Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Spotlight election special
What did we make of the Spotlight debate tonight? When I saw the format I was unsure, but It seemed to work quite well.
I must make a special mention of my good friend Jonny Hadley’s contribution - asking Gerry Adams about the truth recovery process in relation to the RUC. He got quite a reaction.
Thoughts?
Michael Shilliday @ 12:31 AM
Gerry sounded worried and ruffled by that young lad. It looked he he was loosing it, again!
“Listen son!”
Wow, not as polished as he used to be…
“You’re too young...”
Scrape the service and you get the same old patronising Shinner shite. Just goes to show, you can dress them up but you can take them nowhere! Great TV for once.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:39 AMCampbell was abominable- I fail to see how anyone watching his performance could see the DUP as offering anything positive for the people of the north. For the love of God please don’t vote for these eejits tomorrow!
Reg Empey was pretty good and illustrated the strak contrast between his party and the myopic DUP on issues which actually affect our daily lives. Adams was mostly sound, but was rattled on the inconsistencies in SF policy and the fact that, as one chap in the audience said, they’ve simply become the SDLP for slow learners. Durkan showed that he has a grasp of the real issues and the financial implications involved in implementing policies (as opposed to the thoughtless uncosted bombast that politicians spout because it sounds good.)
Overall, the format of the show worked (despite the planted questions), especially as it permitted good audience participation and resulted in discussion of real issues.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:42 AMOh, and one other thing,
Vote SDLP Tomorrow
;)
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:43 AMHave to agree with Padraig, Gerry Adams must be tired and emotional because he was extremely patronising tonight.
I thought he was awful and a very poor performance from the Shinners which will likely serve to curry favour amongst Unionists to vote DUP.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:43 AMgerry wasnt his usual self tonight he looked liked a worried man, mabe supporting the P.S.N.I is something hes starting to regret, tomorrow will tell.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:44 AMIt was clear to the objective viewer that Empey and Durkan are the sensible choice for those who want stability and local governance and Adams and Campbell (where was Papa Doc?)are little more than a couple of bruisers.
The choice is yours!
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:47 AMNice to see all the party leaders on except one? Are the DUP keeping him in cold storage?
Maybe he’s checking that he has all the signed letters form his hopefully MLAsSo that they will all be good boys and do as they are told
Looks like Gerry needs some anger management
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:48 AMGerry Adams looked tired. But I guess few people watch this and he has been hard at work all week, remember his conference speech was on Saturday.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:49 AMWhat format? Four guys make a short speech, Mark C asks them why should we vote for the likes of you, then pre-scripted questions from the audience.
Some reflections on it:
1. WHERE’S PAISLEY? The other party leaders represented their party on the only tv debate show on the eve of the election. Paisley was hidden away so he wouldn’t lose the DUP any votes.
2. WHY GREGORY? Gregory Campbell had to stand in for the Doc for obvious reasons: you can’t have either Peter or Nigel, since either choice would confirm that person as the de facto CEO of the party. Gregory is chosen because (bless him) nobody would believe he’s the acting leader.
3. WHERE’S DAVID? Ford, that is. Did I miss something? Has the Alliance party gone out of existence overnight? How can the BBC exclude Alliance from this forum? I wouldn’t personally waste a vote on them but it’s odd not to see them included.
4. RATINGS:
Reg Empey: Businesslike. Looks like a bank manager. Sounded clear and authoritative, but didn’t look like a political leader. Looks more like a decent fixer in the wings. Many will think him a “decent” man—oops. 6/10
Gerry Adams: Looks the part, sounded dreadful tonight. Alienated young voters by calling two young men “son” and patronising them with his answers. Looked like he’s already won the election and couldn’t give a damn whether he offended the audience or not. He usually knows how to reach out to an audience. Maybe he didn’t take the programme seriously; lose the smugness Gerry. And stop dismissing the audience by naming where they come from ("he’s workers party, sure what the hell would he know?"). 4/10
Mark Durcan: The words flood from him. He knows his stuff and has a few polished soundbites but he doesn’t know how to deliver them, so he just sounds panicked. He’s looking very grey these days. Needs a better suit. The best candidate on policy detail. As they say of Gordon Brown, “the problem with Gordon is he’s all substance and no style”. Mark needs some PR help fast. 6/10
Gregory Campbell: Why’s he always pissed off? Even when he gets a softball question from a Dupper in the audience. He did ok in the end, though clearly struggles on policy detail. 5/10
In the end the audience did best when they pushed the leaders on policy. When things swung into green-orange, the leaders got back in their stride. Lesson for all of us: push the parties to answer policy questions and let’s drop the constitutional questions.
