Who will lead FF when Bertie is gone

[martin TYRONE]

One of the reasons that Willie O dea waited for so many years to get a ministerial position I believe is that FF leaders feared him as a leadership contender--Willie O dea is a ruthless street politician who unlike others in FF actually visit their constituents--everyone in his constituency knows his face and he is rumored to be every bit as cunning and devious and ruthless as Bertie A,--there were stories going around at the time of the last election that if he hadnt been given a ministerial post --the next time around he would have ran as an independent and would have been a complete embarrasment to BertieA when he topped the poll.

Now that he has the the ministerial experience --I believe that O'Dea would have an outside chance of being leader when Bertie is booted out of office--he may not look that impressive but he knows how to fight dirty .
Willie has mastered the art of parish pump politics.

[drjimryan]

Bertie Goes after bad election result

Bertie leaves 'shambles' of organisation behind

Td's elect O'Dea......


My God!.........the party would cease to exist in 15 tears.

Even I'D consider joining Sinn Fein / IRA !

[livingstone]

O Dea would be a terrible choice for leader. If I was Fianna Fail, I think the best thing that could happen to it would be to lose the next election, allow Bertie to retire as leader while giving him a non-portfolio front bench position like John Bruton had in FG, meanwhile letting Dermot Ahern and a fresh cabinet take over and revive the party and poise itself for the 2012(ish) election.

At the moment, there's a sense of fatigue in the FF ranks, and a spell in opposition would allow them to recuperate.

Of course from my perspective, that of a Labour voter, as Ive said elsewhere, my preferred option would be a FF/SF coalition which falls apart within a year.

[martin TYRONE]

Why would O'Dea be regarded as such a terrible choice--I know Shannon and the US troops--but they re all equally guity on that one,Would he be a worse choice than ultra-arrogant Hanniffin. He is also known to dispise the PDs which is another plus for him.

[ChrIreland]

Bertie Goes after bad election result

Bertie leaves 'shambles' of organisation behind

Td's elect O'Dea......


My God!.........the party would cease to exist in 15 tears.

Even I'D consider joining Sinn Fein / IRA !

Well, "doctor", the IRA is gone now.......I can get your an application form for SF if you want

[NGTR]

O'Dea your having a laugh!

I'd imagine Ahern will go in the next 5 years regardless of election results, with Cowen to lose out to Hanafin as the next leader. Very rarely does the annointed successor get the nod in Fianna Fail, well any party actually so I could easil see Hanafin winning out & becoming the first female Taoiseach despite her being a spa

[TKwhiskers]

At the moment, there's a sense of fatigue in the FF ranks, and a spell in opposition would allow them to recuperate.

There's no sense of fatigue, you really should stop believing your own spin!

[livingstone]

I'd regard him as a terrible choice because he represents everything people find objectionable about Fianna Fail - he's a parish pump politicians, and will attract people who are attracted by parish pump politicians, but the reality is that they tend to be attracted by Fianna Fail anyway. What Fianna Fail need is someone to give them the edge, someone who's more than a cute hoor, but actually has some policy initiative and is someone that people, by and large, at least, respect as a Government figure or potential government figure in the case of the opposition. I dont think theres a lot of respect out their for O'Deas abilities. When a party has someone like Cowen (who I also believe would be a poor choice), Ahern (Dermot) or Hannifin, I really dont see why they'd resort to O'Dea - its a bit like reports Ive heard of John O Donoghue being tipped as a successor - just doesnt make any sense.

[TKwhiskers]

I'd imagine Ahern will go in the next 5 years regardless of election results, with Cowen to lose out to Hanafin as the next leader. Very rarely does the annointed successor get the nod in Fianna Fail, well any party actually so I could easil see Hanafin winning out & becoming the first female Taoiseach despite her being a spa

Bertie has plenty of life in him yet, he'd an excellent interview with Gorman yesterday, I think he's well up for another term!

Mary would be a great choice, but I think Cowen's the man next time around.

[livingstone]

My own spin. Jesus, I post here about once a week - hardly a propaganda machine, now am I.

Anyway, I see a sense of fatigue; it seems government figures arent as up for a fight as they used to be, they seem to take what the opposition gives them and muddle through. If you see it differently, fair enough - I really am not about to get into an argument with a FF hack who cant see beyond his own loyalties.