McDowell's position now untenable?

[Leopold Bloom]

Last Autumn he asked the Taoiseach for a full statement on his finances. Mr Ahern made a statement and McDowell stated that he was happy there had been full disclosure.

In the last week McDowell discovers, however, that this has not been the case and that the Taoiseach's Autumn statement had been highly "selective" and less than complete. In fact, McDowell just about stopped short of calling Bertie a liar.

So now McDowell wants a further statement from the Taoiseach if he's going to remain in government with him for the next few weeks. And it seems Bertie is going to oblige and issue a full statement on his finances by Friday.

Problem is: if McDowell was so wrong in his assessment of the Taoiseach's Autumn statement, how can he have any greater confidence in Bertie's fresh statement later this week?

[Gombeen]

It's too late. The die is cast.

[L'Chaim]

In Oct he asked Bertie about the money from Manchester. Bertie explained that. Did McDowell really expect Bertie to discuss anything else other than the money from Manchester? The problem with McD is that he actually believes that he is like a chairman of the board, who oversees the running of the firm. I think he believes that he's in charge of the country and Bertie and FF run it for him. He's in for a shock

[aisling2323]

McDowell's credibility is shot

let me put it this way

in November he fu*ked up - and he knows it

he was too committed to his 'reform agenda' at Justice to ever leave Government. He could only think about all the things he wanted to 'achieve' and losing those extra 6 months would have been disasterous from his point of view

for him Power is the most important thing

now, with the election called he KNOWS that the PD's are in serious trouble - their chances of survival are slim - to say the least -

he realises that he made a mistake in November

and being the brilliant political mastermind that he thinks he is - he sets about trying to remedy the earlier mistake and ONLY NOW takes the PD's to the brink of leaving Government

i am not saying that the PD's leaked the information - i don't know that - but McDowell certainly wanted to go back on his disastrous display in November - this for me is tactically naive and pathetic and irresponsible

[FutureTaoiseach]

One thing even McDowell - or indeed Enda or Pat - do not possess is clairvoyance. They cannot be expected to look into their crystal-balls like Mystic Meg and tell what future info/facts will come to light. I don't think his position is untenable. However if the party gets below 5 seats his position may then become untenable. As for the claim that the PDs are "in trouble" and "their chances of survival are slim", I would say that the party has always been told that by a media Coalition of vested-interests (opposed to the party's role in establishing the Tribunals to investigate their interests), Civil-War 'veterans', Cold War veterans and the PC-brigade - for 20 yrs. A broken record-player is all they are. How dare our critics presume to speak for the Irish electorate - and in particular those who vote for us and have done so for 20 yrs. It's not as if they exactly were the greatest fans of our ideology and party in the first place so what do they know?

[aisling2323]

sounds like you're on the defensive, and narky, and .. worried

[FutureTaoiseach]

sounds like you're on the defensive, and narky, and .. worried

I'm not but I am appalled at the visceral hostility of the Left to anyone who happens to hold a different opinion to them.

[rover]

I don't think his position is untenable

youre the moron who was demanding berties head on a plate on a monday (calling him a crook), and was down on his knees on thursday, blubbing and begging for the great enlightened honest leader to stay

should we take anything you say seriously on this issue??????

However if the party gets below 5 seats his position may then become untenabl

whats the betting that you will be down on your knees on may 25th blubbing and pleading with your great big sex idol to stay on as leader regardless of the result?????

[cooperation]

Its just proved these two partys cannot trust each other. But that are willing to go into goverment on that basis. Great for the public.

[aisling2323]

excuse me :

it was a PD poster last week who said he wouldn't piss on a labour man if he was on fire