Jim McDaid and true FF colours

Laminations

In response to FFs sliding popularity amongst the public and the release of this Donegal NE poll Jim McDaid sent a letter to all FF supporters in the area asking them to strongly consider voting for the party as they have always had a FFer in the Dail to represent Donegal.

He was invited on Newstalk Lunchtime to explain the letter and what he said was bizarre and hypocritical. I'm summarising in bulletpoints from memory here

1. People shouldn't vote based on local/parochial issues
2. People are voting out of anger and they shouldn't do this
3. FFers should vote for FF. With no argument based on policies, just that they should do it out of loyalty, to save the party.
4. FG have a great team and he admires them.
5. FF have a poor cabinet and can't get their act together.

So basically he is asking previously loyal FF supporters to back the party, not because they are the best, but just for traditions sake and the sake of the party. I would love to get the trascript of the letter if any has it or if they can point me to it on the web but I thought it bizarre that it has come to FFers (McDaid having distanced himself from the party in government) begging and pleading for votes and trying to play on peoples idea of FF = Ireland.

Did anyone else hear this interview?

GSF

The only reason for voting FF in Donegal is to get funding for pet projects there. If FF are going to be just a rump in the Dail, logically Donegal people should vote for one of the governing parties.

If Donegal stays FF, why should a FG and Labour government invest resources there? (if you follow the FF logic of course!)

Laminations

Oh I agree GSF, but they weren't being asked by MCDaid to vote FF for the sake of Donegal or even for the sake of Ireland, they were being asked to vote for FF for the sake of FF. A plea to their (not so) loyal heartstrings

Rubik.

Yeah, he was sending out a mixed message alright. He was saying a strong FG/Lab government with at least a 20 seat majority is what the country needed, while at the same time encouraging people to vote for FF. Didn't make much sense, but McDaid rarely done.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Laminations

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Thats the hypocritical bit. I'm guessing he doesn't think they deserve to be obliterated? But how can you advocate voting for a party that you think are substandard? Its simple party loyalty. Ireland will continue if FF were to shuffle off into the never, something would take its place

GSF

Laminations wrote: »

Thats the hypocritical bit. I'm guessing he doesn't think they deserve to be obliterated? But how can you advocate voting for a party that you think are substandard? Its simple party loyalty. Ireland will continue if FF were to shuffle off into the never, something would take its place

I'd expect McDaid thinks FF will be obliterated in Dublin, Cork city, Lenister and Munster so he sees FF's immediate survival as being that of a western seaboard party. Probably sees that as hunkering down until the party can plot its recovery.

ednwireland

GSF wrote: »

The only reason for voting FF in Donegal is to get funding for pet projects there. If FF are going to be just a rump in the Dail, logically Donegal people should vote for one of the governing parties.

If Donegal stays FF, why should a FG and Labour government invest resources there? (if you follow the FF logic of course!)

even that doesnt work when it comes to coughlan

steelcityblues

Hope Donegal can push itself to be a FF TD free zone!

The massive loyalty towards the party from many voters in the past, has rarely been met with satisfactory results for the county's population.

Laminations

steelcityblues wrote: »

Hope Donegal can push itself to be a FF TD free zone!

The massive loyalty towards the party from many voters in the past, has rarely been met with satisfactory results for the county's population.

Hopefully. The Donegal Daily poll showed a drop from 50% to 15% for the party.

de5p0i1er

The sad thing is that there will always be people who will vote for FF or any other party based on loyalty. You could put a trained monkey on the election ticket and it would get a few votes based on what party it ran for.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Rubik.

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

The somewhat noble rational given in his resignation letter would be all the more believable as the real reasons he left politics, if he hadn't missed 80% of dail votes in his last year as a td and he hadn't refused on principleto give up his Ministerial pension as a sitting td.

cosanostra

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Your not taking into account that BOD votes in the be will be split between him and mary so that vote will be reduced and with FF not being transfer friendly mary caughlan will need bod to be eliminated for his transfers or visa versa in the mean time pearse will be elected the majority of his no2s will tranfer to thomas pringle that will keep him safe of elimination and i reckon very near both th FF candidates votes then the election of dinny mcginley and i reckon TP will pick up more tranfers here that might just push him far enough ahead to be elected with the elimination of fmb.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

K-9

cosanostra wrote: »

Your not taking into account that BOD votes in the be will be split between him and mary so that vote will be reduced and with FF not being transfer friendly mary caughlan will need bod to be eliminated for his transfers or visa versa in the mean time pearse will be elected the majority of his no2s will tranfer to thomas pringle that will keep him safe of elimination and i reckon very near both th FF candidates votes then the election of dinny mcginley and i reckon TP will pick up more tranfers here that might just push him far enough ahead to be elected with the elimination of fmb.

I can't see O'Domhnaill transferring in a significant way to Pringle. Coughlan and Doherty would be the main beneficiaries. Maybe McBrearty might transfer heavily to him?

paul71

A measured reasoned interview given by a man who does not know which side of a dual carriage way to drive on. :rolleyes:

GSF

paul71 wrote: »

A measured reasoned interview given by a man who does not know which side of a dual carriage way to drive on. :rolleyes:

Ah now thats not fair. If he hadn't been drunk, he would not have had any trouble

cosanostra

K-9 wrote: »

I can't see O'Domhnaill transferring in a significant way to Pringle. Coughlan and Doherty would be the main beneficiaries. Maybe McBrearty might transfer heavily to him?

The point im making is BOD wont drop out early enough to give caughlan her needed transfers but other candidates will be more transfer friendly as you say mcbrearty to pringle will be a strong transer of votes thats why if you dont want caughlan to retain her seat regardless of your 1st preference give pringle your no2!

telekon

Why are FF politicians from Donegal the worst in the country?

Is it because of its 'stronghold' status that it can afford its politicians to be even more incompetant than usual??

GSF

telekon wrote: »

Why are FF politicians from Donegal the worst in the country?

Worse than Ned O'Keefe (Cork) or Cowen (Offally) or Haughey (Dublin, Derry, Mayo, etc)

telekon

GSF wrote: »

Worse than Ned O'Keefe (Cork) or Cowen (Offally) or Haughey (Dublin, Derry, Mayo, etc)

Coughlan and McDaid are too awful for words...

Laminations

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

No. It's still hypocritical and obviously putting party first. He didn't just say that FG would be better because they'd provide stability, he said on newstalk that they have a better team, excellent candidates. So whether it be stability or ability he obviously thinks FG is best for the country. Now from his letter you quoted

Why have we the <all these problems>. Because our primary focus is the survival of the Government instead of the health of the economy

It's clear from his begging letter that his primary focus is now the survival of FF instead of the health of the economy. It's as wrong as saying 'candidate 2 is best for the job but please pick candidate 1 cos she's my mam and I love my mam'. No problem him loving the party and not eanting to see it obliterated but allowing that love to come before the country is typical FF.