Enda Kenny as Taoiseach?

daniel91

Heard on a report yesterday during RTE news that if there was a general election tomorrow that Enda Kenny would be Taoiseach of Ireland according to opinion polls, etc.

So, if Enda Kenny did become Taoiseach tomorrow what would change in this country? What would he differently to Brian Cowen to bring Ireland out of recession? Would it all just suddenly change? like some people think it will.

PunkFreud

I don't like Enda Kenny, he's really boring and stiff. I'd prefer Richard Bruton, with Lee as his financial sidekick.

Nothing against his political beliefs, but Enda is just a bit...

(I am aware I am not contributing a whole lot to this thread)

daniel91

PunkFreud wrote: »

I don't like Enda Kenny, he's really boring and stiff. I'd prefer Richard Bruton, with Lee as his financial sidekick.

Nothing against his political beliefs, but Enda is just a bit...

(I am aware I am not contributing a whole lot to this thread)

Yeah I know, everytime I hear giftgrub taking the piss out of him, I can't stop laughing!

mikemac

PunkFreud wrote: »

I don't like Enda Kenny, he's really boring and stiff.

So what??Are you going to be looking at his speeches to give you confidence? Watching Oireachtas report to judge his speech and body language and delivery style?

Attack the guy if you think he not capable, not everyone is charismatic.

I don't care if he isn't charismatic or even the most capable person in the cabinet. Once he can lead his team of ministers to deliver whatever FG promise in their manifesto what more do you want?
And if he fails to deliver he'll be gone. But not because he was boring......

cooperguy

It would be interesting to seem him actually implementing cuts instead of just shooting down every proposed one anyway.

dlofnep

God no. What a complete and utter tosspot.

Pride Fighter

Gilmore for taoiseach? Enda as Tanaiste?

thebman

Enda Kenny at least looks a lot healthier, presentable and honest than FF politicians IMO.

Not that looks are all that important but it would be nice to have a politician that you don't feel people from other countries don't want to be in the same room with.

Brian Cown has zero charisma, Enda has little charisma. Enda wins.

Anyway most people just want to punish FF so if FG policies are the same as FF they won't mind.

edit---

I don't get why Enda is a tosspot? Can someone explain what it is about him because I don't really see it :-/

daniel91

Pride Fighter wrote: »

Gilmore for taoiseach? Enda as Tanaiste?

Eamon Gilmore does seem more appealing to me as Taoiseach also.

yurmothrintites

Bruton before Kenny. Enda Kenny would not be a very competent Taoiseach, Bruton has much more experience and could do more witht the economic disarray of the country.

Kalashnikov_Kid

Same old sh1te, different can. Farmers might be happier though.

jank

As was said before what do people want in a Taoiseach? I think some people have misguided views that they want every leader in be like Martin Sheen (The West Wing) or Barrack Obama.

Once he leads his team and cabinet well for the better of the country than thats all that matters. There is more to running the country than being like Bertie (he is one of us! :rolleyes:) and appearing on shows like the premiership.

Until he becomes Taoiseach than you will have to reserve judgment but I think he might surprise some people.

Give me dull and competent any day over charismatic and useless.

Donny5

jank wrote: »

As was said before what do people want in a Taoiseach? I think some people have misguided views that they want every leader in be like Martin Sheen (The West Wing) or Barrack Obama.

Once he leads his team and cabinet well for the better of the country than thats all that matters. There is more to running the country than being like Bertie (he is one of us! :rolleyes:) and appearing on shows like the premiership.

Until he becomes Taoiseach than you will have to reserve judgment but I think he might surprise some people.

Give me dull and competent any day over charismatic and useless.

Meh, I like to live in interesting times, so I'll take the latter.

jank

Donny5 wrote: »

Meh, I like to live in interesting times, so I'll take the latter.

Fair enough but that gives you 15% unemployement, a 20 billion hole in the public finances and NAMA....

mountainyman

If he had a big FG

1 slash uncivil servant wages
2 lock up all the FFers

3 scrap NaMa nationalise the banks and then go through everu bit f paper for 50 years and lock up the bastards

Feckinhellman

mountainyman wrote: »

If he had a big FG

1 slash uncivil servant wages
2 lock up all the FFers

3 scrap NaMa nationalise the banks and then go through everu bit f paper for 50 years and lock up the bastards

I agree ...(Have you considered a career in politics .Vacancies opening shortly)

jasonbourme.cs

I'd actually welcome Enda Kenny as our new leader , to be honest cant be any worse than the current bunch .

lostexpectation

the difference would be the change of person/party, 12yrs thats enough

BluntGuy

I don't see why there's such a big issue about Enda. I don't often vote for FG candidates, but Enda is not the reason I'm put off them. Besides, we all know where so-called "charisma" got us. I fully agree with this sentiment:

jank wrote:

Give me dull and competent any day over charismatic and useless.

