Is Berties PR machine really powerful enough to pull this off?

NOTW got him a publishing contract for the daughter, in return Ahern gave Sky an exclusive contract on GAA coverage, is is thought by a lot of people Cecilia's first book was plagirised from a Turkish original and translator + ghostwriter then set her on the way to success.

Very good.

Back on topic, I'm more interested about who told you that "the peace process had nothing to do with Bertie".

What book did you read, or what literature did you read that Bertie did nothing or had no part in the peace process?

I don't mind Higgins. I do like that the last three presidents are all human/civil rights activists in some way. I was worried last time we might get one of those god awful businessmen.

I'd give Hume and Trimble much more credit than any FF politician. Bertie just wanted the photo op as someone said.

...and part of that legend is a Minister for Finance who didn't have a bank account, an unexplained £275,000 and the IMF coming in to sort out the mess his brand of politics made of the economy.

1/10 for effort

Bertie should bask in the glory of the GFA, in which he played a significant role. For much of the rest of his activities, it's a negative report.

A Presidential election campaign is brutal. Ask many of those who thought they might suit and many would say they regretted running. Every small failure got amplified. For Bertie to take part it would be embarrassing and crushing. anyway, he'll never get the FF nomination. Like Brian Crowley before, he'll find himself shafted. He knows better than anyone, because that time it's he did the shafting.

So Bertie, stick with the lucrative speaking circuit and the vegetable plot.

Yagan, anyone involved would know, that an unbelievable amount of work was put in by very many people to get the GFA over the line. Acknowledging that is important. Some names who put in the most only get passing mention.

Bertie in the middle of it buried his mother and was back involved the same day.

The same mother whose memory he abused by trying to say brown envelopes/cash he received were actually inheritance monies left to him by his mother, needless to say when asked for proof at Mahon, none was provided.

Totally agree- but can you think of one such candidate with relative youth on their side (say early to mid 40s) but with a wealth of experience behind them? I can’t right now and the drivel that have showed up over the last few elections just shows how we can’t even field 2-3 decent presidential candidates out of population of 5 million- although saying that, looking around the world at other democracies with presidents, we’re not alone there 😀

The President has a key role in examining legislation and deciding whether to sign it or convene the Council of State. Might be no harm to put a few names here. We need to to do better than ABB, anyone but Bertie.

To pick two names Liz O'Donnell had a significant input at a detailed level in the GFA getting over the line. She also served well as head of the Road Safety Council. Has studied law.

Ardal O'Hanlon, a comedian with a political background. Very interesting guy and deep thinker.

Odd names, but shouldn't rule anything out.

I don’t think it needs to be someone particularly young, but I’d like to see a woman, seeing as we haven’t even had a female Taoiseach yet 🙄 Someone like Adi Roche or Mairéad McGuinness.

I’d rather scrap the role of President altogether than see Ahern take it. It would be a shameful day for the nation.

AFAIK if Michael D decided to retire in 2015 then there was a good chance Miriam might have ran for it as an independent FF candidate. She never ruled it out when she was asked if she would run and she was certainly enjoying the attention about it that she was getting in the thrashy magazines that she constantly gives interviews to so she can get the free clothes from the photoshoot and they can blow smoke up her hole, ('Mom of 8 kids, wow!Amazing!' ad infinitum).

But more recently she did her monthly interview with one of those thrashy magazines who told us how great Miriam is for the umpteenth time and she finally ruled a run for the Presidency out when asked.

Enough of establishment figures like Higgins and the other parties keeping a grip on the Aras.

I voted for Casey last time around - we need more choice not less.

Any chance that this is all a false flag operating by Bertie and he’ll just be hocking a book or newspaper column in the end?