Frontline/Presidential debate: Gallagher just looking for a payday at this point?

For Reals · 27-01-2014 5:52pm #1

At this point is Gallagher simply looking for a pay day?
However justified his sour grapes may be I personally feel any perceived bias on the producers of Frontline's behalf would not have affected every vote in the Presidential election but that's neither here nor there as how ever it was arrived at, it was a factual revelation.
All TV shows, regardless of the Factual or Dramatic moniker are all scripted and designed to stir the pot. Whether certain questions are asked or not asked are part and parcel of creating a show and even, as happens, in cases of bias in broadcasting, I don't feel one show would carry such sway.
However I believe the real issue is Gallagher is annoyed he got called on the FFail donation issue and the manner, although falsely orchestrated, by which it came to the fore. He's clutching at straws in an effort to wash over the fact that most who didn't vote for him viewed him as a teller of falsehoods and of low personal calibre as to not even have the decency to stand by his Fianna Fail pedigree because the votes wouldn't suit at the time. If anything, there was a bias towards bringing to the fore, facts he'd rather they didn't and he feels slighted. I would have some sympathy if it were all proven to be false but he himself seems stuck to the manner by which the smoking gun was found and not that his prints were on the trigger.
As for the bias towards Michael D., Higgins has been very outspoken against RTE and its failure to send new contracts out to tender so I can't see it being so.

http://iftn.ie/legal/finance_news/?act1=record&aid=73&rid=2571&tpl=archnews&only=1

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/former-presidential-candidate-goes-to-war-over-frontline-29950769.html

Mal-Adjusted · 29-01-2014 4:18pm

Jesus P.J. Sean, just let it go at this point!

raymon · 29-01-2014 4:53pm

We dodged a bullet there !!!!

I'm my opinion me lost the election the next morning when he started attacking that woman live on air. She rang in when she heard him. " we have got her on the line"

29-01-2014 5:59pm

Well, he certainly never made any money in his role as an "entrepreneur," (He was given money by the state, never actually made any himself it seems) lets see how he fares with this new round of money-grabbing from the state.

Sure wasn't he actually charging GAA clubs 5k a pop for his super grant-getting abilities?

Silentcorner · 29-01-2014 7:05pm

The whole thing did seem one sided...it was ever only going to be...the leader in the polls was taken down on national TV, it had a massive impact on the race itself otherwise what was the point of the debate in the first place.

The fact that it saved us from electing a FF bagman is irrelevant really, the end doesn't justify the means, it is not right and lets not forget that this is not the first time RTE have behaved in such appalling fashion.

I do believe they should all share in the compo, because for all the wrong reasons it was the best TV debate I have ever witnessed...it had everything...who remembers Gay Mitchells strop? Or Marty McGuiness turning to Gallagher and saying "You're in big trouble now" (if I recall correctly)...Marty no stranger to trouble himself...made up tweets...seemingly very vocal biased audience...tv gold it was, I'd actually pay to watch it again!!!

road_high · 29-01-2014 7:33pm

Sean Gallagher blew it all by himself. Brown envelopes, cheques and FF. Need any more be said really.

For Reals · 29-01-2014 8:03pm

Actually RTE/Frontline would have been remiss not to have raised it, its just the manner in which it was raised where they made a balls.

RTE have shown themselves to be bias one way or another over the years and its not right and they should be penalised when ever found to be doing so.

In television questions are planted by the Producers, lest they get an audience of five people asking the same question or no questions at all. Its a fine balancing act but Television shows need to do this to ensure the viewers are engaged. This does not excuse any bias.

Gallagher was seen to be shady, because of his actions. He should not see any taxpayer money because of the manner the truth was aired.
I recall his interviews in the run up all about helping Ireland make money, guided tours of Áras an Uachtaráin etc. Yet here we are, him trying to make a few bob off the taxpayer.

Hootanany · 29-01-2014 8:09pm

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Well, he certainly never made any money in his role as an "entrepreneur," (He was given money by the state, never actually made any himself it seems) lets see how he fares with this new round of money-grabbing from the state.

Sure wasn't he actually charging GAA clubs 5k a pop for his super grant-getting abilities?

I thought he had a Timber Frame Company that's where his money came from could be wrong.

Silentcorner · 29-01-2014 8:34pm

For Reals wrote: »

Actually RTE/Frontline would have been remiss not to have raised it, its just the manner in which it was raised where they made a balls.

RTE have shown themselves to be bias one way or another over the years and its not right and they should be penalised when ever found to be doing so.

In television questions are planted by the Producers, lest they get an audience of five people asking the same question or no questions at all. Its a fine balancing act but Television shows need to do this to ensure the viewers are engaged. This does not excuse any bias.

