Fianna Fáil tactics sink to new lows

[The Analyser]

Fianna Fáil and PD tactics this weekend hit unprecedented lows.

- Faced with serious allegations against its party leader, FF went into bizarre spin mode, making claims without a shred of evidence that FG was behind some sort of mythical smear when anyone who knows the background knows that the origins of the information did not come from any party but from extensive media research using information gleamed from legal sources, information the media has been trawling through for months. (There are supposedly more serious allegations coming down the line. None have anything to do with FG and all are the work of investigative journalists, some of whom have been investigating Ahern for months. The media is awash with stories about what may be published if the lawyers give the OK.)

- Ahern's brother tried to smear Enda Kenny as supposedly being the man behind the mythical smearing of B. Ahern, then admitted he hadn't a shred of evidence to support the claim. Yet that didn't stop him spreading his made up claim.

- Parlon claimed a far-fetched story about a mythical 'plot' on day 21 of the campaign. It turned out to be such complete bunkum that Charlie Bird was almost laughing as he explained the truth.

- Seamus Brennan appeared on RTÉ where he told completely made up stories about FG's election manifesto. FG tore his claims to shreds, as did journalists later when they pointed out the difference between what he claimed and what the FG manifesto actually said.

- Conor Lenihan issued a statement in which complete falsehoods were stated as facts over Fine Gael's attitude to overseas development aid. Within 8 minutes of making it, FG's Bernard Allen had ripped the claim to shreds. Aid agencies were privately scathing at the way FF had in effect told lies about a topic as sensitive and important as overseas aid.

On practically every news bulletin a spokesperson appeared on, and in every press release issued, FF told a pack of lies about their opponents.

Disagreeing on issues is one thing. Saying 'we believe our policy of x is better than party a's policy of y' is standard political debate. But sinking to the level of telling barefaced lies is disgraceful. But then in the last week the PDs have told complete lies about the Greens' policies, something Liz O'Donnell as good as admitted on The News at One today.

All parties report that FF and the PDs are in big trouble all over the place with voters. But it must be sign of serious desperation when the government parties descend from debating issues to lying about everyone else, lies on occasion so patently absurd that as in the case of overseas aid, the opposition could disprove the claim within 8 minutes of FF issuing the claim. The media and all the opposition parties were shocked at the scale of the blatant lying going on. To have told one lie is one thing. But to tell lie after lie is sinking to new lows. Are they so afraid of the election outcome that they are willing to make up completely ficticious claims on just about every issue? Clearly they are very very worried.

Voters deserve better.

[hiding behind a poster]

The last time I recall such blatant smearing was by the Tories in 1997 against Labour and Tony Blair - and we all remember what happened to them. Also got a text today from a work colleague who's in the PDs - he was fuming about Enda's allegation against McDowell today. And finally, reports from our two canvass teams tonight - in one, the Bertie business didn't come up at all - in the other, a former councillor told me it came up three times - with the tone being along the lines of "he's lying, he's hiding something". I'm getting more and more optimistic that there's no "Bertiegate bounce" this time.

[rover]

i canvassed in a black fianna fail area earlier this evening

it came up several times.......and all of them were very suspicious of bertie

a few of them seemed weary- as if they were sick and tired of all the stuff that came out about ahern that he seemed unable to counter. "there's no smoke......" as they say

[The Analyser]

There seems no evidence of a Bertie Bounce on the ground according to canvassers across the parties. Most people are indifferent on the issue. The vast majority of those who have an opinion are suspicious of Bertie.

Certainly today hit an extraordinary low in Irish politics. Isn't it funny that a party with a reputation for dirty tricks (FF) always accuses someone else of dirty tricks, without any evidence, when they get roughed up in the media!

[tonys]

The last time I recall such blatant smearing was by the Tories in 1997 against Labour and Tony Blair - and we all remember what happened to them. Also got a text today from a work colleague who's in the PDs - he was fuming about Enda's allegation against McDowell today. And finally, reports from our two canvass teams tonight - in one, the Bertie business didn't come up at all - in the other, a former councillor told me it came up three times - with the tone being along the lines of "he's lying, he's hiding something". I'm getting more and more optimistic that there's no "Bertiegate bounce" this time.

The three times that Bertie came up, I suppose it was with long time FF supporters who always voted for FF, but who weren’t going to this time, by Christ, they were not!!! or by any chance were they people who wouldn’t have voted for him if he were exposed as Mother Teresa in drag?

For “The Analyser”

Can you be careful with your posts, a FG’er complaining about another party throwing muck around is more than I can take, I’m not long over me supper, please

[dsouth]

Fianna Fáil and PD tactics this weekend hit unprecedented lows.

