Gerry Adams for President

trench foot

Does anyone think Gerry Adams would be a good President? I think at difficult times like this we need a strong President, a patriotic one at that. Would you vote for him?
I think it would be interesting to see him as President of Ireland.
What do you guys think?

joolsveer

I think he would be better than Bertie.

paddyland

Dustin the Turkey would be better than either of them.

lugha

trench foot wrote: »

Does anyone think Gerry Adams would be a good President? I think at difficult times like this we need a strong President, a patriotic one at that. Would you vote for him?
I think it would be interesting to see him as President of Ireland.
What do you guys think?

I think you must have a different understanding of democratic to me. This is a guy who spent most of his life refusing to recognize this state, indeed actively trying to subvert it.

mega man

I'm not sure but I think he would be popular with many voters.

Saruman

A strong president? Our president is pretty much a figurehead and has no real political power so having a strong president is a moot point. We could have Mr Tayto as president and it would make no difference to us as a nation as all our president does is shake hands and wave at people.

OK I am sure there is a little more to it but the president lacks the power of an taoiseach.

lugha

mega man wrote: »

I'm not sure but I think he would be popular with many voters.

He is popular but when it comes to a down and dirty political campaign there is more than enough skeletons in his cupboard to scupper him before he gets going..... Fortunately!

Rebelheart

Listening to Dara Ó Bríain now on Comedy Central and he is absolutely legend. The funniest, most energetic and most poetic comedian alive today.

In a recession, he is just the medicine.

Profiler

trench foot wrote: »

I think at difficult times like this we need a strong President, a patriotic one at that.

If those are the criteria, why are you suggesting Gerry Adams?

drkpower

Saruman wrote: »

OK I am sure there is a little more to it but the president lacks the power of an taoiseach.

Yes, lets give the President the power of An Taoiseach. Then we can have two Taoiseachs. Great idea.

Joey the lips

is this the "If at first you do not succeed then try again" thread


Anyway yes i think gerry adams would make a great president.

hick

I assume this is a random joke to an illicit a funny response

thebman

The president has basically a large responsibility to not put their foot in their mouth on the NI issue.

Liam Byrne

Why we would want a politician from another state as our president ?

blinding

If thats what it takes to get Gerry to step down as Sinn Féin leader then it would be worth it.

Because Sinn Féin desperately need new people at the head of the party.

Maybe we should consider moving to the American democratic model.
Mind you I do not think Gerry would be the guy for the job then (That would be too much power to give to Gerry Adams)

Absurdum

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Why we would want a politician from another state as our president ?

to continue the tradition of the last 12 years I suppose

Mossy Monk

Gerry Adams or Bertie Ahern. Bertie Ahern certainly wouldn't get my vote.

Liam Byrne

Absurdum wrote: »

to continue the tradition of the last 12 years I suppose

I thought McAleese was - formerly - a lawyer, not a politician ?

Joey the lips

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Why we would want a politician from another state as our president ?

Is that he lives in another state/Born in another state or is residing in another state. i guess this is heaing towards more crap again

I ask because if its good enough for dana who was born in london and her only claim to fame is the eurovision and the catholic voice singing than why not gerry adams

Gerry Adams granted has been tied in with armed conflict in ireland for the last 30 years but who that served as president has not. You will find more have!

Unfortunitly we will never have another mary robinson but if it were me personally I would rather see Gerry adams meeting Robert Mugabi and telling him what he thinks or nelson mandela as adams knows equally as much about his struggle than the "Wee women"

Gerry adams holds an Irish passport. He has more of a right than anyone for the job imo

GSF

Adams will never be president. Issues such as his responses to Jerry McCabe's murder for starters would derail his campaign from day 1.

FlutterinBantam

Doubt if the barman would be elected.

Certainly wouldn't get my vote.

Have a bit of a regard for the man himself, it's the camp followers I would be concerned about.

Liam Byrne

Joey the lips wrote: »

Is that he lives in another state/Born in another state or is residing in another state. i guess this is heaing towards more crap again

No. It's not heading towards crap; it's the fact that he has been a politician in another state and in that capacity does not even recognise this state / want it to exist.

How can a "head of state" be against that very state's existence ?

GSF

Liam Byrne wrote: »

How can a "head of state" be against that very state's existence ?

