John Bruton For President?

Wide Road

I heard that John Bruton is expected to be a candidate for president of Ireland according to MEP Sean Kelly. Sean said he would be interested himself but thought John would be the FG candidate. It would have made a fairytale ending, John as President in the Park and his brother Richard as Taoiseach in the Dail.

danbohan

Wide Road wrote: »

I heard that John Bruton is expected to be a candidate for president of Ireland according to MEP Sean Kelly. Sean said he would be interested himself but thought John would be the FG candidate. It would have made a fairytale ending, John as President in the Park and his brother Richard as Taoiseach in the Dail.

why not get david trimble or dr paisley instead , same thing !

Wide Road

danbohan wrote: »

why not get david trimble or dr paisley instead , same thing !

How is it the same thing?

IrishTonyO

danbohan wrote: »

why not get david trimble or dr paisley instead , same thing !

Care to explain that?

mr j tayto

Hell no!!! He already gets far too much money from us taxpayers.

monkeypants

I say no president. How long would it take the rest of the world to notice?

danbohan

Wide Road wrote: »

How is it the same thing?

well if your going have a unionest president , might as well get the real deal , bruton would wet himself if he was president when queen comes , he was like a poodle when prince charles was here

IrishTonyO

danbohan wrote: »

well if your going have a unionest president , might as well get the real deal , bruton would wet himself if he was president when queen comes , he was like a poodle when prince charles was here

John Bruton is a unionist how?

Winty

danbohan wrote: »

he was like a poodle when prince charles was here

Its called good manners

To show a bit of respect to your near neighbour and biggest trading partner is a bad thing?

danbohan

IrishTonyO wrote: »

John Bruton is a unionist how?

have a little look at his history as taoiseach , he damm near scuppered the peace process on his own

danbohan

Winty wrote: »

Its called good manners

To show a bit of respect to your near neighbour and biggest trading partner is a bad thing?

respect yes , forelock touching , gringe by our prime minster to a british leader /royal with their history here is a bad thing

oscarBravo

danbohan wrote: »

have a little look at his history as taoiseach , he damm near scuppered the peace process on his own

No, he didn't.

monkeypants

Just don't ask him about it.

"I am sick of answering questions about the ****ing peace process."

danbohan

oscarBravo wrote: »

No, he didn't.

in your opinion , in mine and many others he did .

danbohan

monkeypants wrote: »

Just don't ask him about it.

"I am sick of answering questions about the ****ing peace process."

true
ok lets make him president , this country is a total embarresment as it is anyway , lets make john bruton president and john gormley taoiseach and lets show the world what we really are

oscarBravo

danbohan wrote: »

in your opinion , in mine and many others he did .

In your opinion, anyone who doesn't subscribe to your Republican worldview is "unionist, Protestant, British".

Excuse me for not taking your opinion too seriously.

IrishTonyO

danbohan wrote: »

in your opinion , in mine and many others he did .

Think you will find your opinions are just that, opinions and not facts.

danbohan

oscarBravo wrote: »

In your opinion, anyone who doesn't subscribe to your Republican worldview is "unionist, Protestant, British".

Excuse me for not taking your opinion too seriously.

you dont like any opinion that is not like yours , , and i dont take you very serious either

Winty

danbohan wrote: »

true
ok lets make him president , this country is a total embarresment as it is anyway , lets make john bruton president and john gormley taoiseach and lets show the world what we really are

OK so you dont like Burton or Gormley (100% agree on Gormley).

Who should we have ?

danbohan

Winty wrote: »

OK so you dont like Burton or Gormley (100% agree on Gormley).

Who should we have ?

how about you and me winty , we rotate it ?

Japer

monkeypants wrote: »

I say no president. How long would it take the rest of the world to notice?

+1. We are only a small country, the size of a decent size city in England or mainland Europe, and we cannot afford to be spending millions on presidents, ex presidents, ex ministers, ex presidents, hangers on and admin for same. Give McAleese the dole / old age pension.

trapsagenius

Winty wrote: »

Its called good manners

To show a bit of respect to your near neighbour and biggest trading partner is a bad thing?

