Election 2007. Nothing to see here folks…keep moving along

Well, this is strange. We’re in the eye of the hurricane, as it were, with one swirling mass of electoral chaos behind us, and another just ahead. Although the last person I pointed that out to was Cael on Politics.ie who was subsequently banned…so perhaps he hit the chaos a bit earlier than everyone else.

I’m a little frustrated by RTÉ’s insistence on having an Exit Poll on Morning Ireland…the next day, for the love of God! But then again, it would only generate excitement amongst the one or two superheated spinners on a few threads on Politics.ie, so perhaps it’s for the best.

Did my duty already, voted for the four progressive candidates in the constituency and threw in a surprise 5th preference which will do the lucky candidate no good at all…

It was sixish, so the voting was fairly brisk. A steady stream of voters into the converted hall where the Polling “Place” was. Didn’t they used to be stations?

And who should be hovering around outside but our Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, looking fairly dapper it has to be said in a grey pinstripe and being - I kid you not - accosted in a sort of low level way by well wishers. That this was taking place literally a stones throw from the Sinn Féin offices on North Strand added a certain poignancy to the occasion. Particularly in the form of SF party workers who were craning out the gate to see Bertie in the flesh. One wonders was he spending ten or fifteen minutes at every polling ‘place’? And in what order? How does that work?

Already the rumours are out…Labour will do this, or not do that. Fine Gael are up, down and about. The Progressive Democrats are bound for an electoral Valhalla. The Greens are…there. And it’s great because at this moment absolutely anything could happen. There’s still hours to go.

10.30 the Polling Places close. I know I’ve complained about the ludicrous spinning on P.ie, but as the election has continued it’s almost become entertaining to see it (but it’s worth noting firstly that there is excellent insightful discussion, as usual, on there as well, secondly that many others from all points of the political compass have made their feelings very clear about such activities to the detriment of the parties concerned, and finally the huge and sustained effort put in by David and Andrew over the past month or so when hits have gone up exponentially) by certain new posters. It’s so entirely shameless. I await with bated breath the first ‘leaks’ of the Exit Polls from those supposedly ‘in the know’.

Anyhow, roll on tomorrow.