So we finally got the attack poster featuring Michael McDowell yesterday. But it was one issued by the PDs and not by Fine Gael. The FGers lost confidence and went for a wan poster showing an idyllic scene with the same message. I spotted the new FG poster driving in this morning. Because the concept is a 'poster within a poster', the size of the slogans and writing is smaller, and very hard to read. It really lacks impact.
Meanwhile, the PDs one is simple, direct, does what it says on the tin. Judge for yourselves.
And what is it with the Irish Independent and Pat Rabbitte? This morning the Indo suggested that Labour deputy leader Liz McManus's oppostion to her party joining a FF-led coalition was kind of conditional and that she too was beginning to waver. The newspaper had based its assertion on her reference in a radio interview to unforeseen circumstances that can give rise to extraordinary responses.
But in a quote that the Indo itself used yesterday, she made it clear what she meant by those.
"I spoke at one point on radio about the possibility of extraordinary circumstances arising which might change the situation. But I was literally talking about something like a national state of emergency or something like a third world war. That might alter my views but it is about the only thing that would do so.
"My position has been clear and consistent. There is no change from what I said in the Irish Independent last week."
Well, now we know. Labour will have no difficulty going into coaliton with FF in the event of a nuclear fall-out.
6 comments:
"Meanwhile, the PDs one is simple, direct, does what it says on the tin. Judge for yourselves."
Didn't the PDs promise to reduce taxes to 40% in 2002?
Yes, they did and in their 2002 manifesto. The point I made had less to do with broken promises and empty vessels, more to do with the effectiveness of the message on the poster (however erroneous that might be). H.
I appreciate your point. However, I am a bit concerned that a party can promise exactly what they promised five years ago, and get away with it. How can newspapers run articles and show this poster, and not higlight quite prominently that this promise is one that they made in 02?
Point taken. PDs did promise a drop from 42-40%.
They also made it the centrepiece of the party national convention in Limerick last year (Mary Harney's last).
Brian Cowen hung tough on no tax reductions for a long time. Only when the Excehquer returns were screaming 'Bonanza' did he throw the PDs a bone - a one per cent reduction rather than two per cent.
And the chances of it being reduced to 40% in 2008? Exactly the same chance as the PDS have of returning to Government! For the record, I think it's a smallish chance! h.
Out of curiosity why do you think the PD's have a smallish chance of returning to Government?
Are you calling it for FF-Labour then? :)
When I say smallish, I am not ruling them out completely. My own opinion is that the PDs will lose seats and so will FF. At this moment in time, I think they look like they will be below the level that allowed them form a minority government in 1997, with the support of independents.
So that's why I say smallish. I genuinely believe that we will be left with a complicated situation following the election, albeit one that broadly favours FF.
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