- Faced with serious allegations against its party leader, FF went into bizarre spin mode, making claims without a shred of evidence that FG was behind some sort of mythical smear when anyone who knows the background knows that the origins of the information did not come from any party but from extensive media research using information gleamed from legal sources, information the media has been trawling through for months. (There are supposedly more serious allegations coming down the line. None have anything to do with FG and all are the work of investigative journalists, some of whom have been investigating Ahern for months. The media is awash with stories about what may be published if the lawyers give the OK.)

- Ahern's brother tried to smear Enda Kenny as supposedly being the man behind the mythical smearing of B. Ahern, then admitted he hadn't a shred of evidence to support the claim. Yet that didn't stop him spreading his made up claim.

- Parlon claimed a far-fetched story about a mythical 'plot' on day 21 of the campaign. It turned out to be such complete bunkum that Charlie Bird was almost laughing as he explained the truth.

- Seamus Brennan appeared on RTÉ where he told completely made up stories about FG's election manifesto. FG tore his claims to shreds, as did journalists later when they pointed out the difference between what he claimed and what the FG manifesto actually said.

- Conor Lenihan issued a statement in which complete falsehoods were stated as facts over Fine Gael's attitude to overseas development aid. Within 8 minutes of making it, FG's Bernard Allen had ripped the claim to shreds. Aid agencies were privately scathing at the way FF had in effect told lies about a topic as sensitive and important as overseas aid.

On practically every news bulletin a spokesperson appeared on, and in every press release issued, FF told a pack of lies about their opponents.

Disagreeing on issues is one thing. Saying 'we believe our policy of x is better than party a's policy of y' is standard political debate. But sinking to the level of telling barefaced lies is disgraceful. But then in the last week the PDs have told complete lies about the Greens' policies, something Liz O'Donnell as good as admitted on The News at One today.

All parties report that FF and the PDs are in big trouble all over the place with voters. But it must be sign of serious desperation when the government parties descend from debating issues to lying about everyone else, lies on occasion so patently absurd that as in the case of overseas aid, the opposition could disprove the claim within 8 minutes of FF issuing the claim. The media and all the opposition parties were shocked at the scale of the blatant lying going on. To have told one lie is one thing. But to tell lie after lie is sinking to new lows. Are they so afraid of the election outcome that they are willing to make up completely ficticious claims on just about every issue? Clearly they are very very worried.

Voters deserve better.

As a former FF supporter I am disgusted with thier current tatics. They are trying every dirty trick in the book at this stage, and the real smear campaign appears to be that of FF's constant reference to Enda Kenny whenever theres a mention of Bertie's money. It seems they will stop at nothing to prevent any kind of discussion on the real issues.You are right, voters deserve better. Lets hope they, the voters ,realise it before polling day.

Talking of dirty tricks, has anyone else noticed the large volume of FG posters, (particulary O'Leary's) which seem to have 'disappeared 'in Dublin South, and surprise surprise have been replaced with Brennan and O'Donnell's. Guess that guy must have sombody in FF worried!!

[Respvblica]

Who to believe? - judge a tree by its fruit.
MOTIVE
Who stands to gain by being the perceived victim of a smear campaign.
Which party's ratings soared in the wake of alegations last October.
Who would want to repeat that poll ratings increase?
Who stands to gain by focusing peoples minds away from the disgraceful situation regarding public services in this country.

Theres no gain whatsoever for FG from this tactic.
The answer shows quite clearly that this is a FF-PD-Sindo tactic to destroy Fine Gael's chances of being elected later this month. Pure and Simple.

[Podolski]

Bertie needs another dig out. Anyone got Michael Carruth's phone number?

[Anorakphobia]

I am blue in the face from saying this election looks a dead ringr of the UK 1997 equivalent.
Pundits putting too much credence in a mythical theory that come what may (including poll numbers that don't remotely stack up for a return to government) the incumbent would somehow prevail, without proferring any concrete reason for it.
This rubbish continued right up to polling day with many of the Tory rags still calling it for their boys despite significant double digit leads in all the polls for Blair. Even the bookies got it wrong (and yielded me a return never since bettered) laden down as they were with stacks of City money on the boys in blue.
All we are getting is "Bertiebounce" gobbldygook. It's voodoo nonsense. Look at the FFers with actual brains (yes they have a few), they are planking it and the above is evidence of it.

[loner]

FF in dirty tricks campaign----why am Inot surprised---only have to remember Haughey era--midnight threatening phone calls---even to their own deputies around the country