Now this might sound slightly uncharitable, but whenever I see presidential hopeful Sean Gallagher, I think of that phrase. If I was in charge of casting for a film, whose lead character was a muttonhead, poor old Seanie would be the main man.
To be honest, when I heard he was running for president I just laughed. “Not a chance”, I thought. I think I looked at two episodes of Dragon’s Den (recounted elsewhere on the blog) and formed the view that Gallagher was by far the most bland, most uninteresting dragon in it - amid a cast of bland, uninteresting dragons.
Once, I remember, he berated a participant who had hoped to sell locks of leprauchans’ hair as making fun of Ireland. Yet the party Gallagher supports and organised fund-raisers for, Fianna Fail, did more than any O’Carroll’s Oirish souvenir shop to make fun of dear old Erin.
How is this guy top of the polls? I can only assume that people think of him as a friend because he appears in their living rooms on that awful RTE programme. But surely not that many people look at it? It might also be because he isn’t an actual politician as such, a much distrusted breed at present.
The president of Ireland is a nothing role really, so any talk of job creation or any of the rest of it is nonsense. We simply want someone who is presentable, urbane, and articulate, and who does not have past baggage - be it murdering people or organising Fianna Fail fund-raisers.
Sean Gallagher? I don’t think so.
But that's who they are going to vote for.
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16 comments:
The presidency can be something worth noting when you have a candidate of the calibre of Mary Robinson. But that was ages ago, it seems. An abberation, a fluke, like the Celtic tiger. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while, I suppose.
What's wrong with Michael D? He's harmless, gets into all that Gaelic stuff, so he can be like a culture minister writ small. He's a tolerable placeholder.
Norris would work for me, except for the problems that his nontroversy baggage would bring. Not so much here, but in the eyes, and narrow minds, of those he would be dealing with outside. The taint of impropriety will dog him. The press destroyed him; but he has that in common with Parnell, doesn't he? Plus ça change...
Gallagher simply represents the turkeys voting for Christmas mentality of our beloved countrymen. That's why he'll win: we are the world's most self-destructive tribe. If we can insult ourselves with some FF-aligned plutocrat, some vapid talking head, well, why wouldn't we? When have we not? He made money; he must be blessed.
I'm voting for Marty. Adams is already a TD. An SF president will complete the circle of life, and I want to be in accord with Nature. You see, they are targeting the Republic because NI has evolved beyond the need for such dinosaurs. To stay relevant, they must inflict themselves on a society even more backward than Northern Ireland.
And I can think of only one.
thomas
Just listend to him on Pat Kenny radio show. He came across as an agressive litte fecker. The Mr. Nice Guy mask dropped. He played the role that "They" ARE OUT TO GET HIM!!,I hope that anyone thinking of voting for him will sober up.
well said Thomas, you summed it up very well
Thomas,
my knowledge of the voting process here in Ireland is quite slim. But - although he is not my favourite candidate - would it not be the only chance to avoid Gallagher if everyone would vote for Michael D.? Looking at the polls, I think this would be the only way not to get Gallagher elected.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Harald, I think you are corrrct in that Michael D seems to be the only one coming close to Gallagher, for anyone needing reminding of Cowan and Finna Fail 2have a look at this:
"The former Irish Prime Minister made critical decisions about the country's collapsing economy 'on the hoof' while drinking in a Dublin bar"
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2053098/Irish-prime-minister-ruled-country-bar-stool-Explosive-claims-drinking-culture-ex-premier-Brian-Cowen.html#ixzz1bmzc2fWO
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2053098/Irish-prime-minister-ruled-country-bar-stool-Explosive-claims-drinking-culture-ex-premier-Brian-Cowen.html
Harald,
The way to eliminate Gallagher would be for a lot of people to make him their last or near-last choice, and place Michael at the top of the ballot. Here is a link explaining our surprisingly sensible electoral system: http://www.rte.ie/news/election2011/prstvguide.html
This is not to say that the Republic should be confused with a democracy -- just to say that our electoral system is one of those rare cases where we actually got something right.
thomas
Harald, I should have clarified one point: STV doesn't affect the winner of a race where there can be only one winner, but the losers are ranked, so there is a symbolic reason for voting against candidates you dislike. The STV approach seems contradictory in this case, but it isn't as crazy as it sounds.
thomas
The GN community has said little about the referendums, one of which might well be more consequential than the election. I am curious what people think of them.
