The Battle for Fermanagh and South Tyrone

[dodgy umpire]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

Reminds me of the girl in Sinn Fein's Party Political Broadcast in either 2001 or 2005.

"I'm gonna vote Sinn Fein 'cos, well, all me mates are votin for them like"

Think it was more along the lines of "I'll be voting Sinn Fein  because that's who all the young people around here are voting for"

[trileacman]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

Very condescending comment, Myles. Are you saying 26% of the north's voting population are idiots? What is wrong with keeping a unionist out? The whole point of being a republican is to strive for a united Ireland.

Where does the republic part come in to play then??

[gallsman]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

Reminds me of the girl in Sinn Fein's Party Political Broadcast in either 2001 or 2005.

"I'm gonna vote Sinn Fein 'cos, well, all me mates are votin for them like"

Think it was more along the lines of "I'll be voting Sinn Fein  because that's who all the young people around here are voting for"

Which is any better because......?

The phrases "all my mates" or "all my friends" were definitely used.

[Maguire01]

I understand that most SF voters wouldn't be put off by claims that Gerry Adams was I'm the IRA, though I thought that specific stories, such as linking him with Jean McConville, may have had some impact. Such individual cases can often remove the rose-tinted glasses many wear when recalling the campaign.

I also thought that his reported inaction regarding his brother - that he reportedly did little to stop him working where he did in his constituency, would have had some affect.

It makes me wonder - Bertie was the Teflon Taoiseach - what would Adams have to do for the voters of West Belfast to turn the way they did in the East of the city?

[haranguerer]

Have a wife thats riding the country; beat said wife; have a close personal relationship with numerous unscrupulous developers, and benefit financially from those relationships; be an arrogant p***k on TV when interviewed about this?

[Maguire01]

Have a wife thats riding the country; beat said wife; have a close personal relationship with numerous unscrupulous developers, and benefit financially from those relationships; be an arrogant p***k on TV when interviewed about this?

And that's worse than allegations of ordering the murder of a mother, or allegations of not doing enough in relation to proect his constituents from an alleged paedophile?

Either the West Belfast public didn't belive those stories, or you think that dodgy financial dealings, consensual extra marital affairs and arrogance are worse than the above. And for the record, Pete got what was coming to him. I just find it difficult to understand how so much negative publicity had such little affect on the SF vote in West Belfast.

[windyshepardhenderson]

I just find it difficult to understand how so much negative publicity had such little affect on the SF vote in West Belfast.

its a staunchly republican area, so i believe. that might be why.

[gallsman]

I just find it difficult to understand how so much negative publicity had such little affect on the SF vote in West Belfast.

its a staunchly republican area, so i believe. that might be why.

And East Belfast isn't staunchly loyalist?

[Maguire01]

I just find it difficult to understand how so much negative publicity had such little affect on the SF vote in West Belfast.

its a staunchly republican area, so i believe. that might be why.

Just as East Belfast is staunchly Unionist /Loyalist. That didn't stop Robinson getting the boot.

[Maguire01]

Alex Attwood................

Yes, Atwood is a poor alternative. But there's ways the option of not voting or spoiling your vote. The fact is the voters of WB chose to positively return Adams.

[ziggysego]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWCkufdOuGo&feature=related

Who did he vote for?

[Myles Na G.]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

Very condescending comment, Myles. Are you saying 26% of the north's voting population are idiots? What is wrong with keeping a unionist out? The whole point of being a republican is to strive for a united Ireland.

That question has been settled, at least in the medium term. No change to the north's position without the consent of the people living there. Anyone think the unionists look like signing up to a united Ireland any time soon? No? Fair enough. Can we get on with ordinary bread and butter politics then, and come back to the constitutional issue in 30 or 40 years?

[longrunsthefox]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

Very condescending comment, Myles. Are you saying 26% of the north's voting population are idiots? What is wrong with keeping a unionist out? The whole point of being a republican is to strive for a united Ireland.

That question has been settled, at least in the medium term. No change to the north's position without the consent of the people living there. Anyone think the unionists look like signing up to a united Ireland any time soon? No? Fair enough. Can we get on with ordinary bread and butter politics then, and come back to the constitutional issue in 30 or 40 years?

Unionists are hardly puttind bread and butter issues first as they are horrified at the idea of  a Sinn Fein first minister and contrived that pact in F-ST

[unitedireland]

Happy days on the result!!!!!!!

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Adams was cute enough though, he knows that it is Catholic voters in the Suffolk area.  He didn't mention the religion of the people who voted for him.

Neither did I (mention the religion) -- little bit of pavlovian reduction there ardmhachaabu? 

He did indeed mention loyalsists & unionists.

Yeah, but if they voted for him then they can't be Unionists/Loyalists, can they? There really is no evidence that Adams got any votes from the 'other side', be that Unionist or Protestant. Nothing "significant" to see here at all.

It was a Westminster vote, not a border poll, so your contention that they can't be unionists/loyalists is nonsensical (or how much greater an achievement it would be had he 'converted' them) -- and you doubt the veractiy of his claims if you like, but he did emphasise that he was talking about relatively few voters; but (even) one or two would be significant.