Cork Boy

PunkFreud wrote: »

I don't like Enda Kenny, he's really boring and stiff. I'd prefer Richard Bruton, with Lee as his financial sidekick.

Nothing against his political beliefs, but Enda is just a bit...

(I am aware I am not contributing a whole lot to this thread)

Ah ya sure lets get Bertie back int he big seat altogether, sure wasn't he a sound lad with bundles of charisma.

PunkFreud, you and utter idiots like you are the reason the govt know they can bend us over a barrell and penetrate (without having the common courtesy to give us a reach around).

Would you even be able to vote if they took the pictures off the ballot card?

Tell ya what, at least you and all the other genius's like you (40% of the country it seems) will be able to pleasure yourselves to good looking leaders all day long... its not like there'll eb any jobs for ye to go to.

Twat

Cork Boy

Cork Boy wrote: »

PunkFreud, you and utter idiots like you are the reason the govt know they can bend us over a barrell and penetrate (without having the common courtesy to give us a reach around).
...
...
Twat

If one can't debate with a little civility, one doesn't really have a point.

Even the gay rape thing wasn't much of a point, was it now?

But in case you turn your nasty abuse on me, Enda is an absolute genius and he will sort out this country within days and hopefully bring peace to the world. That make it all better?

Cork Boy

Hi Conor,

I don't usually debate like this (if we can even call my reply 'debate') but a comment like his deserves nothing less - maybe he might even start to wake up a bit.

On the gay rape thing - gay or not, i think rape is a very good analogy for what successive Irish governments have done to us over the years, go back as far as the Noel Browne 'Mother & Child Scheme' scandal and you can see from day one, we were doomed to a civil service and government that would always bow to the wishes of the upper class (bishops and doctors).

I wish the scaremongering on Lisbon was based on fact, that way we could pass the treaty and devolve power to Brussells.

I hardly think suggesting that Richard Bruton and George Lee may be more capable than Enda Kenny is so objectionable.

I think his point that 'Enda is a bit...' would even be shared by many, even within FG.

Cork Boy

Oh i know Kenny is no Obama, i just get so enraged when people vote for someone based on their charisma rather than their policies.

I'm not saying Kenny will/would be our Messiah, but its hard to debate like a grown up when people say things like 'I think he's incompetent because he's not suave'.

Its thinking like this that has us in the mess we're in.

is_that_so

Under our system the team is far more important. FG's front row looks an awful lot better than FF. Kenny is a better communicator and from what I can see a far more open individual. He also gives the impression that he would not tolerate any kind of underhand dealing and would be more likely to measure performance over loyalty and replace slackers. That shouldn't be a problem anyway as FG TDs will be itching to prove themselves after so long out of power.

Gilmore as Taoiseach is a non-runner, aside from the fact that he is a bit of a windbag and many of Labour's ideas embrace populist notions, he will not get enough seats to be able to get into the hot seat. Labour's big issue will be to get as many of their policies implemented and ensure that we get a 10 year FG/Labour government.

I'd wary of ascribing too much to George Lee. He's still very, very green. He's also part of the opposition. Much of his popularity is due to our current mess and it remains to be seen how he will do in more normal times. He's still inclined to do a Varadker and cut loose, although usually with a little more common sense.

bmaxi

I've always thought Kenny's biggest failing is, he comes across as a bit twee. I've no reason to believe he is not an astute politician and a decent man but IMO he lacks a certain credibility and forcefulness.
I've cringed when watching him being bullied by Cowen and Ahern and while this doesn't happen too often now, I'd put that down more to Cowen's abject failure to carry any argument with conviction rather than Kenny's increase in stature.
Get some backbone Enda!

r0nanf

Charisma? It keeps on coming down to this, and it's far too simplistic when the future wellbeing of our nation is at stake.