Stranger things have happened. Like the Minister for Finance not having a bank account. Ahern vs Adams would certainly offer an opportunity for an ethics candidate to come through and clean up.

axer

drkpower wrote: »

Then we can have two Taoiseachs Taoisigh.

I don't think Gerry Adams would have a hope of becoming President. I hope people do not forget the damage or lack of progress Berties brought to our country either.

The Valley

anybody that thinks gerry adams /sinn fein/IRA should be president has to be bonkers/insane/nuts

Anybody that thinks Bertie should be president deserves this cock of a goverment and all the negative equity/nama/expense issues that come with it

Dana/Dunphy would be better, or why not Micheal o'Leary

Joey the lips

Liam Byrne wrote: »

No. It's not heading towards crap; it's the fact that he has been a politician in another state and in that capacity does not even recognise this state / want it to exist.

How can a "head of state" be against that very state's existence ?

You mean his objection to the "Free state" not unlike develara's objection imo and look what he achieved.

Like above stranger things have happened

Still heading towards more crap imo!

Joey the lips

The Valley wrote: »

anybody that thinks gerry adams /sinn fein/IRA should be president has to be bonkers/insane/nuts

Anybody that thinks Bertie should be president deserves this cock of a goverment and all the negative equity/nama/expense issues that come with it

Dana/Dunphy would be better, or why not Micheal o'Leary

There is the "Heading towards more crap" I was talking about! It seems it never ended with the good friday agreement. Perhaps when we all are dead and gone the next generation can look back and laugh at how childish we are!

FlutterinBantam

Straightforward views straightforwardly expressed, not a lot wrong with that surely?

mike65

With that accent?

Joey the lips

mike65 wrote: »

With that accent?

Ladies and gents I give you... Mary Mac.... Case closed.

nuac

This threas is a wind-up, right?

imme

joolsveer wrote: »

I think he would be better than Bertie.

I'm not so sure:D
Adams would like to see himself as a leader more than a politician. Ahern is not suited to the presidency, can you imagine more 'suicide' comments, like the time he told people questioning the economic direction of the country to go off and commit suicide.

lugha

imme wrote: »

I'm not so sure:D
Adams would like to see himself as a leader more than a politician. Ahern is not suited to the presidency, can you imagine more 'suicide' comments, like the time he told people questioning the economic direction of the country to go off and commit suicide.

What a funny old world we live in. Ahern is still getting flak from a stupid comment from a couple of years back where he suggested (with no sincerity) that people should kill themselves.
But we have to difficulty with the leader of a movement who for 30 years .... well you see where I am going with this!

punchdrunk

I would personally do a Lee Harvey Oswald on him if he ever got in!
might take me a few years to learn to shoot first

the bolt

punchdrunk wrote: »

I would personally do a Lee Harvey Oswald on him if he ever got in!
might take me a few years to learn to shoot first

on your own or would you need a hand:D

skooterblue

I really think you need to have a legal background with a fairly inoffencive background. I dont think Gerry Adams fits that profile. Do you think he would be as welcome down the shankill road as Mary Mac Aleese was? I think hw would be a very divisive president

imme

lugha wrote: »

What a funny old world we live in. Ahern is still getting flak from a stupid comment from a couple of years back where he suggested (with no sincerity) that people should kill themselves.
But we have to difficulty with the leader of a movement who for 30 years .... well you see where I am going with this!

It was a flippant comment by Ahern, but is indicative of the man. The president speaks rarely on public issues. Therefore the president should be able to speak succinctly and clearly. When Bertie used to speak in the Dail for 10 or 20 minutes I was left scratching my head afterwards trying to figure out what the hell he'd just said. The guy is unintelligible.

dvpower

trench foot wrote: »

Does anyone think Gerry Adams would be a good President?

Yes. But thankfully not nearly enough people to get him elected.

trench foot wrote: »

I think at difficult times like this we need a strong President, a patriotic one at that.

Well that rules Adams out.

trench foot wrote: »

Would you vote for him?

No

trench foot wrote: »

I think it would be interesting to see him as President of Ireland.

Interesting, but better left as a thought experiment.

trench foot wrote: »

What do you guys think?

See above

joolsveer

I would not vote for Adams or Bertie. One is a gangster (allegedly) and the other a ?

lugha

imme wrote: »

It was a flippant comment by Ahern, but is indicative of the man.

