Rats deserting the sinking ship!

[comethekingdom]

Another one gone today! - Mary Wallace in Meath East. They're droppin like flies!!

[Lar Naparka]

You under estimate the ability of FF to run an election campaign. Once they start they are very impressive.  The fella that ran in the Donegal by-election was very impressive and probably suffered due to it being a by election and Doherty's popularity.


I see they already got to Lar.

You are dead right, Zap. No one does elections like FF. The party has cumanns and comhairle cheanntars in every one of the 43 constituencies and there are activists in every area that will canvass and get cars out on election day and put up posters and the likes.
Fine Gael is next best on this list but Lab and Sinn Fein don't have the structures at grass roots level to poll well throughout the country. If there are floating voters in any constituency, FF is the most likely bet to pick them up.  They will have their directors of elections, press officers, printers etc. up and running before the GE is called. There is also the legendary hard core vote to keep in mind; those who vote FF at all times—the 'loyalaty' brigade.
FF will be hoping for a low turnout; the lower the better is what they always want. They know a relatively high percentage of the 'loyalaty' will always turn out so the fewer the better after that.
No, I haven't sold out; it's just that I'd prefer to meet Batt O'Keefe before Ned O'Keefe if I were to meet either on my doorstep. Both will get lots of stick but Ned didn't help to feck up the country and may very well lose his seat. Batt, with a bit of luck, will get the bum's rush too but will have his ministerial pension to help soften the blow.

Not so sure about that. I'd imagine that a substantial number of FF 'semi-loyalists' won't be able to give their vote to another party but won't vote for FF either this time. They could be the people who stay at home. And otherwise, it's very difficult to imagine we'll have a low turnout for this one.

You are right of course; a whole lot of the FF hardcore will probably stay at home. They may not vote for the party but they won't vote against it either. Those who will turn out, hail or shine, are a dwindling breed but they can make the difference for the lower seats in a four or five seater.
Throw in a bit of vote management which FF can do better than any other party, and I can't see them failing to win at least one seat in every one of the 43 constituencies. If there is really going to be a seismic shift in public opinion we would know about it by now but I am amazed at how docile the electorate appears to be. By contrast with other European countries, we have been hit very hard and have greeted our fate with resignation rather than resentment.
If this was Greece or France, Cowen and co. would have been tarred and feathered long ago.
I expect to see FF having its worst election result ever but I am amazed that it is still holding up so well.

[comethekingdom]

GUBU !
WTF is going on in FF today? At least the election date is set anyway. We'll finally be rid of these gombeens at last. Mind you there'll not be too many left for voters to punish them for the mess they've made of the country!