George Bush was charismatic to a lot of people, hijacked American patriotism (among other things) and went off to fight two unjust wars, ostracised his nation from world politics in general, ransacked public finances and almost bankrupted his country through policies of further de-regulation

Bertie was probably the most charismatic politician in modern Irish political history, and it was his populist policies (or lack thereof) that got us where we are today. Smiled gleefully as he pocketed lobbies, quango-ed the country and payed off everyone from the unemployed to the multinational with no regard for the country's future.

Now when we talk of people who are not charismatic, and specifically our two main party leaders, you have a choice between:

Brian Cowen: not charismatic, responsible for many of our problems and currently running a government cabinet based on "loyalty".

Enda Kenny: not charismatic, but relatively level headed and unconnected in terms of the stagnated financial/public servant/lobby clusterf*ck

It's a pretty straight forward question: would you like to entrust the morons who didn't see it coming to get us up on our feet again, or would you like someone with a different approach to take a shot at it?

thebman

I'll ask the question again so, why do people not like Enda? I don't see what is unlikeable about him.

More to the point I don't see what is likeable about FF politicians :-/ Never saw what there was to like about Bertie either, maybe its just me :-/

flanzer

I honestly think they are all on the par in the Dail. I couldn't care less if Enda Kenny, Brian Cowan, Richard Bruton, That mad socialist Higgins, Ronan Keating or Derek Davis is in charge of the country. They're all as bad as each other.

I would prefer Castro to be in charge in the twilight of his life actually. That would ruffle a few feathers both home and abroad

Liam Byrne

flanzer wrote: »

I honestly think they are all on the par in the Dail. I couldn't care less if Enda Kenny, Brian Cowan, Richard Bruton, That mad socialist Higgins, Ronan Keating or Derek Davis is in charge of the country. They're all as bad as each other.

But how can you possibly say this, when 5 of those 6 have never been given a chance ?

And before anyone says that Clown was elected Taioseach; let me remind people that he WASN'T - he was "given" the job by Bertie. And since Bertie self-confessed that he didn't give people jobs based on ability, but "because they were [his] friends", that is simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Yes, if Kenny were to be a TRUE leader, he should force his party members to take the cuts and also vouch for their expenses (and stop riding us) but the fact is that Clown was the Minister for Finance that landed us in this ****.

Even if Kenny WERE crap (an unknown entity) he'd HAVE to be AT LEAST as good if not better than the current crowd of corrupt pass-the-buck incompetents.

irish_bob

daniel91 wrote: »

Heard on a report yesterday during RTE news that if there was a general election tomorrow that Enda Kenny would be Taoiseach of Ireland according to opinion polls, etc.

So, if Enda Kenny did become Taoiseach tomorrow what would change in this country? What would he differently to Brian Cowen to bring Ireland out of recession? Would it all just suddenly change? like some people think it will.

if kenny was taoiseach or not is not what matters most , its whether he or fine gael have to share power with labour that counts , if they do then nothing much will change as labour are a tax and spend party and expenditure needs to be drastically cut , this cannot happen under any goverment involving labour as the public sector and unions are all labour have , you cant ignore your base and remain a force

jmayo

daniel91 wrote: »

Yeah I know, everytime I hear giftgrub taking the piss out of him, I can't stop laughing!

And what do you do when they take the p** out of Biffo, bertie, lenihan, etc ?
Oh i forgot they didn't really take the p*** out of bertie, they were actaully improving his popularity as one of the lads.

PunkFreud wrote: »

I don't like Enda Kenny, he's really boring and stiff. I'd prefer Richard Bruton, with Lee as his financial sidekick.

Nothing against his political beliefs, but Enda is just a bit...

(I am aware I am not contributing a whole lot to this thread)

So far on every thread you have come across as ff in sheeps clothing.

Just a bit ... what boring and stiff ?
FFS corkman actually had a point about you.

The job of taosiseach should not be based on whether you want to go to the pub with them. It shoudl not be whether you want to take them on holidays or invite them around for a party.
It is someone to run the blooody country without being up the ar** of vested interests that have ruined the economy of the country.

It is someone that promotes ability rather than drinking buddies, it is someone that actaully fires people for incompetence and sticks to decisions.
So far clowen has not lived up to any of this and neither did his predecessor that sleeveen from Drumcondra.

BTW from anyone that has had face to face contact with the man they have found him very personable. He just does not come across good in public arena.

dlofnep wrote: »

God no. What a complete and utter tosspot.

