Presidential Election

[tate]

I know it's a bit out, but Norris has been building a campaign and Michael D. just got nominated by labour. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre ... ing33.html

Anyone really care?

[Leinster Exile]

At least there is an election....

[Peg Leg]

I know it's a bit out, but Norris has been building a campaign and Michael D. just got nominated by labour. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre ... ing33.html

Anyone really care?

I care, in fact I care a lot- the thought of Michael D publicly requesting funding for new floodlights for ballygobackwards GAA club at some international gala event- is something worth caring about.

The fact that Fergus Finlay did not get the nod, speaks volumes as to where our politicians heads are.

[BlueArmyOriginal]

I'd love to see Norris get it but doubt it, too many backward idiots on county councils in the country for him to get a nomination imo unfortunately. I hope Pat Cox doesnt even get the nomination from Fine Gael let alone a proper run at the Aras. My preference would be either Norris or Mitchell at this stage. I also hope Bertie runs(as he was once threatening to do) and gets humiliated!

[Darce]

I'd love to see Norris get it but doubt it, too many backward idiots on county councils in the country for him to get a nomination imo unfortunately. I hope Pat Cox doesnt even get the nomination from Fine Gael let alone a proper run at the Aras. My preference would be either Norris or Mitchell at this stage. I also hope Bertie runs(as he was once threatening to do) and gets humiliated!

Can't see and don't want to see Norris get it. He is a clown and not in the least a statesman. Wouldn't hold a candle to McAleese or Robinson in that regard.

Aside from campaigning on decriminalising homosexuality he hasn't ever contributed much aside from yapping on very loudly on fairly minor issues.

His shite talk in magill is also the furthest from statesmanship one can imagine....don't even get started on the Aine Lawlor interview some weeks ago

[sarah_lennon]

Michael D would be an excellent President. Don't underestimate how respected he is on an international stage.

[BlueArmyOriginal]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre ... ing80.html

[Broken Wing]

Avril Doyle, Gay Mitchell or Pat Cox? No FG vote here then.

FF won't run a candidate.

Down to Michael D or David Norris for me, probably in that order.

[tate]

Michael D would be an excellent President. Don't underestimate how respected he is on an international stage.

my only concern with Michael D is his age. I know the president doesn't do a huge amount, but there is still a considerable workload afaik. As it stands though, he definitely has my vote. Much more accomplished all round than norris

[SCG]

I'd love to see Norris get it but doubt it, too many backward idiots on county councils in the country for him to get a nomination imo unfortunately. I hope Pat Cox doesnt even get the nomination from Fine Gael let alone a proper run at the Aras. My preference would be either Norris or Mitchell at this stage. I also hope Bertie runs(as he was once threatening to do) and gets humiliated!

Can't see and don't want to see Norris get it. He is a clown and not in the least a statesman. Wouldn't hold a candle to McAleese or Robinson in that regard.

Aside from campaigning on decriminalising homosexuality he hasn't ever contributed much aside from yapping on very loudly on fairly minor issues.

His shite talk in magill is also the furthest from statesmanship one can imagine....don't even get started on the Aine Lawlor interview some weeks ago

Agree totally. I was at dinner once where he was guest speaker. He shrieked inconsequentially for about 20 minutes leaving a lasting negative impression. Nothing he has said or done since then has changed my view. Protest votes can be a good idea at times, but, perhaps, not in this case.

[Leinsterman]

Michael D is probably the best of a bad lot.
He just sounds like an aul wan though. Apart from that, he, to use that horrible expression, ticks all the right boxes.
Delighted that Fergus "aren't I wonderful, look at all the work that Barnardos has done, vote for me" Finlay didn't get nominated.

