Slugger O'Toole

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Latest comments from bobballs (see all)

bobballs has commented 8 times (0 in the last month).

1. Comment on McFarland leaves UUP
   on 31 March 2010 at 1:07 pm

   Bob Wilson’s response: ‘What a bitter little man…’

   Sorry Bob. But it looks to me like he kept this own counsel, made his arguments from within the party, he didn’t mouth off to the press or on blog sites, he played it as loyally as he could, and when the time came he did the honourable thing and resigned quielty without any drama.

   I doubt anyone who knew alan or who had a balanced view on all this could have described him in the way you did.

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2. Comment on UUP to back Alban Maguinness for Justice Ministry…
   on 25 March 2010 at 3:02 pm

   hi granni – silly me, hadn’t spotted closeness in surnames! While I’d love to have serious analysis from Alban Jnr, alas this was merely a pseudonym.

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3. Comment on UUP to back Alban Maguinness for Justice Ministry…
   on 25 March 2010 at 2:34 pm

   Here’s some analysis on why the UUP move re. Alban might be a good thing. http://openunionism.wordpress.com/2010/03/24/analysis-uup-choice-for-justice-minister

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4. Comment on Davy Sims is the UU’s new press officer…
   on 23 March 2010 at 9:39 pm

   Think this is a great appointment. Exactly right for the UCUNF project. He ought to help align the UUP very neatly alongside the Tories in online and offline comms.

   Its also recognition (finally!) that the UUP needs professional / expert communications people. And that they need to be communicating effectively across all platforms.

   Minor point though Mick – not wishing to deny Chekov his reputation for scooptastic blogging, but I’m sure he’ll readily agree that it was Ivor Whitten at Hand of History wot done it.

   http://handofhistoryni.blogspot.com/2010/03/scoop-uup-get-new-communication.html

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5. Comment on Black arts of political PR best kept behind a veil…
   on 15 January 2010 at 8:52 pm

   Hey Gonzo – Thanks, erm, for those words of support. Wouldn’t want to impose, so don’t leap to my defence too often now!

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6. Comment on Black arts of political PR best kept behind a veil…
   on 15 January 2010 at 4:05 pm

   Hi Carson’s Cat – You got me there! Without too much of a mental leap, it would easy to see I was talking about the decade we’ve all just lived through (as opposed to the one that’s barely started!).

   I was sending up the online poll by installing a poll of my own, and the options on that make the broad point you do. Again, i left it open for people to make their own minds up. Which you’ve done – fair enough!

   But i didn’t make any pretence that i’d unearthed something made secret, or i’d sleuthed this one out. Nope. I just came across it, that’s all.

   I will disagree on one thing though. It’s not a non-story. The DUP are caught in a maelstrom – this is a story on national and international news. And the DUP’s head media guy is trying to manipulate a minor News Letter poll. This is v small beer. I did wonder whether the DUP had lost control and were micro-managing around the edges of a crisis… instead of thinking strategically. (Hence my advice – which may be obvious but it is honestly meant.)

   And if i take your point about it being valid for press people to use social media to talk to people and influence opinion, then you must take mine that it is also valid for social media (my little blog!) to talk to people and ask opinions. Maybe a non-story for MSM, but i do feel it is def one for the social media. So I take your points, but i disagree.

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7. Comment on Black arts of political PR best kept behind a veil…
   on 15 January 2010 at 4:16 am

   ah guys. No, not a non-story. While not hard news, it’s an interesting one.

   John Robinson is the senior press guy at the heart of the biggest sex scandal of the decade here. How he responds to it (the dark arts of PR!) is of interest. This NL poll story is part of that, so I blogged it.

   If people are going to see public polls supporting Peter Robinson, why not show how that result was arrived at?

   Check out my post – i don’t condemn John, no balls up. i provide the material and leave it open for people to make their own minds up about this. What’s the problem?

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8. Comment on Cui bono?
   on 8 January 2010 at 6:56 pm

   So at one point, the main benefactor of the financial assistance Iris sought on McCambley’s behalf was… Iris Robinson!!

   Before PR stepped in, she had managed to transform £50k seed capital for a business into a £25k gift donation to Iris and her church, right? That’s just amazing.

   Yes Iris is in the wrong, but couldn’t Peter argue that his timely intervention actually prevented corruption? While he perhaps didn’t meet all his obligations, he could say he acted within the spirit of the law (& Nolan), acted in the public interest, demanded repayment of the cash and mitigated the improper behaviour of his wife. Isn’t that what he did?

   Given the myriad of conflicting loyalties he faced, could peter not say that he successfully navigated the moral maze of public duty and family loyalty – the result being that a greater disaster / affront to democracy was averted.

   While IMHO Iris has no defence, I think Peter might. Whether a defence like that will ingratiate him to the DUP Executive is another matter though…

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