OT but I don't think it was indicative of anything other the fact that everyone is likely to say silly/stupid things from time to time but politicians have their every utterance recorded. Was it any sillier than Kenny's "Some n*** who died in the war" or Bruton's "f***ing peace process" or Reynold's "that's women now". It only stood out because of Bertie's teflon reputation when the pickings for his enemies were thin for much of his career.

imme wrote: »

The president speaks rarely on public issues. Therefore the president should be able to speak succinctly and clearly. When Bertie used to speak in the Dail for 10 or 20 minutes I was left scratching my head afterwards trying to figure out what the hell he'd just said. The guy is unintelligible.

I wouldn't be to sure that his lack of clarity was entirely inadvertent.

imme

lugha wrote: »

OT but I don't think it was indicative of anything other the fact that everyone is likely to say silly/stupid things from time to time but politicians have their every utterance recorded. Was it any sillier than Kenny's "Some n*** who died in the war" or Bruton's "f***ing peace process" or Reynold's "that's women now". It only stood out because of Bertie's teflon reputation when the pickings for his enemies were thin for much of his career.



I wouldn't be to sure that his lack of clarity was entirely inadvertent.

I'm not familiar with Kenny's comment, what was it about? Bruton was new to the job of Taoiseach at the time. Bertie was at the end of his tenure, relatively. I think people ascribe 'smarts' to Bertie. I think he's lucky more than anything, and a holder of the quintessential Fianna Fail brass neck, and 'feck the rest of yis' mentality. Did Albert Reynolds not say: "that's women for ye", that's how I quote it anyway. I'm sure to say that a few times a year. I loves Albert.:D

lugha

imme wrote: »

I'm not familiar with Kenny's comment, what was it about?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/sep/15/world.race

blinding

imme wrote: »

I'm not familiar with Kenny's comment,

And some people think this moron is fit to be Taoiseach

lugha

blinding wrote: »

And some people think this moron is fit to be Taoiseach

Fit or not he almost certainly is going to be. Just as Bertie is almost certainly going to be president.

54kroc

Do you have to be Irish to be president of Ireland?

dlofnep

He'd have my vote.

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Why we would want a politician from another state as our president ?

Where is Mary McAleese from Liam?

Liam Byrne wrote: »

How can a "head of state" be against that very state's existence ?

He's not against the state's existence, he is against the partition of Ireland and as a consequence of that fact - would like to see north and south of the country unified, desolving both states (As do the majority of the people). The fact that 4 TD's from Sinn Féin sit in An Dáil proves it.

imme

lugha wrote: »

Fit or not he almost certainly is going to be. Just as Bertie is almost certainly going to be president.

say it ain't so.:(
Is there anyone else that Northern Ireland might throw up, as opposed to Adams. Would John Bruton run, his term in US would be up by then.

imme

dlofnep wrote: »

He'd have my vote.

He's not against the state's existence, he is against the partition of Ireland and as a consequence of that fact - would like to see north and south of the country unified, desolving both states (As do the majority of the people). The fact that 4 TD's from Sinn Féin sit in An Dáil proves it.

things change, Sinn Fein members were elected to the British parliament, but they chose to take the money, office-space etc, but not to sit in the chamber. They've taken the Queen's shilling alright.

lugha

imme wrote: »

say it ain't so.:(
Is there anyone else that Northern Ireland might throw up, as opposed to Adams. Would John Bruton run, his term in US would be up by then.

I think any FG candidate would struggle. There is a sizable FF cohort who simply would not vote for any Fine Galer.

Personally I'd fancy (not literally!) David Norris.

dlofnep

imme wrote: »

things change, Sinn Fein members were elected to the British parliament, but they chose to take the money, office-space etc, but not to sit in the chamber. They've taken the Queen's shilling alright.

They earn their money by working on behalf of their constituents. Nothing to do with the "Queen's shilling" - It's paid by the tax payers of Britain and the north of Ireland, and given that SF are the largest nationalist party in the North, and work on behalf of 100,000's of people - then why shouldn't they receive their cut of tax like other politicians? It should also be noted, that unlike any other party on this island that I am aware of, SF politicians earn only an average industrial wage.

dvpower

PaddyPower have him at 28/1 (along with Charlie McCreevy). Personally, I think these are good odds. I can't imagine any circumstances where he would win the presidency.

Worryingly, Bertie is in second place at 4/1.