I'm most concerned about #30. When the strongest voices of dissent belong to Jim Corr and Sinéad O'Connor, is it really wise to let the Oireachtas indulge in witch hunts? Haven't we pretty much silenced everyone with a hint of scepticism and a shred of sanity already?
thomas
Undecided voters: certain bookies Paid out on Michael D Last Week- and the Bookies Above All nearly Always get their man right:
at the moment Gallagher is floudering, mostly over Hugh Morgan donation- but just look at the web- so many things about him have 'dodgy FF businessman' all over them- in fact so much freely available info was Worthy of screaming headlines months ago...but it did'nt happen...must be a lot of FFers in media.
Referendums: yes & yes:
why? (1) I read as many opinions as I could- I fail to see how cutting the pay of some of the best paid judges in the world could make them less impartial(!), hounded by government of the day etc etc ....look they've always been partial to the rich...now let them eat gur cake like the rest of us...NO they won't end up poor/ hounded etc YES they can take a pay cut and
(2) Irish government never DID enquire into a lot of dodgy/ illegal things. Re citizens being unfairly framed by enquiries etc...I Suspect given the Laziness oF TD's especially the dodgy ones, only there for fat pay and chance of back handers, only the more honest conscientious TDs will get enquiries going...and surely if Someone is wrongly treated we citizens are finally getting enough indignation to protest , EG Fintan O'Toole GPO rally last yr. ANd what enquiring DID the Dail ever do??? Deliberately toothless 'Tribunals' with meaningless conclusions Oh And BTW
cost Approx 315 Million Euro WITH about 250 MILLION of that lawyers fees!!!!!( ***WTF!!!!***)
So in view of all this:
yes & yes.
1) Norris( I committed to him a long time ago)
2) Michael D*(who will win on transfers)
3).....pause...
I Was going to give all the also rans a vote...to move them up a notch above MMG, as I never vote SF...And now I think of it I Never voted FF or FF Independant Lite...
so in no definite fixed order..
3) Mary ( means well)
4) Dana...insubstantial..should not have ran...just don't like to
see her at bottom
5)Mitchell...not the worst of Irish politicians- but even my Belfast friend remarked comes off as a bit of a rottweiler....
what A totally amazing great little country GM , leading presidential cadidates one very posh scam artist that sounds like the queen 20yrs drawing benifits is he real oirish atall? another a FF bagman with border area borderline smuggler friends, of the half million unemployed in irl is there just one honest person that might want the job just asking -BH
Thanks for the comments so far, John, Thomas, Harald, Anna, BH... good reading for me.
On balance Thomas, I think I will end up voting yes yes, like Anna. I'm aware of the independence of the judiciary argument, but I'm swayed by the likes of the police at Abbeylara and Callely who had enquires knocked on he head by the High Court. The latter protecting his good name... its an emotive argument I know, but I think its people such as these more likely to appear in front of an enquiry than ourselves... Then you've Lowry and O'Brien walking around as if the tribunals didn't happen... So, though I take your point, I think that's the way I am swayed at the moment...
GM, Anna, I am leaning yes on 1; I think you are right. On 2, I wish I could share your optimism, but I can't think of an example in Irish history when coercive power was not used by the strong against the weak, by the many against the few. I'll be surprised if 2 does not open the door to punitive/disciplinary investigations, or -- just as effective -- the constant threat of them.
thomas
Hi Thomas. Sorry I took so long to get your comment up - only saw it now.
Guys,
thanks for the lecture in the Irish Election System, much appreciated.
Sorry I can't be much of a help as I don't have a vote just yet.
But living in this great country (which it is, after all) lead AGAIN by one of Destiny's Soldiers, is something I would rather not take.
Anyway: There is a saying in my home country that "every country get's the leaders it deserves".
I hope I can take that as a positive sign ?!
Really, GM; how dare you have a life outside this blog :)
thomas
Sometimes the blog is a welcome relief from it, Thomas ;-)
I try to check the blog often enough, but there has been an awful lot of spam coming in... GN is popular with them anyway... and very often real comments go into that folder, so you end up only seeing them when you are clearing out the other stuff.
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