Libertas go after Creighton in Own Constituency

[twtone]

There's already evidence of how the useless Fianna Fail/Green coalition permit eu former colonial powers to shape our foreign policy. For a long time the only squeak of independence coming from Iveagh House was a certain sympathy for the Palestinian cause. This was recognized by the zionists, who reserved a special virulence for their hatred of Ireland.
Notice, however, how in the past couple of years that laudable tradition has faded away, and Ireland now meekly trots after countries such as Germany (still trying to recompense for murdering millions of Jews) in their cruel and disgraceful policies of screwing the Palestinians.

Why would anyone be surprised, since the fools in Fianna Fail signed on (with a complaisant FG and Labour remaining mute) when the apologist for NATO mass killings was named Foreign Polcy chief for the EU?

[twtone]

Lucinda has clarified that by European Army she meant European Peacekeeping forces like the ones that are currently in Kosovo and Chad and the Battle groups. Now what does Lucinda’s opinion on a single issue, have to do with what the Treaty will or will not do?

More Fianna Fail stupidity. Minister Ahern recognized Kosovan "independence" despite the fact that such recognition breaches international law, has no UN mandate, and has not been followed by 80% of the nations of the world.

[Kf]

Good idea as it will force out Creighton on the Lisbon Treaty which will be a boon to the No side.

[gerrywoman]

Focusing on a junior spokesperson for a party that way gives her a massive profile boost, making her a national figure.

That was, I assume, the entire point.

Profile isn't good when you're not ready for it, but you think you are. Lucinda being a very prominent figure on the Yes side would be exactly what Libertas would want, I think.

[ibis]

From a Libertas press release:

Libertas will do whatever it takes to defeat this treaty, but we will never lie about its contents, and we will never say that our opponents are a reason not to vote for it.

[Trampas]

Anybody keeping score on the invective from the Yes side ?
So far Irish opponents are either "insane" or "loo-lahs" and opponents from Europe are "headbangers". The list of EU luminaries and Euro-groupies coming to support the Yes side is likely to be very long. But that is OK.

[Edo]

Is it not rather self-defeating?

Once Again Libertas disappoint me - I was under the impression that its "Facts not Politics" is their thing -

but here again its making a big deal of what a junior TD said 5 years ago when she wasn't even a councillor and has been brought out every time she has run for office and has not made a blind bit of difference to the outcome.

All Libertas have so far is so and so said this and so and so said that - but nothing apart from their fetish on Article 46 when it comes to the facts - could it be that there is nothing there?

I'll be voting on the treaty itself not because Valery Giscard D'Estaing said this, and Lucinda Creighton said that , Jean Marie Le Pen is against this and Sarko is for that or Dick Roche said the other and Rafa Benitez had no comment to make whatsoever - Facts not Politics Folks!.

Maybe Libertas are keeping their powder dry - because this is desperation stuff.

[A_man_about_a_dog]

If it was a SF or a Green who said they supported a European army, mounting that sort of campaign would perhaps make sense. But for some FGers a European Army is something they would support. So instead of a backlash all the Libertas crowd are doing is giving attention to something which will boost Creighton's appeal to Fine Gael voters. Clever, huh?

As you correctly pointed out, many FGers would be in support of a European Army, but supporters of other parties and independent voters would not be so. This kind of campaign will make FG look like a party who want a militarised Europe, something which will make a lot of non-FG voters cringe.

Of all the constituencies in the country, Dublin South East, as well as South and Dun Laoghaire are the three where the idea of a European anything plays like gold-dust. So all they are doing is ensuring she has GREATER electoral appeal in Dublin South East. Clever, huh?

Have you got figures to support that claim about these constituencies being overwhelmingly pro-Europe? I'm only asking because I live in the Dun Laoghaire constituency and that is certainly not the vibe that I get talking to my friends, neighbours and those who frequent my local pub, among others.

Focusing on a junior spokesperson for a party that way gives her a massive profile boost, making her a national figure. THAT boosts electability. She will have thought Christmas will have come early when she read about those posters. Minor political figures would give an arm and a leg for that sort of campaign to be mounted against them. Clever, huh?

The old marketing phrase "all publicity is good publicity" doesn't necessarily apply to the realm of politics.

Voters in general outside the area targeted tend to react very badly to negative campaigning. In terms of electoral politics, targeting a woman politician is notorious for backfiring. The public don't like that being done to a woman. They see it as bully and personalised. So it will create a backlash against Libertas and a sympathy for Creighton as the 'victim' of a crude attack.

.....................

The middle ground, as happens under the empathy rule, will focus on what they will perceive as an unfair personal attack on a woman.

Well that would depend what opinion the "middle ground"/outside voters originally had of the person being targeted. If they didn't think much of the person to start with, I don't see too many people getting particularly pissed off about it. In all fairness, Creighton has hardly done much to endear herself to the public at large. I'm not saying she has alienated the wider public or anything, just that I find it quite hard to envisage people (other than the supporters she already has) rushing to her defence over this.