There's good manners and there's just cringeworthy fawning.Bruton fell into the latter bracket.I mean, "Johnny unionist" was his nickname-forgive me if I have some doubts about his statesman appeal.

danbohan wrote: »

have a little look at his history as taoiseach , he damm near scuppered the peace process on his own

In fairness, I think that while he did a very bad job on the peace process, it wasn't only his fault that the talks broke down.Other factors came into play, such as the fact that John Major was reliant on unionist support in Wesminister and that unionists generally tend to be fairly intransigent by nature(that is an observation by the way, not a criticism).

Winty wrote: »

OK so you dont like Burton or Gormley (100% agree on Gormley).

Who should we have ?

Bertie.

oscarBravo

trapsagenius wrote: »

I mean, "Johnny unionist" was his nickname...

I'm open to correction, but wasn't it only Albert Reynolds that called him that?

The fact that a political opponent calls you names doesn't define your political beliefs.

Bertie.

Oh, dear sweet jebus.

danbohan

trapsagenius wrote: »

There's good manners and there's just cringeworthy fawning.Bruton fell into the latter bracket.I mean, "Johnny unionist" was his nickname-forgive me if I have some doubts about his statesman appeal.



In fairness, I think that while he did a very bad job on the peace process, it wasn't only his fault that the talks broke down.Other factors came into play, such as the fact that John Major was reliant on unionist support in Wesminister and that unionists generally tend to be fairly intransigent by nature(that is an observation by the way, not a criticism).



Bertie.

Bertie.

ogh god no , even winty and i shall agree on that !

Het-Field

danbohan wrote: »

why not get david trimble or dr paisley instead , same thing !

Unless you are joking, that is an ignorant and populist comment.

trapsagenius

oscarBravo wrote: »

I'm open to correction, but wasn't it only Albert Reynolds that called him that?

The fact that a political opponent calls you names doesn't define your political beliefs. Oh, dear sweet jebus.

I don't know really, whenever he comes up in personal conversation with me (this obviously fairly rarely), someone always mentions that nickname.Gerry Adams also mentioned it recently enough on that "Taoiseach" programme on tv3.

And I never said it defines his political beliefs-I just said that I have doubts about his statesman appeal when you look at his reputation with regards NI and so on.

oscarBravo wrote: »

Oh, dear sweet jebus.

danbohan wrote: »

Bertie.

ogh god no , even winty and i shall agree on that !

I knew it would be a controversial choice tbh, but that's my opinion, and I'm not changing it, at least not until the Mahon tribunal's report.

Wide Road

Imagine if Richard got leadership of FG and John got the nomination for President. It would be very possible that we could have 2 brothers, 1 as Taoiseach, the other as President. Some achievement. Was this their plan?

Wolfe Tone

I would like to see Gerry Adams as president actually.

aDeener

id never vote for bruton as president. id like to see john hume run for it

aDeener

oscarBravo wrote: »

In your opinion, anyone who doesn't subscribe to your Republican worldview is "unionist, Protestant, British".

Excuse me for not taking your opinion too seriously.

i highly doubt he would be viewing protestantism in a negative light considering protestants huge contribution to the republican movement. so that is not true what you are saying about dan

oscarBravo

aDeener wrote: »

i highly doubt he would be viewing protestantism in a negative light considering protestants huge contribution to the republican movement. so that is not true what you are saying about dan

I was quoting him, actually.

Winty

aDeener wrote: »

id like to see john hume run for it

+ 1 John Hume

danbohan

oscarBravo wrote: »

I was quoting him, actually.

were you indeed , do refresh me

danbohan

Winty wrote: »

+ 1 John Hume

john hume would make excellant president , not sure how his health is though

lugha

I think John Bruton would make a very president. Unfortunately he hasn't murdered anyone or isn't tainted by corruption so I don't think he has a prayer with the Irish electorate.

I would prefer to continue the trend of the last two presidents and go for someone other than a (retiring) career party politician. Personally I would like to see David Norris get it. Alas, the Irish electorate will cheerfully forgive the gravest of sins committed by politicians, but are very firm on how their public reps should conduct themselves in their bedrooms.

oscarBravo

danbohan wrote: »

were you indeed , do refresh me

You have a short memory.

danbohan

aDeener wrote: »

i highly doubt he would be viewing protestantism in a negative light considering protestants huge contribution to the republican movement. so that is not true what you are saying about dan

absolutley , oscar brava likes to misconstrue the facts for his own narrow points

oscarBravo

danbohan wrote: »

absolutley , oscar brava likes to misconstrue the facts for his own narrow points

Dude, I was quoting you. I'm not sure what there is to misconstrue.

