Cowen on Late Late

Leiva

I think COWEN was a lot better off walking out of RTE then he was when in walked in .

He done better than i expected ... the questions were fast and hard , he done a lot of bullet dodging but in the end said what he should have said months ago ....

""The country is in the s.h.its , we all have tough decisions , I am the leader i will do my job , let the Circus go on around me , i am leading ..go f.u.ck off and judge me when the crap has cleared ! "

The question about "Do you think you drink to much" ..WTF was that all about ?

For me I think his popularity went up a few points , lets not forget the number that tuned into the Late Late were through the roof .

My 2 pence worth.

M.

jimmmy

Hillel wrote: »

That's what struck me too. Try as he might, he simply couldn't get himself to acknowledge any responsibility. Simply not in his make up - it was "the advisors" who led him astray. Well I wish he'd keep straying ..... out the door, down the drive and far away. Try as he will, and he really was trying tonight, he simply doesn't have what it takes to get us out of this mess. I actualy felt sorry for him, but that doesn't matter, he simply has to go. If things get much worse there will be no country left to lead.

True enough. Its embarassing to have him as the leader of our country. Why did Tubridy not bring up issues such as public expenditure more eg why does Cowen pay himself more than Obama or the p.m. of the UK, France or Germany ? Why is his govt so overpaid...and all their 300,000 or so employees the highest paid in the known world too ? Cowen did say that given govt. expenditure was 55 billion and income 33 billion there would be cuts ...but this is a case of too little too late for the sake of our children. Still, nice to see Cowen sober for a change.

dlofnep

The interview was ok - but I felt Tubridy was shooting out questions way too quickly, it was a poor interview technique. He should let someone digest a question and answer it thoroughly before cutting them off in mid-sentence. You wouldn't see that sort of amatuer behaviour on pirate radio.

Cowen did ok for himself, but he didn't convince anyone.

Mr.Micro

It was just a friendly party political broadcast for FF on the dull new late late show. A coup it was not. So RTE is set to continue with a guest list of has beens for its new revamped show with Tubridy? Should have got Dobbo in and the odd tear out of Biffo would have done the trick. 2 hours and 20 minutes of dross.

Hangsangwich

Cowen seems to think he has only three tasks to perform
1) Get Lisbon passed
2) Get NAMA accepted by the Irish people
and
3) Help prepare the next Budget
There was only a slight reference to the McCarthy report, wich if iplemented properly would require a serious amount of legislation to effect such proposed cuts.
With regard to expense scandals, Cowen had the audacity to say "that cant happen", to events that have happened. He should take charge and say things like the public representatives will be personally liable to repay these sums of money.
There are inefficiencies throughout the public sector, but there is nothing being done about them
Irish politicians are on a lucrative gravy train, and Cowen is not prepared to rock the boat.
He is not a leader. He is middle management material. We are in a leadership vaccuum at the moment. Bertie cut down any other real leaders chances throughout his rise and tenure as leader and promoted the ineffectual who would not revolt against him. Now, the rats have jumped ship, we have a country led by arse lickers who have no superiors to brown nose with. They are the result of generations of cronyism. they have been programmed to maintain the status quo at all costs until they are told to do otherwise. Any real new directions will be automatically opposed by these back slapping pint swilling guffawing buffoons. They are lost in positions of power.
And to hear the audience last night. I didn't hear one boo. They must have been hand picked. It was all so censored. Tossers!

freewheeler

could nt bring myself to watch it..caught a snippet of it.Biffo followed by Brian McFadden?? doesn't get much worse than that in my book..2 talentless clowns who just got the breaks obviously! although at least the latter hasn't set the country back about 20 years..just offended my eardrums:(

freewheeler

Hangsangwich wrote: »

Cowen seems to think he has only three tasks to perform
1) Get Lisbon passed
2) Get NAMA accepted by the Irish people
and
3) Help prepare the next Budget
There was only a slight reference to the McCarthy report, wich if iplemented properly would require a serious amount of legislation to effect such proposed cuts.
With regard to expense scandals, Cowen had the audacity to say "that cant happen", to events that have happened. He should take charge and say things like the public representatives will be personally liable to repay these sums of money.
There are inefficiencies throughout the public sector, but there is nothing being done about them
Irish politicians are on a lucrative gravy train, and Cowen is not prepared to rock the boat.
He is not a leader. He is middle management material. We are in a leadership vaccuum at the moment. Bertie cut down any other real leaders chances throughout his rise and tenure as leader and promoted the ineffectual who would not revolt against him. Now, the rats have jumped ship, we have a country led by arse lickers who have no superiors to brown nose with. They are the result of generations of cronyism. they have been programmed to maintain the status quo at all costs until they are told to do otherwise. Any real new directions will be automatically opposed by these back slapping pint swilling guffawing buffoons. They are lost in positions of power.
And to hear the audience last night. I didn't hear one boo. They must have been hand picked. It was all so censored. Tossers!

