Election Debates

[leinster80]

The first debate pits Gilmore against Martin.

Its 15mins in and Gilmore is being murdered!

[Amz]

Was it the Micheál Martin show?

Didn't get to see it as was on a train from Westport to Dublin. Heard Gilmore failed to deal with Martin once he had to go off the prepared spiel.

[fourthirtythree]

Brian Lenihan is really good at debating too. It's just a terrible pity he's a pathetic excuse for a Minister for Finance. Cowen's debating skills have their supporters in the press.

This celebrity Taoiseach nonsense is a waste of time.

[gfo]

Brian Lenihan is really good at debating too. It's just a terrible pity he's a pathetic excuse for a Minister for Finance. Cowen's debating skills have their supporters in the press.

This celebrity Taoiseach nonsense is a waste of time.

tbh, I actually don't mind what Brian Lenihan has done. He got the Finance portfolio while the ship was sinking, got screwed over by the "experts" to protect their own vested interests, and then had Messrs Ahern and Cowen tried to pin the whole thing on him.

On topic, Micheal Martin devastated Eamon Gilmore in the debate. I knew Martin is the stronger debater, but Gilmore really didn't try to savage him the way Pat Rabitte would have. Ended up being on the defensive for a long time.

A shame really, because I imagine half the audience tuned in solely to watch the FF leader being humiliated.

[leinster80]

I was shocked in the end at how one sided it was. Martin was very prepared and laid out some clear arguments. On the other side Gilmore had to resort to reminding us every 2mins that FF had got us into this mess.

How important these debates are is questionable. However, what did come across last night was that FF have a plan that they want to implement and are convinced it is the way out of this (rightly or wrongly?) whereas Labour just want to get elected.

[Leinsterman]

THIS is very funny.

[Broken Wing]

That appears to be a publicity stunt/prank. Bobby Channels the unemployed Finglas roadsweeper indeed.

[fourthirtythree]

tbh, I actually don't mind what Brian Lenihan has done. He got the Finance portfolio while the ship was sinking, got screwed over by the "experts" to protect their own vested interests, and then had Messrs Ahern and Cowen tried to pin the whole thing on him.

I mind VERY much what Lenihan did. He gave away any possibility of getting out of this without a devastating depression. He did it. And through his arrogance he continued on his destructive course at every stage that we could have turned back in order to protect his reputation and his family's legacy (it's only a very small comfort that at a very late stage most people woke up to just what a disaster he was and both are now destroyed). You could suggest that the night he decided to give the country away your analysis has some validity, however when the bills started coming due the truth had come out and he chose to ignore it and instead waste the opportunity to have the debate that Portugal should have been having. He did this to look "strong" to vested interests (mostly international at that stage) - they treated him with the utter contempt he deserved.

There has never been a more inept minister for finance in any Western country in my memory, and he has got off remarkably well.

But he does have a lovely crop of hideously dyed hair.

I didn't watch the debate, I happened to catch a little bit of Conor Lenihan on TV the other night and the sense of smug entitlement and contempt emanating from the telly was unwatchable. He decided to blame all the problems that we have now on the previous government. Utterly contemptable little man. So long as those delusional idiots have any part of the political system we are in trouble.

[leinster80]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0214/politics.html

Enda finally gets his five-way on valentines night!

[CRAZYDAVE]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0214/politics.html

Enda finally gets his five-way on valentines night!

Will they be assuming the "Pentagon" position

[leinster80]

Enda seems to be handling the debates well, appears well drilled if not a little rigid. Its funny, I expected Gilmore to be strongest but he was in fact one of the weakest.

Michael Martin and Gormley are head and shoulders above the rest. Hopefully the electorate remember Martin has been in government the last decade. I hope the greens don;t get wiped out, i think its always good to have a green party on the opposition benches. They do have a role to play in politics.

[BlueArmyOriginal]

Michael Martin and Gormley are head and shoulders above the rest. Hopefully the electorate remember Martin has been in government the last decade. I hope the greens don;t get wiped out, i think its always good to have a green party on the opposition benches. They do have a role to play in politics.

The polls would seem to suggest that we havent forgotten, 10% in Dublin at the mo could mean NO seats in the capital for FF! Their loss will be SF's gain tho worryingly enough, Adams's performance last night alone should be reason enough to stay away from them and that's before you factor in his murderous, criminal past and the fact that he's not from the jurisdiction.

Agree with you on the Greens, they should be punished and a spell on the oppo benches will do them good but there is and should always be a place in the Dail for Green politics.

[sarah_lennon]

Really enjoyed the debate last night. Needed the subtitles though. Just shows you that I got an honours in honours Gaeilge and I barely speak a word

[Broken Wing]

After the first few minutes, when I'd tuned my ears, I found myself just glancing at the subtitles now and again. Glad they were there but wasn't relying on them too much which surprised me.

Best debate of the three I'd have to say.