Maireád McGuinness to seek FG nomination for presidency

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

Lapin

She may be regarded as a safe candidate by virtue of her relatively untarnished record in politics and clean image. But many will question whether she has the gravitas to occupy the highest office in the land.

While she might garner a strong vote from the farming sector, I would question whether she would "attract a greater female vote" simply because she is a woman. Previous election results prove this is not a deciding factor at the ballot box.

She is not well known outside her constituency and it would require a very persuasive campaign on her behalf to raise her profile outside the north Leinster area.

She has a similar common touch appeal to her party leader and while this has served Enda Kenny (and Fine Gael) well in recent weeks, I doubt it will be enough to secure the party nomination for the Presidency.


PS

Seeing the word "uninspiring" and "Micheal D Higgins" in the same sentence is a first for me !

GSF

Lapin wrote: »

She may be regarded as a safe candidate by virtue of her relatively untarnished record in politics and clean image. But many will question whether she has the gravitas to occupy the highest office in the land.

An ex tv news reporter not having enough gravitas - this posting is 14 years too late!

bleg

The most uninspiring candidate yet.

Lapin

GSF wrote: »

An ex tv news reporter not having enough gravitas - this posting is 14 years too late!

Not 100% sure what you mean by that but I take it you have your tongue in cheek due to the wink smiley.

After all, to describe McAleese's achievements prior to becoming president as simply being a "tv news reporter" would be disingenuous to say the least.

Biggins

Except for one, the rest so far have put their name forwards are as inspiring as grey paint drying on the back of a shed door.

irishh_bob

i dont really think she is the right person for the role , shes not bland enough in a mary mc aleese kind of way and despite being a woman , she wont appeal to urban women all that much , rural conservative ( with a small c ) is what best describes this likeable and very capable woman , shes a rock of sense in an old fashioned way , she wouldnt be well liked by our liberal media who would pull for the likes of fergus finlay , michale D or david norris , i dont think she would win , truth be told , i think her talents would be best suited elsewhere , had FG not made such a mess of her 2007 general election campaign , she would most definatley be on the front bench of goverment right now and most likely in simon ( gormless ) covenys job

Aidric

No Thanks.

end a eknny

fine gael just love the b-list celebs

later12

Lapin wrote: »

Not 100% sure what you mean by that but I take it you have your tongue in cheek due to the wink smiley.

After all, to describe McAleese's achievements prior to becoming president as simply being a "tv news reporter" would be disingenuous to say the least.

Indeed.
Mary McAleese is a woman, a former TV reporter, and a failed Dail candidate.
Mairead McGuinness is a woman, a former TV reporter, and a failed Dail candidate.

I can actually imagine this being a three way between Norris, Michael D, and McGuinness.

Poor taste.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Last thing Irish politics needs is another female president.

Distracts from the issue that Irish women are failing to get themselves elected in sufficient numbers where it matters

Also never noticed how much McGuinness looks like Margaret Ritchie

Biggins

end a eknny wrote: »

fine gael just love the b-list celebs

B list?
I would have said Z.

Lockstep

Meh, the term 'uninspiring' definitely comes to mind.

She's no Norris/Higgins.

Sir Oxman

"I am making this announcement here at this celebration in Athy because I firmly believe the seeds of hope for our country will be found in our power to create and in the infinite ability of our collective imagination. It is in our creativity that we will find the capacity to bring about a new vision for this country."

That alone rules her out for my vote.

Incomprehesible blather a la McAleese.

jakdelad

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

not a chance a tv presenter who overnight decides to become an mep
now decides she wants to become president?/
sounds like the cronyism is still here
although might appeal to farmers thats all she works for in brussells
according to her website
i think david norris deserves the office a true gentleman in every sense

petroltimer

very uninspiring candidate, real obstinate blinkered farmer type.

Does anybody remember an interview with her on Newsnight about CAP reform with Jermany Paxman, she would not answer a single question just kept talking the same rubbish every time she spoke, eventually Paxman just gave up.

If anybody has a link to it put it up so we can have a look at the wellington boot president.

jakdelad

petroltimer wrote: »

very uninspiring candidate, real obstinate blinkered farmer type.

Does anybody remember an interview with her on Newsnight about CAP reform with Jermany Paxman, she would not answer a single question just kept talking the same rubbish every time she spoke, eventually Paxman just gave up.

If anybody has a link to it put it up so we can have a look at the wellington boot president.

total farmer driven according to her website
alright if your going to plough the phoenix park and rear bullocks
http://www.maireadmcguinness.ie/

sensibleken

Jackie healy rae for president!

'two hospitals in every garage'

later12

jakdelad wrote: »

not a chance a tv presenter who overnight decides to become an mep
now decides she wants to become president?/
sounds like the cronyism is still here

cronyism? do you know what cronyism is? Why would it apply to Mairead McGuinness?