at last!! someone who tells it like it is!!! thats it in a nutshell..well done!:)

eirebhoy

dlofnep wrote: »

The interview was ok - but I felt Tubridy was shooting out questions way too quickly, it was a poor interview technique. He should let someone digest a question and answer it thoroughly before cutting them off in mid-sentence. You wouldn't see that sort of amatuer behaviour on pirate radio.

Have you watched Prime Time, Q&A, etc. It's actually hard to follow the interviews with all the interruptions. Cowen never once wanted to finish what he was saying when Tubridy interrupted so he was talking rubbish anyway and Tubridy interrupted at the right moments.

kenco

No win situation here for Cowen and I think he got away with a score draw. He was in no ways impressive but then again I thought Tubridy swung for Kenny Lite to Kermit the Frog. I think he was trying to rouse Cowen and it didnt work as it was too obvious.

Cowen looked nervous and the continuous lip licking thing did him no favours..

AlekSmart

Hangsandwich`s post #36 deservers to be a sticky !!!

freewheeler

The fact that Cowen is even tolerated as our taoiseach is a graphic illustration of how far our country has fallen.We can only hope and pray that him and his gang of half-assed buffoons will get whats coming to them..and soon!I think that Cowen(as limited as he is)realises that they are on borrowed time at this stage and his 'performance' on the late late proved it. Maybe you need to hit rock-bottom before you can start again well i truly believe that we have politacally,morally and economically! Rant complete!:mad:

FlutterinBantam

dlofnep wrote: »

The interview was ok - but I felt Tubridy was shooting out questions way too quickly, it was a poor interview technique. He should let someone digest a question and answer it thoroughly before cutting them off in mid-sentence. You wouldn't see that sort of amatuer behaviour on pirate radio

Cowen did ok for himself, but he didn't convince anyone.

Would you ever stop purporting your opinions as applying to everyone.

I didn't see the interview, but please remember, your opinion may not be shared by everyone else.


"Anyone" in that sentence should be replaced by "me".

Then I would have agreed with you.

Mr.Micro

kenco wrote: »

Cowen looked nervous and the continuous lip licking thing did him no favours..

That's what happens when a fish is out of water:D and clearly out of his depth.

nuac

Saw the interview. Questions covered a wide range, but more time should have been allowed to develope points - changes of topic came too quick. More time should have been given to the Cowen interview and less to Brian McFadden's marital and financial problems, which turned out ( to me ) to be boring.

Allowing for the fact that this was a live interview in front of an audience I think Cowen did well. Obviously he is not into the grooming and PR presentation that many politicians use. What we see is what we get.

To me he came across as an honest person working to a plan, wthout an ego.

thebman

The interview is on the RTE player if anyone wants to watch it.

I thought he asked a lot of hard questions to be fair. It was like he pulled a list of them from other media sources and people though rather than actually having any questions of his own. In particular, the drinking question came across as something Ryan read in a tabloid rag somewhere.

Of course Cowen would say the advisors were advising him. He is a politician, he is just the face for the department of finance, he doesn't actually make all the decisions. Even with the few decisions he did have to make in that position, Bertie was pullin the strings at the time.

As for the expenses, I think he genuinely wants to put a stop to that nonsense. He's a fairly modest man himself even when he's earning a lot, he doesn't exactly live it up on a lavish lifestyle so I don't think he'd have a problem putting caps on the stupid expenses himself and just saying can't not do it boys, look at the media pressure.

I don't get all the hate for the man. I think its mostly Dubs hating him because he isn't one TBH.

