So Michael D IS running again!

richiepurgas

Phoebas wrote: »

They ALL do a great job.
It's almost built in.

Can anyone think of a president who did a bad job.

Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, mad as a hatter. Dev just used it to pass the time away until he was near death.

Water John

At least Cearbhall wasn't drunk on the job.

johnnyskeleton

Phoebas wrote: »

I haven't seen any polling on it, but is there ANY chance that any of this crop can beat Michael D?

Seems to be 67% of Michael D, 15% for Gallagher and the rest under 10% according to SBP / Red C.

Assuming the polls to be reliable (Gemma O'Doherty has suggested that they are not but I think most people accept them as accurate as polls go), then it would take a major seismic shift in opinions for him not to be reelected.

Add to that its possible that, unless the sole reason why people are voting for the challengers is to vote against Michael D, then the transfers could go to Michael D as much as they could go anywhere.

In 2011 he never polled over 27% but got just over 39% in the election. So could go the other way this time, so its always a possibility that things could get a lot closer as we get into the campaign.

marieholmfan

Phoebas wrote: »

They ALL do a great job.
It's almost built in.

Can anyone think of a president who did a bad job.

Mary Robinson. Pissed off to the UN halfway through. Kissed Pinochet's arse. Still trying to slime her way around as seen by the Presidential papers debacle.

Mary Macaleese. Sucked up to the Queen of England.

Michael D Higgins. Wastes time arsing about with failed artists while refusing to meet businessmen and assist the IDA (apparently he just won't do the green jersey stuff)/

Phoebas

I'm just not seeing how it to any of the current crop getting anywhere close to the incumbent.

They'd have to demonstrate some pretty extraordinary qualities, but none of them are extraordinary in any way.

Phoebas

marieholmfan wrote: »

Phoebas wrote: »

They ALL do a great job.
It's almost built in.

Can anyone think of a president who did a bad job.

Mary Robinson. Pissed off to the UN halfway through. Kissed Pinochet's arse. Still trying to slime her way around as seen by the Presidential papers debacle.

Mary Macaleese. Sucked up to the Queen of England.

Michael D Higgins. Wastes time arsing about with failed artists while refusing to meet businessmen and assist the IDA (apparently he just won't do the green jersey stuff)/

Only a small number of malcontents subscribe to this whacky POV; not enough to make even a small difference.

Water John

On these type of figures, there won't even be a second count.

FrancieBrady

Phoebas wrote: »

I'm just not seeing how it to any of the current crop getting anywhere close to the incumbent.

They'd have to demonstrate some pretty extraordinary qualities, but none of them are extraordinary in any way.

Unless some of them have major dirt on Higgins he is a shoe in. They will probably have an entertaining mud slinging contest among themselves though.

Beechwoodspark

marieholmfan wrote: »

Mary Robinson. Pissed off to the UN halfway through. Kissed Pinochet's arse. Still trying to slime her way around as seen by the Presidential papers debacle.

Mary Macaleese. Sucked up to the Queen of England.

Michael D Higgins. Wastes time arsing about with failed artists while refusing to meet businessmen and assist the IDA (apparently he just won't do the green jersey stuff)/

Hmmm. Any source for your last assertion?

blanch152

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Hmmm. Any source for your last assertion?

That would be very interesting.

It is a key responsibility of the President to represent the nation and that includes meeting with FDI companies investing in Ireland. It would be remiss of him if he was avoiding it.

Phoebas

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Phoebas wrote: »

I'm just not seeing how it to any of the current crop getting anywhere close to the incumbent.

They'd have to demonstrate some pretty extraordinary qualities, but none of them are extraordinary in any way.

Unless some of them have major dirt on Higgins he is a shoe in. They will probably have an entertaining mud slinging contest among themselves though.

I've zero doubt that'll be how it goes. They'll all go up against each other to try to be the main contender.
The winner in that battle can go after Higgins, but unless they can play some card that wasn't played last time around they're sunk.

The next president will be the current president.

Edgware

jimwallace197 wrote: »

I think Michael D makes a good president. Diplomatic most of the time, patriotic and I'm pretty confident that he is not corrupt. Eloquent aswell

The same cannot be said of the rest of his rivals.

If he pops his clogs is there another election or does it go to the runner up

gandalf

Edgware wrote: »

If he pops his clogs is there another election or does it go to the runner up

Another election.

blackwhite

gandalf wrote: »

Another election.

Unlesss all the parties of the Oireachtas agree on a replacement, and the councils don’t nominate anyone to oppose the replacement.

Almost happened with Rita Childers

FrancieBrady

Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice claiming that there are new interested parties still to announce.
10 days to go until nominations close.

Henryhill2

marieholmfan wrote: »

Michael D Higgins. Wastes time arsing about with failed artists while refusing to meet businessmen and assist the IDA (apparently he just won't do the green jersey stuff)/

Sounds suspiciously like information that would come from the Gallagher camp

blackwhite

One thing I'm surprised hasn't been raised, is MDH's constituency clinic expenses when he was a TD, despite the fact that he never had a constituency office, to the best of my knowledge!

Anyone from Galway able to confirm that?

blackwhite wrote: »

Unlesss all the parties of the Oireachtas agree on a replacement, and the councils don’t nominate anyone to oppose the replacement.

Almost happened with Rita Childers

That's something that the Houses of the Oireachtas (or the People via a referendum) should probably take another look at abolishing, although it would mean a reduction in the former's own powers.

VinLieger

marieholmfan wrote: »

Mary Robinson. Pissed off to the UN halfway through. Kissed Pinochet's arse. Still trying to slime her way around as seen by the Presidential papers debacle.