Cronyism doesn't apply to instances where a candidate was elected by the popular vote, there may be a question to answer viz. for the selection process, but I'm not sure that there are any grounds to suggest that McGuinness was ever anything but a political outsider. Perhaps would prefer a lifestyle politician.

i think david norris deserves the office a true gentleman in every sense

It isn't a question of 'deserving'. I don't see what David Norris has done to 'deserve' (nor any of the candidates for that matter) the Presidency; nor is candidacy selection based on gentlemanly behaviour.

later12

jakdelad wrote: »

total farmer driven according to her website
alright if your going to plough the phoenix park and rear bullocks
http://www.maireadmcguinness.ie/

That's because her role in Europe is on the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee! That is not her candidacy website - it is a website covering her European work, as such, of course it has an agricultural focus.

Honestly, I don't know why I'm defending Mairead McGuinness (I wouldn't even support her candidacy) but for some reason people are making some rather outlandish and easily rubbished statements.

petroltimer

later10 wrote: »

That's because her role in Europe is on the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee! That is not her candidacy website - it is a website covering her European work, as such, of course it has an agricultural focus.

Honestly, I don't know why I'm defending Mairead McGuinness (I wouldn't even support her candidacy) but for some reason people are making some rather outlandish and easily rubbished statements.

well may have to defend her again, as i just clicked on her website and the first headline i see is "PRICE FIXING CANNOT BE TOLERATED" so its a simple question of this woman either she is very stupid(could be) or very corrupt(could very well be) so here she is mouthing off about the wrongs of price fixing yet she is one of the loudest cheerleaders of the greatest price fixing scam in the history of man kind "CAP"
I don't she can see her own hypocrisy, so if your looking for another ignorant and morally corrupt president then Vote McGuinness

later12

petroltimer wrote: »

well may have to defend her again, as i just clicked on her website and the first headline i see is "PRICE FIXING CANNOT BE TOLERATED" so its a simple question of this woman either she is very stupid(could be) or very corrupt(could very well be) so here she is mouthing off about the wrongs of price fixing yet she is one of the loudest cheerleaders of the greatest price fixing scam in the history of man kind "CAP"

Very corrupt?

Could you please expand on how supporting the CAP is 'corruption', as opposed to, in this case, a form of hypocrisy?

petroltimer

later10 wrote: »

Very corrupt?

Could you please expand on how supporting the CAP is 'corruption', as opposed to, in this case, a form of hypocrisy?

I said she is morally corrupt, for a politician though i think this is no different from being lawfully corrupt(personal opinion).
If she became president she'll be probably holding dinners and handing out awards to those people who build houses in Africa and south america(well meaning but pointless) saying how great it is to help the poor, all the while she supports the very thing most responsible for keeping the poor in Africa in constant poverty never getting the chance to trade their way, the CAP

later12

actually I was thinking of this line. Although you mentioned moral corruption, rather vaguely, elsewhere in your post you first presented the following choice:

petroltimer wrote: »

its a simple question of this woman either she is very stupid(could be) or very corrupt(could very well be) so here she is mouthing off about the wrongs of price fixing

You may say you intended to write moral corruption, that's fine, but it wasn't what you originally said, as per above.

I have no problem with the CAP in light of the Everything but Arms arrangement and the EPAs and in light of some of the more ambitious CAP reform proposals, with which you are no doubt familiar. Neither do I have any problem (nor difficulty) in purchasing non EU food products. In fact the EU is the world's biggest food importer.

Not that this has anything to do with the Presidency. It's just that the notion - even despite what she may think - that Mairead McGuinness has anything to do with CAP, is risible.

jakdelad

later10 wrote: »

Very corrupt?

Could you please expand on how supporting the CAP is 'corruption', as opposed to, in this case, a form of hypocrisy?

why should landless irish taxpayers subsidise non viable private irish farms?? by way of cap and other payments
my neighbour has 200 acres and gets 70 thousand a year from brussels thats before he gets out of bed
i read it on the agri payments site before they took down the site
i cant blame them they have a great lobby team in europe
and mariead mcguinness is their champion
love to be as poor as a farmer

johngalway

Best candidate so far from my point of view.

Dying to hear the explanation on how someone looking for a nomination is "cronyism".

The other candidates are either too boring or too hand wringingly whingey for me.

jakdelad

johngalway wrote: »

Best candidate so far from my point of view.

Dying to hear the explanation on how someone looking for a nomination is "cronyism".

The other candidates are either too boring or too hand wringingly whingey for me.

so she went from farmer tv presenter to farmer to farmer MEP
and now wants to be president
it was moo ted for a long time {the old parachute drop]
george lee done it too
a real rubix cube that story
i think david goodluck norris is the man, but thats just my humble opinion

cro·ny·ism   /
–noun
the practice of favoring one's close friends, especially in political appointments.

StupidLikeAFox

Yeah but nobody can appoint her to the presidency. FG can only nominate her for the election, they are not appointing her to anything

Fr Tod Umptious

jakdelad wrote: »

so she went from farmer tv presenter to farmer TD to farmer MEP
and now wants to be president
it was moo ted for a long time {the old parachute drop]
george lee done it too
a real rubix cube that story
i think david goodluck norris is the man, but thats just my humble opinion

cro·ny·ism   /
–noun
the practice of favoring one's close friends, especially in political appointments.

She was never a TD

jakdelad

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

She was never a TD

point taken she was never a TD research error

Clareboy

Nice lady, but too agricultural!

end a eknny

jakdelad wrote: »

point taken she was never a TD research error

wasnt for the want of trying