Anyway despite what he says, the government has no popularity now and has to fall soon so he may like being Taoiseach but he won't get to enjoy it for much longer I think.

jimmmy

nuac wrote: »

Saw the interview. Questions covered a wide range, but more time should have been allowed to develope points - changes of topic came too quick. More time should have been given to the Cowen interview and less to Brian McFadden's marital and financial problems, which turned out ( to me ) to be boring..

true, Brian McFaddens whinging about his ex wife went on and on for far too long....what, 15 minutes without the other side having the opportunity to say anything. Cringe worthy telivision, embarassing it be from the same country.

nuac wrote: »

To me he came across as an honest person working to a plan, wthout an ego.

If he was an honest person without an ego, would he really still be paying himself more than Obama or the p.m. of the UK, France or germany etc.( all much larger, industrialised countries) .... especially considering the mess he has made of a generation of peoples lives ?

Liam Byrne

thebman wrote: »

As for the expenses, I think he genuinely wants to put a stop to that nonsense. He's a fairly modest man himself even when he's earning a lot, he doesn't exactly live it up on a lavish lifestyle so I don't think he'd have a problem putting caps on the stupid expenses himself

If that were true - that he didn't have a problem with it - then he (as so-called "leader" of the country) should go ahead and do it.

But no - it's easier screw Joe Soap for things he's entitled to rather than screw his mates for stuff that they're not.

FlutterinBantam

thebman wrote: »

The interview is on the RTE player if anyone wants to watch it.

I thought he asked a lot of hard questions to be fair. It was like he pulled a list of them from other media sources and people though rather than actually having any questions of his own. In particular, the drinking question came across as something Ryan read in a tabloid rag somewhere.

Of course Cowen would say the advisors were advising him. He is a politician, he is just the face for the department of finance, he doesn't actually make all the decisions. Even with the few decisions he did have to make in that position, Bertie was pullin the strings at the time.

As for the expenses, I think he genuinely wants to put a stop to that nonsense. He's a fairly modest man himself even when he's earning a lot, he doesn't exactly live it up on a lavish lifestyle so I don't think he'd have a problem putting caps on the stupid expenses himself and just saying can't not do it boys, look at the media pressure.

I don't get all the hate for the man. I think its mostly Dubs hating him because he isn't one TBH.

Anyway despite what he says, the government has no popularity now and has to fall soon so he may like being Taoiseach but he won't get to enjoy it for much longer I think.

That is definitely a factor.

dresden8

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

That is definitely a factor.

Yes, no doubt Dubs would prefer a junkie from Sheriff Street.

jimmmy

If you have lost your job, are on a 3 day week, struggle to make a pittance or break even as a self employed or small business, or have lost half your pension and asset value, it makes no difference if the leader of the country ( the highest paid politician in the world )....our ex minister for finance who cannot now even see the mistakes he made - is a Dub or not.

FlutterinBantam

Indeed ,it makes no difference, however the perception is a totally different thing.

Bertie massaged the Dubs, he was "one of their own" wheeler dealer, shoving the problem around and buying time.

Aer lingus is the prime example and SRT/Team.... instead of addressing the obvious issues Bertie caved in to vested and political interests and now what have you???

SRT gone!! What use are all the highly paid jobs now? Gonzo

Aer Lingus,for years the bastion of Union warhorses who couldn't see the trend in the industry ,and to whom Bertie cow towed and allowed baggage handlers to earn 80k+:eek:

fair play to them in truth ,but sure fcuks up the cost base.

Everybody bought into the gravy train but nobody had the balls to say "For fcuks sake this stuff can't be sustained"

Which brings us neatly to where we are:D

Cork Boy

I'm sorry but did someone say we hate Cowen because he's NOT from dublin? Are you serious like? :eek:

No offence, but the 31 counties hold no huge love for the dubs (especially southsiders). Its not easy to love a govt who spend a disproportionate amount of our taxes on de taoiseach's dirty oul town (luas, motorways, rebuilding said motorways again and again, €50m on a fecking spike...etc). The rest of the country is dying for a culchie taoiseach who's mantra isn't "What's good for Dublin is good for Ireland".

Now i know its probably the same for cork (the other 31 counties holding no grá for us that is), but if you really think the country hates Cowen for NOT being from Dublin, you need a serious reality check.

As an aside, Offally is pretty much in 'the pale' anyway so its much of a muchness...

Rant Over :mad:

lostexpectation

thebman wrote: »

Of course Cowen would say the advisors were advising him. He is a politician, he is just the face for the department of finance, he doesn't actually make all the decisions. Even with the few decisions he did have to make in that position, Bertie was pullin the strings at the time.

