Will Cowen learn from Gordon Brown's disaster?

[Weliveinhope]

Can't help but note the similarities between Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen in their promotions. Incumbent leader resigns. No challenge internally. Deputy (and minister with responsibility for dept of finance) takes over ie people handed a new leader unelected by party or electorate at large.

From here Brown went downhill at a catastrophic pace. Polls dropped like lead weights, internal party disquiet and uprising re tax band then the local elections from hell.

Could the same happen to Cowen? What can he do to avoid it? At a time when the economy is shaky people tend to be less forgiving of their politicians so the new Taoiseach will have to tread carefully.

[freedomlover]

Can't help but note the similarities between Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen in their promotions. Incumbent leader resigns. No challenge internally. Deputy (and minister with responsibility for dept of finance) takes over ie people handed a new leader unelected by party or electorate at large.

From here Brown went downhill at a catastrophic pace. Polls dropped like lead weights, internal party disquiet and uprising re tax band then the local elections from hell.

Could the same happen to Cowen? What can he do to avoid it? At a time when the economy is shaky people tend to be less forgiving of their politicians so the new Taoiseach will have to tread carefully.

There is no comparison. Brian Cowen was totally loyal to Bertie Ahern. In contrast, for the previous twelve years Gordon Brown was scheming against, plotting against, spinning against, and up to all sorts of nasty tricks against Tony Blair. As a result, the Blairites owe him no loyalty and are revelling in the fact that he's now proven to be not up to the job.

[returning officer]

There is nothing form a PR point of view that can be done to avoid the comparisons: the agreed lazy media line is that Cowen will go the same way. He too follows a charismatic "leader." Cowen does not have same media touch as his predecessor (so the spin will be more negative - Ahern could buy loyalty of hacks by feeding them stories, that is not Cowen's style).