Great contribution. I wonder how someone might describe yourself. :rolleyes:

yurmothrintites wrote: »

Bruton before Kenny. Enda Kenny would not be a very competent Taoiseach, Bruton has much more experience and could do more witht the economic disarray of the country.

Again please pray tell us why he wouldn't be competent ?
Or are you using the yardstick that the soldiers of dysentery use with their leaders :rolleyes:

Deleted User wrote: »

I hardly think suggesting that Richard Bruton and George Lee may be more capable than Enda Kenny is so objectionable.

I think his point that 'Enda is a bit...' would even be shared by many, even within FG.

And especially by those like yourself who are a member of ff and thus try and and use it is as away of getting at him, since he doesn't have the usually baggae that your party leaders have had.

You know he actually did have a bank account of his own, he didn't have wads of cash he won at the races lodged by other people and most importantly he didn't blow the best economy that this country ever had by allowing every builder and would be Donald Trump together with the bankers use the country like a monopoly board.

BTW your own leader would be described by nigh on 85% of the people as a bit ... of a f**king useless twat.

flanzer wrote: »

I honestly think they are all on the par in the Dail. I couldn't care less if Enda Kenny, Brian Cowan, Richard Bruton, That mad socialist Higgins, Ronan Keating or Derek Davis is in charge of the country. They're all as bad as each other.

Ah yes and as long as people like you state that then the clowens, the berties, the o'donghues will still be screwing us over.

flanzer

jmayo wrote: »

Ah yes and as long as people like you state that then the clowens, the berties, the o'donghues will still be screwing us over.

I never said I will or will not be voting for Fianna Fail again. The reason why Fine Gael/Labour will be as bad is that they don't have any clear policies of their own. One of the main reasons Lisbon failed the last time was the Fianna Fail hadn't a clue what it was and thus couldn't convice the electorate.

The same applies to Fine Gael/Labour's mandate to improve the situation here. It's nambie pampie with no clear message. If the government says black, they say white. Take their opposing views on NAMA for example. 2 of their own respected party members, Alan Dukes and Garrett Fitzgerald have said it's the only way to go. George Lee, before jumpiong on the Fine Gael bandwagon, said it was the only way to go. So internally, they come across as they can't agree.

So whatever way I vote next time, I'll be voting another bunch of nambie pampieing eejits in

is_that_so

irish_bob wrote: »

if kenny was taoiseach or not is not what matters most , its whether he or fine gael have to share power with labour that counts , if they do then nothing much will change as labour are a tax and spend party and expenditure needs to be drastically cut , this cannot happen under any goverment involving labour as the public sector and unions are all labour have , you cant ignore your base and remain a force

Tired and woolly generalisations do not offer any insight although you have managed to include your two favourite targets Kenny and the PS in the same sentence .

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with coalitions. The last big single party govt we had set in motion a lot of the problems we had in the 80s. Cast your eyes across the water to see the merits of single party Govt. Where the tail is not wagging the dog, like the PDs, coalitions can be very pragmatic and bring a balance to the so-called tendencies outlined here.

You also might want to look up what Labour and that other evil left wing party DL did as part of that 94-97 Govt. before labelling them with throwaway clichés.

jmayo

jmayo wrote: »

So far on every thread you have come across as ff in sheeps clothing.

Just a bit ... what boring and stiff ?
FFS corkman actually had a point about you.

Great contribution. I wonder how someone might describe yourself. :rolleyes:

And especially by those like yourself who are a member of ff and thus try and and use it is as away of getting at him, since he doesn't have the usually baggae that your party leaders have had.

Now why don't you try and post again about Enda Kenny, and maybe not so much about your thoughts about other posters with different opinions.

I'm pretty sure we are allowed to have different opinions. All your swearing won't change that you know!

Liam Byrne

Liam Byrne wrote: »

And before anyone says that Clown was elected Taioseach; let me remind people that he WASN'T

Not sure that's a valid criticism on this thread.

We are talking about Kenny, who got a ministry when his party crossed the floor of the Dail and assumed power without facing the electorate.

thebman

and yet still nobody can give a single reason why Enda Kenny is actually seen as an unlikeable character, my guess, government spin.

I'd rather have him lead the country than Brian Cowen and I was getting attacked for defending Brian Cowen in another thread :-/

Nothing wrong with Enda or FG from what I can see. They aren't in pockets of developers so even if they have all the other same policies as FF they won't go easy on the developers like FF will want to find a way to do with NAMA IMO.

thebman

thebman wrote: »

and yet still nobody can give a single reason why Enda Kenny is actually seen as an unlikeable character, my guess, government spin.

