied", or was it just that it first seemed to emerge publicly via the Israeli Embassy ?

Bobson Dugnutt

He knew what the role was when he ran for President. The majority of it is garden parties, going to matches, opening new community centres, hosting dignitaries and Heads of State, the odd Christmas message, signing legislation into law, few other bits and pieces. If he wanted to be able to express opinions on geopolitics and political ideologies then he should have remained in Leinster House or became a columnist in one of the papers.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649215#Comment_122649215

Yes we know for sure. I, and many others, saw it at the time.

On the latter point I don't know but I'm not sure it's relevant. He shouldn't be shooting off his mouth like that about easily falsifiable things. Also, he has no right to get upset that his diplomatic correspondance with another head of state is made public or criticised. These things are normally designed to be made public and Israel didn't write his awful letter

keeponhurling

Fair enough, he was either being misleading or a bit confused.

Blaming Israel for leaking the letter, whereas big picture is the thousands of civilians they continue to kill.

getoutadodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649228#Comment_122649228

Precisely. It's a ceremonial role - a bit like the Dublin Lord Mayor. The last three incumbents though got temper tantrums when reminded of this. I guess all the trappings like the big house and chauffeured limo go to the head.

boardise

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122647812#Comment_122647812

That's the whole point isn't it -why would a government publish a 'form letter' of congratulation to a President if it's regarded as routine and therefore not remotely newsworthy. For Iran it was a form of 'endorsement' which they were eager to flaunt. Seeing Ireland's totally one-sided attitude to Gaza -it also gave them the chance to further infuriate Israel.

I don't deny that Higgins is a bona fide intellectual and a man of culture. However his performance has been embarrassing and problematic and totally out of order. He should never be meddling in politics -no matter what ideological slant he has…right ,left or centre.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649468#Comment_122649468

The bigger picture my friend,is the terrorists who use the population as human shields.

Very little said about that.

RoyalCelt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648543#Comment_122648543

He's nothing short of a disgrace. Thank god his time is nearly up.

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649558#Comment_122649558

He should never be meddling in politics -no matter what ideological slant he has…right ,left or centre.

Mary McAleese, Mary Robinson and Patrick Hillery all received condemnation at some point in their reign for acts or expressing opinions that some people considered to be political in nature. They're the 3 who have been Presidents along with Michael D in my lifetime so that's as far back as I looked.

This outrage at Higgins has a lot to do with blanket support for Israel by some people in my view and suggestions that he should retire or that those who came before him are massively misguided.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649228#Comment_122649228

Garret Fitzgerald said he turned down offers to run for the presidency because he "didn't want to spend seven years saying only anodyne things." He understood the role properly…

Brendan Bendar

The little lad was always a leftie but liked to live high on the hog, in my opinion.

Very opinionated in commenting on perceived ‘disadvantages’ but not afraid to embrace the good life himself.

Loads of them around….. hypocrites….. is that the right word for them’

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649779#Comment_122649779

I disagree. I want someone who can speak for the moral standing of the country, the Taoiseach can't always do that.

And as I've shown, all Presidents who have held the role in my lifetime have disagreed also.

Bobson Dugnutt

The Taoiseach, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Branch can all do that. The President shouldn’t. That’s not the role of the President. This is easy enough to understand.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649745#Comment_122649745

This outrage at Higgins has a lot to do with blanket support for Israel by some people in my view and suggestions that he should retire or that those who came before him are massively misguided.

That's both offensive and ridiculously misguided and ultimately nothing more than a massive strawman.

Higgins is the one who needlessly brought Israel into this whole thing and in a ridiculous conspiratorial fashion. This is not about them - it's about the President adding further evidence to his book of awful foreign policy and instead of standing behind his letter and explaining it he has gone off on an unhinged rant about the provenance of the letter that was publicly shared by it's recipient and should never have been considered private anyway.

taratee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648729#Comment_122648729

His inability to admit to being wrong speaks volumes about him as a person. Let's hope that someone with sense reigns him in, and that's the last we hear from him before he trots off to live off his big pension. Harris and MM need have a look at themselves also. They backed him. They should have done their homework beforehand also.

josip

Ah for the days when we had the world's sexiest head of state and the only time you'd see him would be inspecting a guard of honour at the airport.

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649895#Comment_122649895

So be offended.

Israel is actively carrying out a genocide and yesterday killed 500 people in a 3rd party country. And they have displayed ample evidence of their practice of trying to undermine those who criticize them. As they did with Ireland. It is about them.