[olaf the fat]

I have only had a passing interest about this, but that is starting to change. Day one, I would have voted for Norris, but that has changed for the following reasons,
1) When I think of what she has done, Mary Mac has shown that the job IS really important.
2) Norris shot himself in the foot - nobody else did this, there is no campaign against him, only himself really.(This is not a homophobic thing,can you imagine the uproar if anybody else came out and said they would like to live in a time they could do the same with young girls. )
3) I have no problem with a President that is gay, I hope that as a society we would vote for ability and not vote for colour,creed,gender or sexuality. But not so sure about a GAY president- kind of like the Tommy Teirnan gag about a Cork President!

He has not ruled himself out of my reckoning, but he is back level with all the rest!

After listening to parts of the front line last week I taught that Fergus Finlay was a good canidate - but labour dont think so. Whilst Michael D is very an all roud good guy, I am just not completely sold on him yet.

If only Martin McAleese would go for it!

[Peg Leg]

Michael D is probably the best of a bad lot.
He just sounds like an aul wan though. Apart from that, he, to use that horrible expression, ticks all the right boxes.
Delighted that Fergus "aren't I wonderful, look at all the work that Barnardos has done, vote for me" Finlay didn't get nominated.

Surely the CEO of a charity is the perfect candidate for today's Ireland, no?

[Darce]

If only Martin McAleese would go for it!

By Jove, Doc Martin isn't a bad shout alright

[Leinsterman]

Surely the CEO of a charity is the perfect candidate for today's Ireland, no?

Haha! Very true.

[sarah_lennon]

1) When I think of what she has done, Mary Mac has shown that the job IS really important.

For instance? Genuine question.

I'll give her her props on the queen's visit, a roaring success.

For my money though MMA has rowed back on the progress that Mary Robinson made in making the Presidency a genuinely useful position, particularly Constitutionally.

[the spoofer]

1) When I think of what she has done, Mary Mac has shown that the job IS really important.

For instance? Genuine question.

I'll give her her props on the queen's visit, a roaring success.

For my money though MMA has rowed back on the progress that Mary Robinson made in making the Presidency a genuinely useful position, particularly Constitutionally.

The same Mary Robinson who left her position as Irish President early so that she could have a run at a top UN position?

Give me a break, for me she was comparable to Haughey and Ahern in her self serving, self interest agenda.

[sarah_lennon]

1) When I think of what she has done, Mary Mac has shown that the job IS really important.

For instance? Genuine question.

I'll give her her props on the queen's visit, a roaring success.

For my money though MMA has rowed back on the progress that Mary Robinson made in making the Presidency a genuinely useful position, particularly Constitutionally.

The same Mary Robinson who left her position as Irish President early so that she could have a run at a top UN position?

Give me a break, for me she was comparable to Haughey and Ahern in her self serving, self interest agenda.

7 weeks early - to be appointed to the UN High Commission. Highly understandable and an honour for this country

question about McAleese stays on the table - seriously what has she achieved?

[Amz]

I currently wouldn't want Michael D. as a president. Really can't relate to him at all, find it hard to find anything likeable about the man.

I mean I get that he's quirky, well educated and not your average politician, but there's nothing warm about him and I just can't bring myself to like him. Maybe as the campaign wears on and people from outside of Galway get to know him better that will change.

I'm not saying I'll never vote for him, but he'll have to convince me.

I think I'd have preferred if Norris had run for the position of TD, prior to running for President, he's had a pretty easy time of it with the Seanad i.e. he has never really been challenged for his seat in recent times.

Fine Gael will have to pick a pretty strong candidate and Cox is definitely not it.

[olaf the fat]

Thems up north may think of a thing or 2. Building bridges and all that

If you look at both Presidents and the plaudits and critisms they have received, they have done pretty much the same things.
One was about reaching out the other building bridges, both worked on bonding with the North and Irish expats in the UK and futher away. one went and met the Queen, the Queen came to meet the other. I assume Mary R referred her share of bills to the supreme court as Mary Mac has. Mary R should not have done a runner when she got the start in NewYork

Jeez Sarah, you are starting to sound like a Munster fan, "Munster are Liigends but seriously what have Leinster achieved?"