The Debate - part one

[Odyessus]

Re Mark Little chairmanship skills, or rather lack of same, is it possible that RTE thinks that politicians shouting each other down is more entertaining to the viewer than a properly conducted debate? It is not just Little; Miriam O'Callaghan and John Bowman are exactly the same. Surely it cannot be just incompetence, it seems to be policy. Last night for example, as McDowell strugggled to be heard over the interruptions, he asked Little "Am I allowed to speak?" Litttle merely gazed back blankly.

[trekkypj]

Funny how Rabitte is catching McDowell, whose numbers have hardly moved in the last few hours...

Do I detect a faint odor of kippers?

Seems PDs got all their votes in early.

Or could it be that people who actually watched the debate voted soon after it ended, and people who missed it are voting based on their usual party loyaltys? If you read back over the thread you'll notice that quite a lot of people who dont like McD or his politics did think he was the best performer on the night. Also its only possible for each user account to vote once.

Heh, its not like it really matters what the poll here says. It's the voters who decide, bless them!

I've said my piece on why I disagreed on that already. He didn't raise any PD policy and as a voter thats what I want to hear about - not rants about the perceieved failings of other politicians and partys.

[Rich OC]

The debate actually made up my mind last night .. I'm going to vote Green (which I have never done before). My own view is that energy security is the big issue, and will impact far more than anything else on the country over the next 20 years. TS was the only one to even mention it.

Now only if they would accept Nuclear power as an option ...

[Norfolk Enchants]

Confirmed to me that McDowell has no interest in facts or anything other than economy and has a huge chip on his shoulder probably because of being bullied at school.

He absolutely hates Adams probably more because Adams does not see him as anyway significant and during negotiations on the peace process treated him like he was not in the room, and only dealing with Bertie.

McDowell must have been bullied at school. I've seen old photos and appaearances in debates when younger and including this one.....a total geek but the kind I would not like to see with a gun, because big guns give geeks big ba!!s and he seems like the kind who would flip. The rage in his eyes when looking at Adams, but you know he would not have any ba!!S whatsoever if he had to step outside of leafy Dublin 6, unless of course he had his stromtroopers with him.

His accusations re. Columbia are as pathetic as re. Bruton being Goebbels and Gormley's men being responsible for breaking PD windows, Michael Daily Mail McDowel, because that is where those statements belong.

A bitter and twisted little schoolboy in a fat man's body!

[paulb]

gerry adams has won the debate now.

[Da Da Bert]

Christ, why the hell are you dragging up a thread that's over three years old?

[paulb]

any chance of another vote?

[paulb]

y not bert. adams was slaughtered three years ago for his economic ideas.who is economically illiterate now?

[Republican-Socialist]

It's true. Imagine mentioning a state controlled bank a few years ago. The 'looney left' and their crazy ideas eh? I'm glad McDowell is nowhere near our government these days, a horrid little man.