''Leader's'' Debate - TV3 - 8.00PM

LuckyLloyd

All I took out of the whole fiasco that was debate is that I'd sooner have MM in government than the guy who speaks in generalities or the dude who was too scared to show up.

Liam Byrne

Martin manages to point out that Labour won't be able to reverse the cuts, and - again - completely sidesteps the reasons why said cuts were required.

I'll give the guy one thing - he's a consummate politician; bull**** and lies and avoidance of the facts to the very end.

Gilmore was poor - very poor - especially since he had FF's woeful and sickening track record as ammo. Maybe he wanted to avoid mud-slinging, as towards the end he did appear to get sick of Martin's sidestepping of every question and his pretence that he had nothing to do with the crap decisions and policies, but he definitely didn't come across well.

I'd still trust Gilmore 1,000,000,000 times more than Martin, but lads, we're screwed!

killy09

Chipboard wrote: »

Martin wants to appoint non elected people to government. The Galway tent moves to Leinster House!

They are only one step from this as it is. MM just wants to formalize it i suppose. put all the advisors and consultants into government...but i thought they want to reduce the numbers in the public service!

The Pontiac

I couldn't vote for Labour after watching Gilmore tonight (and I was considering it). He was shocking. FG for me now.

ascanbe

evercloserunion wrote: »

Pretty unimpressive performances from both candidates. MM getting very hyped up throughout, his body language was aggressive and he was blustering a lot. Gilmore tried to play the reserved statesman but took it too far, he had no bite and let Martin away with murder.

Gilmore ended well.

Pretty much how i read it, too.

BlaasForRafa

murpho999 wrote: »

Won't be voting for either but I have to say Martin has performed better....he will do well in opposition in the next Dail, but I'm more worried about Gilmore being in government than I was at the start of the show.

The thing is, this type of debate tells you NOTHING about how any of them will govern the country by formulating and promulgating policies. This is just a clone of the "he said, she said, yah boo sucks" kind of "debate" that usually occurs during leaders questions in the dail....VB should have had a bell to ring like the Ceann Comhairle :rolleyes:

Flimbos

murpho999 wrote: »

This is almost over.....and I can honestly say that I am no wiser of each party's policies than I was at the start.

All talk about changing politics and health......biggest issue right now is the economy and unemployment and neither of them have said ONE single thing they would do to tackle it.

Agreed. Very little detailed discussion on how they propose to deal with the issues affecting so many people, such as encouraging enterprise and actually creating jobs.

I'm getting leaflets in my door telling me about all the thousands of jobs that will be created, but who's talking about exactly how this big turnaround will happen?

steelcityblues

Who wins? Who cares.

All I saw up there was two vague, populist wafflers creating 'policies' out of thin air.

Actually, I knew this about them before the debate.

folan

one thing is for certain. Browne lost that debate before it ever started.

Pauleta

67% feel positive about Martin
47% for Gilmore

I would of laughed if somebody said that before the debate

ninebeanrows

<Ollie> wrote: »

I couldn't vote for Labour after watching Gilmore tonight (and I was considering it). He was shocking. FG for me now.

Prefer to vote for the guy who didn't bother turn up to talk to his people. The irony.

BlaasForRafa

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

All I took out of the whole fiasco that was debate is that I'd sooner have MM in government than the guy who speaks in generalities or the dude who was too scared to show up.

So you'd ignore the last few years then eh?:rolleyes:

MagicMarker

Is it over now? Are they just showing highlights for the next 40 minutes or something?

ascanbe

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Martin manages to point out that Labour won't be able to reverse the cuts, and - again - completely sidesteps the reasons why said cuts were required.

I'll give the guy one thing - he's a consummate politician; bull**** and lies and avoidance of the facts to the very end.

Gilmore was poor - very poor - especially since he had FF's woeful and sickening track record as ammo. Maybe he wanted to avoid mud-slinging, as towards the end he did appear to get sick of Martin's sidestepping of every question and his pretence that he had nothing to do with the crap decisions and policies, but he definitely didn't come across well.

I'd still trust Gilmore 1,000,000,000 times more than Martin, but lads, we're screwed!

Unless FG/Labour radically depart from the path we're on regarding the banks/IMF/EU 'deal' etc, we're screwed, anyway. And they obviously have no intention of doing so.
I hope FF somehow manage to get in again so they can fully reap what they've sown.

cocoshovel

Michael Martin impressed me a lot more than Eamon Gilmore anyway but I still have no idea whats going on exactly
First time voter here and this is just all too mind boggling to be honest.

BlaasForRafa

steelcityblues wrote: »

Who wins? Who cares.

All I saw up there was two vague, populist wafflers creating 'policies' out of thin air.

Actually, I knew this about them before the debate.

Exactement!

murpho999

Is this TV3 or Sky Sports we're watching now?

Pauleta

steelcityblues wrote: »

Who wins? Who cares.

All I saw up there was two vague, populist wafflers creating 'policies' out of thin air.

Actually, I knew this about them before the debate.

In fairness though and unfortunately populist waffling wins over the average joe on the street.

Soldie

I only caught the tail end of the debate. To be fair to Martin, he was right when he pointed out the hypocrisy in Labour voting against against the likes of the budget while simultaneously pledging not to reverse Fianna Fáil's cuts should they get into power. Gilmore seems to be doing his best to be as inoffensive as possible so as not to alienate any factions of the electorate, but, to me, his fence-sitting simply knows no end. It's quite disappointing that the second biggest party in opposition cannot come up with anything decisive in the face of the most unpopular government in the history of the state (of course the same could be said of Fine Gael). The opposition parties should be having a field day (or field four years) after the damage Fianna Fáil have done, but it seems as though they haven't got a clue.

Scuba Ste

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

All I took out of the whole fiasco that was debate is that I'd sooner have MM in government than the guy who speaks in generalities or the dude who was too scared to show up.

And that's the reason we've had Fianna Fail for 14 years, will we never learn.

killy09

And the winner tonight is ENDA KENNY

The Pontiac

Weathercheck wrote: »

Prefer to vote for the guy who didn't bother turn up to talk to his people. The irony.

Yes. He was the real winner here.

LuckyLloyd

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

So you'd ignore the last few years then eh?:rolleyes:

I don't have a dog in the fight buddy - I wouldn't vote for any of the major parties. I find it distressing that those in government the last 10 years appear far more competent than those about to enter it in their wake.

bleg

Enda Kenny is the big winner. The other two look like idiots.

ninebeanrows

cocoshovel wrote: »

Michael Martin impressed me a lot more than Eamon Gilmore anyway but I still have no idea whats going on exactly
First time voter here and this is just all too mind boggling to be honest.

He is a Fianna Fail'er. A cute cute politician.

Mr.Micro

We should all recall the bristling Bertie Ahern last time round and his aggressive stance and all his talk all absolute puke. Look at how he turned out. Martin from the same mould......populace but vacuous.

folan

Weathercheck wrote: »

Prefer to vote for the guy who didn't bother turn up to talk to his people. The irony.

thats the guy who was at a rally talking to his people?

BlaasForRafa

That moron Matt Cooper thinks that it was a good debate???

Liam Byrne

Matt Cooper just scuttled his credibility.......calling this a "brilliant debate" ?????

Wildlife Actor

Can you believe this post match analysis crap. That's how shallow politics is here (and everywhere I suppose): analysis of the performances! Who won who lost. Craaaaaap