Why do people like Bertie?

[Bogball XV]

As anyone who opened this thread will probably know, I am not exactly the biggest fan of our present and possibly next taoiseach.  Now, I have outlined my reasons many times in the various election threads, these reasons range from his deceit through to his incompetence (worst of all may be that he probably makes the Americans think that they could have done worse when they see him with Bush).
Now, it's obvious that I'm totally out of touch with what a large portion of the country feels, imo he swung the election for FF, for some reason people like him - why?  Who knows, if you can give me some reasons, well, i might even start to see the light!!

[GweylTah]

He's a bit like John Major - likeable, pretty plain and down-to-earth, whatever his other faults and those of their parties.

Bertie's 2007 election success was a bit like John Major's in 1992 - largely unexpected, much of it down the man himself and a case of the voters not being prepared to risk being better off against something untried.

[new devil]

He's certainly down to earth..meet him in a bar in dublin (fegans) few years ago bought us a drink and talked away for an hour, a gentleman

[The Real Laoislad]

A lot of people i know it was more of a case of disliking Enda Kenny more than Bertie rather than liking Bertie more

[deiseach]

He's certainly got charisma, which counts for a lot. And he seems quite competent - those things that are not perfect like the health service, people think there's not much politicians can do other than t**ker at the edges.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

He's a bit like John Major - likeable, pretty plain and down-to-earth, whatever his other faults and those of their parties.

What!! What the f**k are you on? Major had all the charisma of a turd, and none of the substance. A much, much less affable and capable politician was Major -- this is the individual who failed an aptitude test to be a bus conductor for chrissake!  And no one could ever describe Major as "the best, the most skillful, the most devious and the most cunning of them all"

[Caitlin]

Agree with FOSB. At the end of the day we could use the question another British Tory PM used to ask ; Is he one of us ?In Bertie's case , he is .Has flaws but enjoys the craic and you would smile if you met him.

[Bogball XV]

I appreciate that put out this 'man of the people' persona, great craic and affable etc, but is that reality, or is it the case that he thinks you have a vote?  He's not a person who you'd like to rub up the wrong way, he has a terrible temper, which he struggles at times to control - it seems to have been surfacing a lot more recently too. 

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I appreciate that put out this 'man of the people' persona, great craic and affable etc, but is that reality, or is it the case that he thinks you have a vote?  He's not a person who you'd like to rub up the wrong way, he has a terrible temper, which he struggles at times to control - it seems to have been surfacing a lot more recently too. 

I think he's an extremely shrewd operator BBXV, i.e., he knows exactly when to turn the righteous indignation up a notch or two (with outbursts to match), and when to act the wounded innocent, with the world and his mother on his pitiful case, and when to play the competent but guileless ingenue.  To be fair though, I genuinely don't think that he's materialistically driven to any great extent, despite the well-publicised allegations, i.e., opulent trappings of office do not appeal to him.

[belleaqua]

I think he's an extremely shrewd operator BBXV, i.e., he knows exactly when to turn the righteous indignation up a notch or two (with outbursts to match), and when to act the wounded innocent, with the world and his mother on his pitiful case, and when to play the competent but guileless ingenue.  To be fair though, I genuinely don't think that he's materialistically driven to any great extent, despite the well-publicised allegations, i.e., opulent trappings of office do not appeal to him.
[/quote]

Id agree with that, his lifestyle is modest in comparison to some predecessors and even current TDs, doesnt seem to be any material gain. His holidays revolve around a few days in Kerry after two days at the Galway Races - no regular trips to the south of France there.

People see alot of Bertie in themselves I guess, the guy from Drumcondra who rose to be Taoiseach, has his flaws much like everyone else and is by all accounts an affable and genuinely nice guy

[blast05]

A lot of people i know it was more of a case of disliking Enda Kenny more than Bertie rather than liking Bertie more

What is it that people don't like about Kenny ?
Even FF TD's were saying during the election that while they thought he lacked certain attributes, they couldn't question his integrity and honesty ... and yet the perception among the public was that you couldn't trust him because of the way he talked and held himself when in formal media settings.

The reason Kenny won't be Taoiseach is cos he got his figures wrong on a couple of occasions during the leaders debate from which people formed an awful lot of conclusions and opinions. FFS, "the best politician in Ireland" Brian Cowen when on Primetime a week ago got his figures wrong about the cost of public-private beds, got his figures wrong about Ireland's carbon footprint and persisted in standing by the figures he knew to be wrong re how many people would benefit under the respective FF and FG tax proposals.

[Bogball XV]

I think he's an extremely shrewd operator BBXV, i.e., he knows exactly when to turn the righteous indignation up a notch or two (with outbursts to match), and when to act the wounded innocent, with the world and his mother on his pitiful case, and when to play the competent but guileless ingenue.  To be fair though, I genuinely don't think that he's materialistically driven to any great extent, despite the well-publicised allegations, i.e., opulent trappings of office do not appeal to him.

Yeah, I agree it's not money that drives him - it's power.  I also agree with you about his whole righteous indignation act, he was at it again on friday night - surely people can see that he's playing them?

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I also agree with you about his whole righteous indignation act, he was at it again on friday night - surely people can see that he's playing them?

Not necessarily I'd say, it seems that the electorate will believe what they would like to believe to a certain extent given a half-chance, and enthusiastic endorsements from Clinton and Blair was a masterstroke by the FFers, where people would like to believe that someone who is thought of so highly on the international stage should surely then be suitable for the office of Taoiseach on the (relatively modest) national stage.

[muppet]

A lot of people i know it was more of a case of disliking Enda Kenny more than Bertie rather than liking Bertie more

Those people were either heavily biased or the type to judge a man based on the odd interview.

I've met both Enda and Bertie and can see why people quickly warm to both of them when they meet them in person. They have the knack of putting you at ease straight away and making you feel as if they see you as an equal. Off the record most business and union leaders and even hacks will tell you that they like both of them also.

Harney and Hanafin on the other hand.....

[deiseach]

What is it that people don't like about Kenny ?
Even FF TD's were saying during the election that while they thought he lacked certain attributes, they couldn't question his integrity and honesty ... and yet the perception among the public was that you couldn't trust him because of the way he talked and held himself when in formal media settings.

The reason Kenny won't be Taoiseach is cos he got his figures wrong on a couple of occasions during the leaders debate from which people formed an awful lot of conclusions and opinions. FFS, "the best politician in Ireland" Brian Cowen when on Primetime a week ago got his figures wrong about the cost of public-private beds, got his figures wrong about Ireland's carbon footprint and persisted in standing by the figures he knew to be wrong re how many people would benefit under the respective FF and FG tax proposals.

People think Enda Kenny is a bit of a drip. It's not about lack of trust, integrity or even competence, it's about lacking a certain gravitas. Personally, I think this is unfair. I said to anyone who would listen (not many then) when Michael Noonan was elected leader of FG that they'd regret not choosing Enda. He's done an amazing job in turning them into a serious political force again and if he can keep Labour out of government, thus creating a coherent anti-government block come the next election, he will be Taoiseach. Providing he's not shafted from within first . . .

NB the fact that he boxed John Deasy around the ears has not influenced me in the slightest. Ahem.