In fairness, I know a lot of FG voters and members who in the past have despaired of Enda and don't need any spin, and wouldn't listen to the Government anyway.

If you can haul up threads from the last election debates a number of them had their head in their hands over his performance. I think most FG members would concede that he has a charisma defecit, though of course that is no bad thing. I'm an not saying he would not make an effective leader, not at all, but I'm not sure that his image is something that has been manipulated by the Goverment.

thebman wrote: »

I'd rather have him lead the country than Brian Cowen and I was getting attacked for defending Brian Cowen in another thread.

I would have more faith in him too tbh.

thebman wrote: »

I was getting attacked for defending Brian Cowen in another thread.

As you will note from other threads and posts, unless you are cackling and knitting as they are led to the guillotine, some here think you are being paid off by Cowen himself...

jmayo

Deleted User wrote: »

Now why don't you try and post again about Enda Kenny, and maybe not so much about your thoughts about other posters with different opinions.

I'm pretty sure we are allowed to have different opinions. All your swearing won't change that you know!

Yes you are allowed have an opinion, and I won't even use the famous quote

So if every single sentence is not about Kenny himself, but questioning other's opinion of him then I have a problem posting ?
It is a bit like a proponent of NAMA complaining on a thread that nobody was laying out, or rather laying into, the opposition proposals, but actaully pointing out the glaring issues with NAMA.

Hang on is this the new method of debating that is being fed to the grassroots foprm party HQ ?
We are only supposed to find faults with the opposition even though the government have ones a thousand times, sorry 90 billion times, more glaring ?

I obviously have no right to question other opinions which label him as inept, boring or show utter contempt for him for some unknown reason, apart from maybe it is ff's way of trying to persuade the electorate that someone who doesn't have the stench of corruption or hasn't been proven to be completely incompetent from getting into power ?

Deleted User wrote: »

In fairness, I know a lot of FG voters and members who in the past have despaired of Enda and don't need any spin, and wouldn't listen to the Government anyway.

If you can haul up threads from the last election debates a number of them had their head in their hands over his performance. I think most FG members would concede that he has a charisma defecit, though of course that is no bad thing. I'm an not saying he would not make an effective leader, not at all, but I'm not sure that his image is something that has been manipulated by the Goverment.
...

Yeah right and you would be, if I remember correctly, from the same constituency and party that gave the country the well travelled John O'Donghue ?

Oh God I am attacking your opinion when I should be discussing Enda Kenny for ... maybe just existing :eek:

Raiser

Enda Kenny is a living example of the really poor alternative that nobody ever wants to choose......no matter how bad things get.....

We have Fianna Fail happily playing at managing the State and its pathetic, scary, unbelievable, corrupt, self-serving, puerile, half-arsed, moronic - and worsening my the hour.

But we don't want to choose Enda Kenny, no matter how desperate things are becoming and despite the fact that soon there will be nothing left to pass on to our children.

Its like a situation where your hair is on fire and all that you have within your reach is a jug of hydrochloric acid.

Its also similar to a situation where there is a sinking Ship of Fools and they're all running around panicking - but nobody can get on OR off to remedy the situation because there's some mono-tone, feeble, unassertive, unimaginative idiot from Mayo standing blocking the gangplank month after month in the hope of someday being handed the Helm by default.

Salvelinus

thebman wrote: »

I'll ask the question again so, why do people not like Enda? I don't see what is unlikeable about him.

More to the point I don't see what is likeable about FF politicians :-/ Never saw what there was to like about Bertie either, maybe its just me :-/

Because it's like an episode of You're a Star not something serious like running a country.

Liam Byrne

Raiser wrote: »

Its like a situation where your hair is on fire and all that you have within your reach is a jug of hydrochloric acid.

It's nowhere near like that; FF have already started the fire and then poured the hydrochloric acid on us.

FG might only pour boiling water on it, instead of cold water, but they couldn't POSSIBLY do less than a shower that are more interested in protecting their asses and paying off their buddies, while screwing the rest of us to kingdom come.

ChocolateSauce

EK as big cheese? Meh.

thebman

Salvelinus wrote: »

Because it's like an episode of You're a Star not something serious like running a country.