I'm proud to have a President who doesn't cow to them like so much of the Western world does.

THE_SHEEP

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122649939#Comment_122649939

.... ahh yes , and here he is in his prime Che Guevara / PLO years .......

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122650113#Comment_122650113

Apologies for any confusion, I was referring to Paddy Hillery (as voted by Der Spiegel)

tom1ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122647852#Comment_122647852

No.
Your applauding our president congratulating the Iranian president on being elected.

tom1ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648839#Comment_122648839

Why do you keep going on about Israel?

This thread is about our president writing letters to the Iranian president.

tom1ie

Yes. The Israel government are a shower of fcukers, we all know that, but that’s not what we are discussing here.

We are discussing why our president is writing to the Iranian president congratulating him on an election win.
If this is normal and is the same for all heads of state, then fine.

What did he write to putin on his re-election?

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122650138#Comment_122650138

Go ahead and quote a single post I've made that suggests this.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122650149#Comment_122650149

I'm not sure you understand the reason the thread is active again.

tom1ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122650175#Comment_122650175

Did the MD write a congratulatory letter to the Iranian president? Yes.
Why is this acceptable?

tom1ie

But your also happy to have a president who writes to the Iranian President, who support hezbollah, who account for approx 50% of Irish army casualties.
That’s a bit of a hypocrisy really.

StrawbsM

”IRAN 2023

In the aftermath of the 2022 “Woman Life Freedom” uprising, authorities further suppressed the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and intensified their crackdown on women and girls defying compulsory veiling laws. Security forces crushed protests using unlawful force and mass arrests. Thousands were subjected to interrogation, arbitrary detention, unjust prosecution, and imprisonment for peacefully exercising their human rights. Enforced disappearances, and torture and other ill-treatment were widespread and systematic. Women and girls, LGBTI people, and ethnic and religious minorities were subjected to systemic discrimination and violence. Cruel and inhuman punishments, including flogging, were imposed and implemented. The use of the death penalty as a tool of political repression intensified and executions increased. Trials remained systematically unfair. Systemic impunity prevailed for past and ongoing crimes against humanity relating to prison massacres in 1988 and other crimes under international law.”

https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/middle-east/iran/report-iran/

Did Higgins bring up any of the above in his letter to the Iranian President or did he just rant about another countries human right’s violations?

Strumms

he’s a year left, he doesn’t give a feck. In his mind he’s probably seeking to leave a ‘personal legacy’ now as opposed to just doing his job. Immensely egotistical…

Problem now is will those who follow him might probably think “ ohh great, the little fella has expanded the scope of the presidency, so we can too “. So where does it end ?

One of the most disruptive and frustrating things in life is people hired to do X job, but who when in situ to do X, want to have a hand or opinion in Y & Z aswell, even though they haven’t been asked to and haven’t been issued that responsibility / remit.

silliussoddius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122650240#Comment_122650240

Great bunch of lads apparently, as long as they're agin other people we don't like. Like Cuba and Venezuela, they don't have to bad of a society. Don't want to live there, though.

THE_SHEEP

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122650134#Comment_122650134

No probs , kinda new that ...😉

Anyways , after Michaels current episode, I think this is who we currently have ......

StormForce13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122650113#Comment_122650113

Was he standing on a box that day?

kabakuyu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648543#Comment_122648543

Tbh,he has made a complete fool of himself there,never far from losing it completely,not a good image for this country,and then we have Harris and Martin as well defending him when keeping their traps shut would have been the better option.

kabakuyu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122650419#Comment_122650419

More likely Standing on his wallet.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122650110#Comment_122650110

Trying to undermine us by sharing a publicly available document of the President making a fool of himself and by extension us? He did that to himself.

If Harris comes out and blames Israeli espionage for the delay in the National Children's Hospital will you suddenly decide any criticise of him is then completely off the table?

You're apparently fine having a President who sends fawning letters to despots in Iran however - I and many others are not. Israel's guilt in other matters is completely irrelevant to that fact.

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122648839#Comment_122648839

What an epic non sequitur!

Michael D. writes an sycophantic letter to the Iranian, tries to blame the Israeli Embassy, makes a fool of himself day after day at the United Nations press briefings, starts blaming the media but still you say it is "laughably ludicrous" to suggest he might resign because…….. Oh, look - Gaza!!! Lebanon!!!