Mary Macaleese. Sucked up to the Queen of England.

Michael D Higgins. Wastes time arsing about with failed artists while refusing to meet businessmen and assist the IDA (apparently he just won't do the green jersey stuff)/

Unique perspective here, completely bonkers but very unique

blackwhite

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

One thing I'm surprised hasn't been raised, is MDH's constituency clinic expenses when he was a TD, despite the fact that he never had a constituency office, to the best of my knowledge!

Anyone from Galway able to confirm that?


That's something that the Houses of the Oireachtas (or the People via a referendum) should probably take another look at abolishing, although it would mean a reduction in the former's own powers.

It’s just the same process as is in place for the ordinary Presidential elections. Nominations are open via the same avenues.

It wasn’t too dissimilar to what happened with McAleese in 2004. All parties in the Dail agreed to nominate her for a 2nd term, and let it be known they wouldn’t support anyone through the councils route. Effectively discouraged anyone from contesting it, and avoided the need for an election.

I think the nominations process could do with some sort of shake up, but not sure how to structure it that would avoid abuse

For Forks Sake

Kevin Sharkey bows out, uses the opportunity for a spot of shameless self promotion and lends his support, such as it is, to O'Doherty

https://twitter.com/votesharkey2018/status/1041387542690586624?s=19

gandalf

blackwhite wrote: »

Unlesss all the parties of the Oireachtas agree on a replacement, and the councils don’t nominate anyone to oppose the replacement.

Almost happened with Rita Childers

I don't believe the council has the power to nominate candidates.

My understanding was if the president dies then an election has to be held within 60 days. Now if only one candidate is nominated then yes there is no need for an election but that would only happen if all the political parties agreed on one candidate and enforced the whip on TDs, Senators and councillors.

Don't worry if Michael D pops his clogs Sean Gallagher won't automatically become president.

Odyssey 2005

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Kevin Sharkey bows out, uses the opportunity for a spot of shameless self promotion and lends his support, such as it is, to O'Doherty

https://twitter.com/votesharkey2018/status/1041387542690586624?s=19

Thank God.

blackwhite

gandalf wrote: »

I don't believe the council has the power to nominate candidates.

My understanding was if the president dies then an election has to be held within 60 days. Now if only one candidate is nominated then yes there is no need for an election but that would only happen if all the political parties agreed on one candidate and enforced the whip on TDs, Senators and councillors.

Don't worry if Michael D pops his clogs Sean Gallagher won't automatically become president.

Do you mean the council of State? I was talking about the county/city council nomination route.

As I stated already - if a president dies in office then the election and nomination process is the same as for an election at the end of a 7 year term.

What happened with Childers was that the 2 largest parties had initially struck a deal to nominate a single candidate and block anyone else, but then FF changed their mind and decided to force a contest.

Beechwoodspark

So sharkey has declared himself out and quitting the race which he called a circus

In his statement he also advertised his gallery’s opening hours and some new paintings he is looking to flog called the presidential collection.

Oh, and he is going to release a single on iTunes.

Lot of ppl think He is one of the chief clowns in the circus

Good riddance to him

Loafing Oaf

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Kevin Sharkey bows out, uses the opportunity for a spot of shameless self promotion and lends his support, such as it is, to O'Doherty

https://twitter.com/votesharkey2018/status/1041387542690586624?s=19

Even the act of 'bowing out' is in itself a piece of attention seeking. Let the councils and the Oireachtas members decide when you're out of the race, or if you were truly in it in the first race.

blanch152

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/presidential-election-2018/ras-hopeful-liadh-n-riada-is-unsuitable-to-represent-the-country-says-son-of-ira-victim-37322848.html


Austin Stack weighs in on the merits of the Sinn Fein candidate.

He makes some interesting points about the ability to be commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Unlike Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese who were able to reach out to Unionism, Ms. Ni Riadh will have difficulties in that sphere.

For Forks Sake

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Kevin Sharkey bows out, uses the opportunity for a spot of shameless self promotion and lends his support, such as it is, to O'Doherty

https://twitter.com/votesharkey2018/status/1041387542690586624?s=19

what a game changer

Zubeneschamali

blanch152 wrote: »

Unlike Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese who were able to reach out to Unionism, Ms. Ni Riadh will have difficulties in that sphere.

No, she won't.

She would if she won, but that isn't going to happen and it isn't why she is running. SF are just trying to take FFs role as the opposition.

This is one reason why Gallagher may do relatively well even if FF officially back Higgins. FF voters may be more concerned with staying ahead of SF than anything else, so voting for the stealth FFer may appeal to them, especially if the narrative is that Higgins has it in the bag.

Squatter

blanch152 wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/presidential-election-2018/ras-hopeful-liadh-n-riada-is-unsuitable-to-represent-the-country-says-son-of-ira-victim-37322848.html

Austin Stack weighs in on the merits of the Sinn Fein candidate.

He makes some interesting points about the ability to be commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

I only needed to read as far as the second sentence of that report.

"Ireland South MEP Liadh Ní Riada was yesterday unveiled as Sinn Féin's candidate - and promptly refused to take questions from the media gathered for her campaign launch." to know that voting for her would be a complete waste of time.

Although she has known for months that she was a shoo-in for the SF nomination, she still wasn't able to take questions, no doubt gagged by her SF handlers in case she put her foot in it! (Like Marty Mac did when he attacked "West Brits" in the early stages of his campaign!)

An Ciarraioch

Radio Kerry reports that both Peter Casey and Gemma O'Doherty will be proposed and seconded at today's council meeting.