round tower huntsman

Wide Road wrote: »

I heard that John Bruton is expected to be a candidate for president of Ireland according to MEP Sean Kelly. Sean said he would be interested himself but thought John would be the FG candidate. It would have made a fairytale ending, John as President in the Park and his brother Richard as Taoiseach in the Dail.

no way,then we'd have to see him met the quuen and quite possibly witness him ejaculate in his trousers as he got to courtsy her highness:rolleyes:

aDeener

oscarBravo wrote: »

I was quoting him, actually.

really now? because nowhere did i see danbohan refer to protestantism here

trapsagenius

lugha wrote: »

I think John Bruton would make a very president. Unfortunately he hasn't murdered anyone or isn't tainted by corruption so I don't think he has a prayer with the Irish electorate.

I would prefer to continue the trend of the last two presidents and go for someone other than a (retiring) career party politician. Personally I would like to see David Norris get it. Alas, the Irish electorate will cheerfully forgive the gravest of sins committed by politicians, but are very firm on how their public reps should conduct themselves in their bedrooms.

David Norris???No thank you.The next president of Ireland, barring unforseen circumstances, will be in power for the 2016 commerations.Forgive me if I don't want a man who erroneously refers to the 1916 rebels as "terrorists" to be president.

aDeener

trapsagenius wrote: »

David Norris???No thank you.The next president of Ireland, barring unforseen circumstances, will be in power for the 2016 commerations.Forgive me if I don't want a man who erroneously refers to the 1916 rebels as "terrorists" to be president.

he does? not that i would vote for him anyway...

lugha

trapsagenius wrote: »

David Norris???No thank you.The next president of Ireland, barring unforseen circumstances, will be in power for the 2016 commerations.Forgive me if I don't want a man who erroneously refers to the 1916 rebels as "terrorists" to be president.

They 1916 lads used violent means without having the support of the people they claimed to represent, on the basis that future generations would appreciate their actions. And in this respect they are identical to modern day dissident republicans. But I guess people of all hues are reluctant to give up their heroes.

Anyway, President David, like any other president will be led and said by the government of the day.

Wolfe Tone

There is no way Norris will win, too controversial.

lugha

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

There is no way Norris will win, too controversial.

By controversial I guess you mean vice versa? But alas I agree. That would probably scupper his chances next time around. Maybe in a decade or two we might be ready for such things.
But who knows. Politically and in other respects, I don’t see him as being a million miles away from Mary Robinson, and also had no chance when her campaign kicked off.

charlemont

id go along with john hume, but bruton, no way..

Wolfe Tone

Norris wont because of his accent and his sexuality.

lugha

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Norris wont because of his accent and his sexuality.

I don't think the accent is that big a deal. Martin Mansergh has a posh 'aul accent on him and he managed to persuade the fine but not exactly aristocratic folk of Tipp to give him go. No, it's definitely the other thing.

aDeener

lugha wrote: »

By controversial I guess you mean vice versa? But alas I agree. That would probably scupper his chances next time around. Maybe in a decade or two we might be ready for such things.
But who knows. Politically and in other respects, I don’t see him as being a million miles away from Mary Robinson, and also had no chance when her campaign kicked off.

pee flynns stupid remarks had a lot to do with that!

paddy power has norris as their new favourite. can't see it happening. the election is next year but does anyone know when we find out who is putting themselves forward officially?

nkay1985

I'd personally vote for Norris no problem at all. I find him to be very intelligent and respectable. I don't see who there is to challenge him to be honest. Looking through the betting on Paddy Power I don't see anyone else that I'd be happy with actually. Bruton might have a chance alright but I'd take Norris over him any day of the week.

Wolfe Tone

lugha wrote: »

I don't think the accent is that big a deal. Martin Mansergh has a posh 'aul accent on him and he managed to persuade the fine but not exactly aristocratic folk of Tipp to give him go. No, it's definitely the other thing.

No, the fact that he is a Protestant from a strongly anglo-Irish aristocratic background is important. A man who represents Ireland today? A man to be president and oversee the centenary celebrations of 1916? I don't think so.

We also have to be careful that this doesn't take on a "if you don't vote for him you are homophobic" slant.

His oft-articulated view that the leaders of the 1916 rising were terrorists is another potential stumbling block.

Profile on him

He also says that we should join the Commonwealth I believe.