Disappointed that NO-ONE mentioned the absence of the leader of unionism.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:51 AMits clear to see that big ian is being kept off the live debates, id say hes not far off taking a full time back seat. Adams was terrible.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:51 AMhas gerry lost the Republican plot??????
his recent performances on RTE and on Spotlight tonight are beginning to show massive chinks in his armour, i think the Shinners may be calling for a new leader soon.......
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:53 AMGerry Adams will continue to be leader for Sinn FĂ©in for many years to come.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:55 AMAdams had a pathetic performance tonight, at least he behaved in his usual patronising way and gave us all a laugh,did anyone notice the comments accross the screen? Only one that I could see in favour of adams.
He’s losing it.Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:59 AMGerry Adams will be leader of sinn fein for as long as he him self decides, as sinn fein is his party and nothing happens in it without his approval. theres nothing democratic in sinn fein and everyone in it knows that. FACT.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:59 AMPerhaps he needs to head back to America for treatment.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:01 AM
Run Gerry Run Gerry run run run
Before Martin goes to get his gun gun gun.
Jump Gerry, jump Gerry jump jump jump!
Or Martin will push and you will be done.
OK, so it’s been a long day but Gerry was pitifull tonight and he’ll still probably get my vote. At least he was able to expose the DUP for their foot-dragging.
My predictions:-
Ian Paisley for DFM, Martin McGuiness for FM and
Gerry Kelly for FHMPosted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:02 AMI think you’ll find that Gerry didn’t offend too many nationalist voters tonight. Most would be tolerant of him losing the rag with a few audience plants.
Durkan, on the other hand, looked like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar over water charges.
His apparent lack of knowledge about what would happen to people who didn’t pay water charges was more evidence of his dementia - his party introduced the Payment of Debts Act during one of their earlier forays into an Executive.
He knows exactly what will happen.Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:19 AMDurkan failed miserably tonight on the water charge issue.
And i think he knew it.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:28 AMAgree with most - Adams patronising and rattled, Durkan excellent, Empey unusually affable and reasonable, Campbell quite astoundingly awful. Seriously, the DUP (a) hide their leader away from the cameras on the basis that the world and his uncle knows that he’s an offensive oaf who is likely to say or do something deeply offensive on live television and (b) replace him with a horror who you couldn’t warm to if you tried. How the fuck do people vote for these gimps?!?!?
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:29 AMI have to say Adams was diplomatic! had I been faced with that 12 year old DUP plant, I would have called him more than “son”.
ps increased Sinn Fein vote tomorrow, no wonder that little cretin was shaking his head - the bloody Fenians are going to be in government hahahaha.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:32 AMAllegations of ‘plants’ are unfair as Spotlight asked the parties to nominate members of the audience in the hope of generating hard questions.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:37 AMWhat a joke of an audience. Defo seen 1 Dup and 1 UUP planter loitering in the audience. Adams was right to do what he did. That young lad was only ever going to be happy with one answer. For Gods sake we are all victims here. The show did nothing more than strengthen my resolve to vote for Sinn Fein.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:37 AMMy advice is for nationalists to vote SDLP tomorrow.SF are generally regarded as promoters of outdated statist economics down south with paramilitary baggage.A vote for them paradoxically reinforces partition.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:42 AMObserver, do you read the bible? Your response above reminds me of John chapter 10, verse 14 with the parable of the good shepherd… It’s the one that reads, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me” Sounds like Gerry is your shepherd! He was embarrassing to watch and he was a patronising embarrassment to his party. Anything he sys is likely to go all round the world!
You’re probably right that he didn’t offend too many nationalist voters tonight , just the young voters with his “listen son!” and his “you’re too young” comments. Face it Durkan knows his stuff and his only problem is that he looks and talks like a Muppet – but he’s a clever Muppet.
Gerry on the other hand was all over the place, trying the failed Shinner spin of blaming the legislation on Water Charges on the SDLP even though it was the Assembly (of which HE was part!) that voted and passed it. Now that is desperate and treating the electorate as if they were stupid is political suicide. Is the great runaway train of SF dominance of the Nationalist vote beginning to slow? It looks like it!
Vote for the clever Muppet and forget the bearded-wonder!
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:43 AM‘’1 Dup and 1 UUP planter’’
Freudian slip?Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 01:43 AM
