Fianna Fáil Leadership Challenge Underway

Bill2673 wrote: »

I know its a sensitive topic.....but is our Minister for Finance not quite sick at the moment? Would he be keen to go for leadership of Fianna Fail?

If it was me I too would try and cure myself of that insidious disease but power is a highly addictive motivator.

According to a lot of media pundits and "sources" within FF he apparently has a desire to lead the party and looking at the choices they have he is certainly one of the more palatable ones. That said I do believe he is a lightweight and has been shown to be severely wanting and naive in the post of Minister of Finance.

Bill2673 wrote: »

I used to be impressed by him, but now I have sneaking suspicion that what he actually is, is a very good public speaker, a guy who speaks with gravitas, an actor who doesn't understand half of what he says and is merely rolling out some line he's been given by a civil servant or advisor.

I would agree with that. He is very competent when he is speaking but when he is challenged on what he says like he Noonan did recently he is then shown to be wanting.

Again he highlights the lack of actual intelligent talent within the senior ranks of the Fianna Fail party.

Dermot Ahern and Mary O'Rourke are now backing BIFFO. Looks like he might secure the confidence vote after all.

if cowan wins this vote, then nothing will ever shock me again, its amazing as for mary o rourke she gets away will the mammy crap, she has to be the slimiest creature in the dail,

DoesNotCompute wrote: »

Hopefully, if Clowen wins this vote, people will be so outraged that FF will be decimated in the General Election. One can dream.

That is the dream outcome. I note FF members on Twitter saying the majority of the grassroots want Cowen ousted and some are saying they will vote against the party they support in the GE (I think we have had one or two FF supporters say that here on boards as well).

So not only are the sitting TD's about to vote against the wishes of the majority of voters in this country they are about to go against the wishes of a large proportion of their own supporters and party members.

DoesNotCompute wrote: »

Hopefully, if Clowen wins this vote, people will be so outraged that FF will be decimated in the General Election. One can dream.

is this true he needs to be in charge till early april to get a higher pension, no wonder the clown wont resign, either way the general election should be called this evening, the greens demanded late jan, and there is not even a date set yet, my 83 grand uncle told me this morning he has been waiting all his life for ff to be so unpopular,

Lenihan supporting Cowen...

Surprise surprise :rolleyes::rolleyes:

no sign of change now I'd say

Does anybody see this as micheal martin takin one for the team?

Huge media coverage for the party. The good old biffo fighting talk that people love to hear* but dont see enough of , possibly cause he does not employ PR people!!!! :rolleyes:

The party roll in behind him and he comes out the otherside smelling great(in his own mind)




* While i cant wait to see the party get destroyed I still think it will be a more interesting leaders debate with cowen tearing into kenny et al as opposed to martin. Just cant see that get up and go instinct in him. Actually think he'd be a brutal chose of party leader

Maybe i should just wander over to the conspiracy forum

racso1975 wrote: »

* While i cant wait to see the party get destroyed I still think it will be a more interesting leaders debate with cowen tearing into kenny et al as opposed to martin. Just cant see that get up and go instinct in him. Actually think he'd be a brutal chose of party leader

The leader's debate should be discarded as too many people seem to make up their mind on that alone. "Sure wasn't Bertie great on the tv so I'll give them my vote"

All this bs about Cowen being a great debater is ridiculous. As Minister for Finance and Taoiseach he's driven the country into the ground, but sure as long as he can tear into the opposition in a debate, everything will be alright.

Lenny proving yet again what a spineless self-serving spoofer he is. What utter waffle we had to endure during his interview. I loved how he was totally contradicted by both Sean Power and John McGuinness, who both are basically saying he is lying. No surpise as we all know Lenny is a compulsive liar.

His argument that it is too late is laughable really considering all reports indicated he was attempting a heave himself as recently as Xmas time. There is now this scare mongering being done by the pro-Cowen camp that it is too late to change and will mean a immediate election. It's a good tactic I must say.

Why is no-one proposing Cowen remain party leader until he disolves approx 3 weeks before the election? This would enable him to remain leader and get through all the crap from the Finance Bill - and then whoever can take over for the election campaign.

Anyway it is good news for the Opposition that Cowen will surely win the vote. Himself and his delusional following remain under the illusion that his shouting and screaming down opposition and interviewers constantly with the "I'm sorry, I don't accept that" etc etc will garner extra support. His aggressive debating style certainly worked in 07 and pursuaded a lot of people that he knew what he was talking about and it was best to stick with FF - however now those very same voters know what a grave mistake that was and how his decisions as MoF and over the past 2.5 years as leader have bankrupt the state. They also know that this fighting talk from Cowen only occurs when his own back is against the wall and once he is elected or out of whatever trouble he goes back to sleep behind the wheel. The wider public are not naive anymore and will not be fooled by him shouting about how poor he thinks the opposition are. He can shout down poor Enda till the cows come home but if anything his aggressive and downright arrogant defense he has been pursuing is going to put even more people off voting for FF. He comes over as al bully and gives the impression that no one else apart from FF could possibly have the ability to run the country - it's almost laughable the level of his delusion - almost on Bertie levels frankly that he thinks people will buy his nonsense. I almost feel sorry for the man. :rolleyes:

Will Hanifan state prior to the meeting which way she will vote? This heave is almost finished - her staying silent is almost guaranteeing Cowen wins.

Jaysoose wrote: »

You might want to check your history books, bertie ahern was elected..brian cowen was not voted for by the people of this country.

Think the posters point was that Cowen's constituency majority was first or second highest in the country in 07 -

Willie O'Dea was the other one in the top 2 I believe.

gandalf wrote: »

Mary O'Rourke has come out in favour of Cowen. Looks like the Lenihan clan has stitched up Martin

And Michael McGrath the FF TD for the same constitiency has come out saying he will vote against Cowen so their goes the only silver lining for Michael in starting this contest. I think Martin is now in serious danger of losing his seat come the General Election.

One rival is now gone for Mary O'Rourkes nephews leadership push.

JonathanAnon wrote: »

Radio One Now.. Brian Lenihan is backing Cowen.. game over.. Similar to our property bubble, nobody in FF has the guts to make the hard decisions for the sake of the country... maybe they should subcontract the work of reforming Fianna Fáil to the IMF, as they have done with the country?

ArtSmart wrote: »

yeah, i did consider that. and MM comes across pretty weak so far.


have to say it's all a bit weird. and could get ugly.

cowen knows his leadership is over - if not now, in a few months time (no matter what the election results are)

so why's he hanging on, creating disunity in a party he 'loves so much?'

me confused. (or not cynical enough)

ETA. of course the cynic in me is saying cowen and lenny did a deal, that when cowen goes a few months after the election, lenny will decide next leader. (dont know if he'll take it himself - he might) but didnt blair offer that deal to browne and see how that went...

what's that 'thanks whoring thingy and how does it work again?

course gandalf gets the real thanks... damn him.


(oh, the need for love. damn you!)