Gallagher was seen to be shady, because of his actions. He should not see any taxpayer money because of the manner the truth was aired.
I recall his interviews in the run up all about helping Ireland make money, guided tours of Áras an Uachtaráin etc. Yet here we are, him trying to make a few bob off the taxpayer.

I understand how these debates are organised and I agree it is the responsibility of our media to highlight any impropriety, however on a panel of seasoned politicians I hardly think Gallagher was on his own in that regard, I was relieved he wasn't elected but we do need to demand higher standards of our national broadcaster, in international media circles we must be a laughing stock.

I don't believe he should receive compo, which the taxpayer will have to cough up. I think RTE should be banned from hosting a debate for the 2016 election, the more power they abuse the more power should be taken off them.

Going Forward · 29-01-2014 11:30pm

http://smarthomes.ie/aboutus/whatdosmarthomesdo.asp

Sean said: “In the 21st Century access to new technology in your home should be considered a right and not a luxury.”

Hootanany wrote: »

I thought he had a Timber Frame Company that's where his money came from could be wrong.

road_high · 29-01-2014 11:57pm

For Reals wrote: »

Gallagher was seen to be shady, because of his actions. He should not see any taxpayer money because of the manner the truth was aired.
I recall his interviews in the run up all about helping Ireland make money, guided tours of Áras an Uachtaráin etc. Yet here we are, him trying to make a few bob off the taxpayer.

Yes indeed I remember that. Tried to paint himself as some kind of "new thinking" in Politics there at one-stage pre-election. Glad here too he was highlighted for the re-heated FF scraps that he is/was.
It's truly sickening that he trys to bleed yet more cash out of the state. He lost- The truth as you say rang true in the end, and I'm glad it did.

It was just unfortunate we had such a poor calibre of candidates running that time.

Manach · 30-01-2014 1:09am

Rather ironic criticising Gallagher for accepting public monies, when the eventual winner is one who has had a career pontificating at the public expense and now spends his time twixt platitude and denouncing past capitalist greed.

30-01-2014 2:09pm

Manach wrote: »

Rather ironic criticising Gallagher for accepting public monies, when the eventual winner is one who has had a career pontificating at the public expense and now spends his time twixt platitude and denouncing past capitalist greed.

The difference being that one has earned his money through decades of excellent public service, and the other made his by being up to his neck in FF corruption.

Brussels Sprout · 30-01-2014 2:13pm

I love the way that the Sunday Independent have such a bee in their bonnet over this issue. They keep dredging it up again and again. It's completely down to the fact that he was the proxy-FF candidate and they were all ready to celebrate the government parties getting one in the eye when RTE 'stole' it from them by revealing that he was a FF bag man all along.

For Reals · 30-01-2014 4:37pm

Manach wrote: »

Rather ironic criticising Gallagher for accepting public monies, when the eventual winner is one who has had a career pontificating at the public expense and now spends his time twixt platitude and denouncing past capitalist greed.

Higgins is an intelligent and pointed speaker with a long career in public service.
Nice to have such a President.

Gallagher is a chancer.

chanc·er
: someone who takes chances and often does improper things to get an advantage over other people
: a scheming opportunist

Examples of CHANCER

<a two-faced chancer, he doesn't hesitate to dump people when they are no longer of any use>

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chancer

Manach · 30-01-2014 4:51pm

Congratulations on your ability to link to web articles.

Higgins, from what I remember of his career as a TD, spent his time exposing the range of leftish progressive causes linked to life revolving the most well-paid (by the taxpayer of course) exclusive club that is Leinster House.

For Reals · 30-01-2014 5:06pm

Manach wrote: »

Congratulations on your ability to link to web articles.

Higgins, from what I remember of his career as a TD, spent his time exposing the range of leftish progressive causes linked to life revolving the most well-paid (by the taxpayer of course) exclusive club that is Leinster House.

It's courtesy to show a link backing up your point. Gallagher is a chancer as defined in the dictionary.

So what if Higgins is left wing?
And are we to denounce every politician based on them being a politician? That'll make voting very difficult indeed.

Gallagher sold himself as a fire brand ready to shake up the country and blah blah blah....in reality an ego slighted, now looking for a few bob to the detriment of the taxpayer in good old Fianna Fail style.

road_high · 30-01-2014 10:05pm

Had there been really strong candidates up against Gallagher I reckon he would have been blown out of the water well before the debate on rte. He was not really challenged on his past and FF dealings until then. He saw an oppurtunity in an extremely weak field and FF were there behind him to start a kind of rehabilitaion after destroying the economy had he succeeded. I think it was a great message that a corrupt FF bag man couldn't get elected despite being arguably the best candidate on paper at least (from an extremely poor field I reiterate).

Frontline/Presidential debate: Gallagher just looking for a payday at this point?

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