Bertie knows he's finished

[Boss Croker]

He showed it in his interviews on the Sunday of the FF gig at Arbour Hill after the SBP Red C poll.

He made no attempt to challenge the figures. Why? Two reasons. They just confirmed what the internal FF polling had been telling him. And, it was the first step in sensitising the FF tribe to the impending slaughter.

Imagine a guy having 5 years to think about an election date and he ends up rustling the poor President out of her Sunday morning lie-in, before she'd packed for America, in order to sign the Proclamation of Dissolution!

Then he goes and disowns PJ's infamous remark 'It's showtime folks!' from the last election.

Then he ducks questions from the media and the handlers all turn off their mobiles.

Then Cowen and Martin give cackfisted media conferences.

Willie O'Dea's posters have a spelling blunder and they end up on poles (yes, poles, not Poles - they're Rabbitte's obsession) in the wrong constituency.

Clearly, all is not well in the FF campaign.

Alea iacta est. A minority FG/Lab government supported by Tony, Finian, Catherine et al.

[untouchable]

They are handling the pressure pretty shrewdly. But at some point the dam may burst. If it does, its curtains.