We should do electing the Taoiseach like that

Would probably increase voter turn out :P

I think Enda comes off as an honest but boring character, a good alternative to what FF are considered to be really.

lostexpectation

thebman wrote: »

and yet still nobody can give a single reason why Enda Kenny is actually seen as an unlikeable character, my guess, government spin.

I'd rather have him lead the country than Brian Cowen and I was getting attacked for defending Brian Cowen in another thread :-/

nah was cos you arguing for us to show respect to somebody who shown us contempt

jmayo

jmayo wrote: »

Yeah right and you would be, if I remember correctly, from the same constituency and party that gave the country the well travelled John O'Donghue ?

Speaking of connection, Mr Mayo, what county is Enda Kenny from again?

But you are correct. John O'Donoghue is from my constituency. So is footballer Darragh O'Se and another well travelled man, Tom Crean. And, Mr. Mayo, I believe Willie Joe Padden is from the area you're called after.

Now let's all think about Enda Kenny, shall we?

I'm still a bit confused about the reaction of hydrochloric acid to fire. Would it improve the situation or make it worse, and is Enda the acid or the flame or what?

jank

Deleted User wrote: »

Speaking of connection, Mr Mayo, what county is Enda Kenny from again?

But you are correct. John O'Donoghue is from my constituency. So is footballer Darragh O'Se and another well travelled man, Tom Crean. And, Mr. Mayo, I believe Willie Joe Padden is from the area you're called after.

Now let's all think about Enda Kenny, shall we?

I'm still a bit confused about the reaction of hydrochloric acid to fire. Would it improve the situation or make it worse, and is Enda the acid or the flame or what?

What are you on about. Stop bringing the thread off topic!

darc

What Enda Kenny needs to understand is that the people decide who gets into power and the people will look at the leader of a party and ask if this is the person they want to lead the country.

In Enda's case it is a resounding NO!

Fianna Fail's support has tanked, Cowen's support has tanked, yet the main opposition party has only managed to move to 34% support and the leader is at 29%

What this says is that even if every person who supports every other party says they don't rate Enda Kenny, you have a further 20% of his own party that don't rate him.

IMO, if FG had a more agreesive and proactive leader, they would sweep the boards and probably become a dominant force in Irish politics. Richard Bruton / Simon Coveney or possibly a dark horse in James O'Reilly would all fit the bill as progressive types would can put forward ideas and attract a better quality of political candidate to the FG party. But it needs to be done this year to allow for time to build up their credentials.

Buit as long as Enda is leader, FG will not come anywhere near maximising their vote. - We all know that, but someone has to get that message through to Enda.

flanzer

darc wrote: »

Buit as long as Enda is leader, FG will not come anywhere near maximising their vote. - We all know that, but someone has to get that message through to Enda.

He should have got that message after the last election. It was funny when his PR staff got him to comb his hair to the left one day, to the right the next and a centre parting other days, applying the odd bit of Brylcreem here and there, in order to somehow sex him up and it failed. Fianna Fail support started to slip during the last election and Fine Gael didn't capitalise, I believe, solely down to Enda. I do believe that this country needs a change of party but having Enda as an alternative makes me shudder somewhat.

FG need to cop themselves on and appoint someone who's believable, who had very clear ideas, who can portray a clear message.

zootroid

Raiser wrote: »

Enda Kenny is a living example of the really poor alternative that nobody ever wants to choose......no matter how bad things get.....

We have Fianna Fail happily playing at managing the State and its like pathetic, scary, unbelievable, corrupt, self-serving, puerile, half-arsed, moronic - and worsening my the hour.

But we don't want to choose Enda Kenny, no matter how desperate things are becoming and despite the fact that soon there will be nothing left to pass on to our children.

Its like a situation where your hair is on fire and all that you have within your reach is a jug of hydrochloric acid.

Its also similar to a situation where there is a sinking Ship of Fools and they're all running around panicking - but nobody can get on OR off to remedy the situation because there's some mono-tone, feeble, unassertive, unimaginative idiot from Mayo standing blocking the gangplank month after month in the hope of someday being handed the Helm by default.

You could argue that Bertie was feeble, afterall, he bought off every vested interest.

Give me Enda any day over Bertie, at least he's honest. But having said that, I would prefer Richard Bruton. Also, I don't think charisma is that important. Honesty and competency are far more important. George Bush has charisma, but was still the worst president the US ever had.

shovelsfc

kenny my ars.e!!!