Libertas Phone Canvas

[Effin Effer!!!]

I received a phone call from a very polite young lady last night canvassing for my no. 1 vote for the Libertas candidate (who's name escapes me) in my area.

I responded by telling her that I was the "Effin Effer!!!" and that I would be voting for Liam Aylward, but that I would consider him for a preference. The preference bit was of course a complete lie but I like to be polite myself.

Anyway. Has anyone got any opinions on this type of canvassing?

I thought it was a bit American myself, I would have prefered to hear through the grapevine that he had been canvassing a shopping center in Tullamore than get a call on his behalf. Oddly it would feel slightly more personal to me to know that he had bothered to come to the county.

[mccafferty cat]

Where did they get your details?

[Effin Effer!!!]

Where did they get your details?

Now that you mention it, I hadn't thought of that one!

I can only assume they were calling everyone in a certain code area in the phone book as it would surely take far too much effort to look up the phone numbers of everyone on the Electoral Register.

[toxic avenger]

I can see an argument for it, it's preferable to having to talk to them at the door. But that's predicated on them not a) repeat phoning, and b) not also turning up at the door. So, as both are highly unlikely, I'm agin it...

[Trans-Siberian]

Maybe Ger Kilally is selling off the Fianna Fail mailing lists in Offaly to clear some of his deaths!

Otherwise Libertas might be wating Effin Effir!!

[Pauli]

I received a phone call from a very polite young lady last night canvassing for my no. 1 vote for the Libertas candidate (who's name escapes me) in my area.

I responded by telling her that I was the "Effin Effer!!!" and that I would be voting for Liam Aylward, but that I would consider him for a preference. The preference bit was of course a complete lie but I like to be polite myself.

Anyway. Has anyone got any opinions on this type of canvassing?

I thought it was a bit American myself, I would have prefered to hear through the grapevine that he had been canvassing a shopping center in Tullamore than get a call on his behalf. Oddly it would feel slightly more personal to me to know that he had bothered to come to the county.

Alas there is a blatant lie at the heart of your post. Saying "I am the Effin Effer" indicates, by the use of the definite article, that there is only one supporter of Fianna Fail. If only that were true!

Back on topic, I would be interested in finding out how they got your number. I mean, they could have paid for the information from a direct marketing outfiit, used the phone book etc. Just curiosity on my part.

[Christine Murray]

trans-siberian you have joined my 'unfortunate freudian slipper of the tongue' list. congrats!

[lostexpectation]

why improve their polls even slightly by telling her you'll consider a preference, you'll get another call too becuase of that.

[TommyO'Brien]

Oh I hope Libertas are really doing that.

If there is one thing guaranteed to severely p*ss off voters it is cold calling canvasses. Voters go ballistic. It was tried before by a FF candidate some years ago. He was almost lynched.

Voters hate getting cold calls. They hate it even from companies they have accounts with. It is the one way guaranteed to irritate the hell out of voters. Yet again, when it comes to elections, Ganley is showing that he had no idea about Irish elections. Candidates all know the way you get votes is by canvassing, face-to-face. Phone calls are political suicide in Ireland.

Oh I so hope Ganley is doing that. If he is, he will p*ss off over 70% of those called, even those previously thinking about voting for Libertas candidates. It is one of those golden rules:

* don't phone.
* don't do door-to-door canvassing during Coronation Street. (For some reason, people will tolerate calls during Fair City and EastEnders. But Corrie time is sacrosanct for fans. Knock them and you have lost the vote - guaranteed!)
* Don't canvass during soccer matches.
* Don't canvass after 9pm.
* Don't leave gates open after you.
* Don't presume the person who answers the door has not a vote. They may look 15 but might be 19. If you say 'Is your mother or father home?' you will not just annoy them but the entire family, and lose all their votes.

But the most important rule of all is simple: no phoning!!! Phone canvasses may work in other countries, but in Ireland they are political suicide.

[Tigeress]

Golly if they ever rang my phone................