As for the expenses, I think he genuinely wants to put a stop to that nonsense. He's a fairly modest man himself even when he's earning a lot, he doesn't exactly live it up on a lavish lifestyle so I don't think he'd have a problem putting caps on the stupid expenses himself and just saying can't not do it boys, look at the media pressure.

I don't get all the hate for the man. I think its mostly Dubs hating him because he isn't one TBH.

Anyway despite what he says, the government has no popularity now and

what tripe, he's modest man,, o donoghue was a modest man, michael mairtin in the uk was a modest man bertie was a modest man, doesn't change the fact they always seem to overspend and never reform.

bertie was pulling the strings...*shakes head* your making excuses for the minister of finance, the point of politicians is for them to take the responsibility.

lostexpectation

the whole show was a whirl, too fast, the interview he didn't have enough time, i bet before they went out somebody said we're going to ask you if you drink too much, and then he asked him straight out, and all cowen to say was no. there so many stories about boozy culture, thats what you ask about, does he reallyonly drink on the weekends, really?

and then he nearly apologises for doing so, its not a personal question if its affecting his job, thats why you asked it tub ridy. why else would you?

The Raven.

‘I’m in good form’ says Cowen smugly! Why wouldn’t he be on his inappropriately high salary, while jobs are being lost at an alarming rate, and severe hardship is setting in for growing numbers of the suffering taxpayers who pay his wages and expenses? It must be nice to be able to feel good while people are losing their livelihood, as the economy goes down the drain, thanks to the ineptitude of the FF government. :mad: :mad::mad: :mad::mad::mad: :mad::mad::mad::mad: :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

994

thebman wrote: »

Of course Cowen would say the advisors were advising him. He is a politician, he is just the face for the department of finance, he doesn't actually make all the decisions. Even with the few decisions he did have to make in that position, Bertie was pullin the strings at the time.

"Just the face"? He has control over all decisions.

I don't get all the hate for the man. I think its mostly Dubs hating him because he isn't one TBH.

Dubliners don't think that way. Honestly not, and it's despicable the culchie lust for "one of our own".

FeistyOneYouAre

The Raven. wrote: »

‘I’m in good form’ says Cowen smugly! Why wouldn’t he be on his inappropriately high salary, while jobs are being lost at an alarming rate, and severe hardship is setting in for growing numbers of the suffering taxpayers who pay his wages and expenses? It must be nice to be able to feel good while people are losing their livelihood, as the economy goes down the drain, thanks to the ineptitude of the FF government. :mad: :mad::mad: :mad::mad::mad: :mad::mad::mad::mad: :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Hold on a minute, his salary is what €200 odd thousand...the budget is in the billions, now I know i'll get lambasted for this but i mean, every little helps and all but come on, the least he should be getting is what €150k. He is after all running the country, democratically elected by US.

What would you have rathered, that he said 'I'm in good form' or 'Jesus Ryan, I dont know if i can do this anymore, the pressure is killing me'. And its just as much the ineptitude of the people of Ireland who kept putting FF into power. Why did we not know what was going to happen and put FG into power instead.

thebman

994 wrote: »

"Just the face"? He has control over all decisions.

Dubliners don't think that way. Honestly not, and it's despicable the culchie lust for "one of our own".

lol eh I know Dubliners, I live just outside it, Dubliners only think like that.

He doesn't really have control over all the decisions, thats just stupid. No manager is in control of everything that goes on in their department. Responsible maybe but not in control.

lostexpectation wrote: »

what tripe, he's modest man,, o donoghue was a modest man, michael mairtin in the uk was a modest man bertie was a modest man, doesn't change the fact they always seem to overspend and never reform.

bertie was pulling the strings...*shakes head* your making excuses for the minister of finance, the point of politicians is for them to take the responsibility.

Yeah but nobody expects it of any other Irish politician or our last Taoiseach but they do of Cowen?

People have been after him since he took office even in the few months before the financial crisis when he was in office and referring to the leader of the country as BIFFO is just ridiculously disrespectful.

mikemac

Cork Boy wrote: »

€50m on a fecking spike...etc).

Get out of here
The Spire cost between 4 millon and 5 million
50 milllion???

the groutch

this interview is was only preparation imo for when he comes face-to-face with Vincent Browne