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Beyond Parody: Giant steps or Sign the Contract… Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil and the slogans of our two largest political parties…
Read more about: Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Irish Election, Irish Politics, Media 
Fabulous news everyone.
Should we think of casting our democratic vote for Fianna Fáil we are invited to “take the next steps”. Where? To what purpose? Baby steps or great leaps a la Neil Armstrong? Shuffle, or stride? Forward or back? Up or down? Over and out.
Should by contrast it be Fine Gael that takes our fancy we are inveigled by Enda Kenny during his speech to “Sign the contract: Vote Fine Gael” (and should that not whet our appetite we can also go for “Fine Gael for a better Ireland”. Ireland? Well I never – although I’m reminded of Simon Hoggarts trick in the Guardian of reversing the words to get at the true meaning…Fine Gael for Ireland’s betters?).
A slogan of barely credible banality from FF matched only by one of almost surreal…well…what faux-commercialism (or a hint of the Soprano’s) from FG.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be treated like adults once or twice away from the cod inclusive/populist/business like/tiresome rhetoric of political campaigns, or is that just me?
And if it is a contract that FG are going with as the central plank of their election campaign, seems sort of dangerous ground to me to be on (anyone recall the Contract with America the US Republicans road tested back in 1994s which led to the most protracted gridlock as they sought to apply their ideological precepts with reality and a Democratic President – incidentally got to love the American Dream Restoration Act which was part of the contract). Contracts have a nasty habit of not working out when put into practice. Nor do very specific campaign pledges, and we need only look at Fianna Fáil for proof of that. Having said all that Enda Kenny came across as self assured and confident. No mean trick and just the thing to fire up the party faithful.
(While we’re on the subject an odd touch on the part of Fine Gael having a crowd of party members close in around David Davin-Power as he gave his report on the 9 o’clock news. Smiling fixedly into the camera far from evoking enthusiasm appears to betoken mania. Still, whatever it takes – eh?)
They were kids standing around David Davin Power.
I think it is line dancing steps. One up one back to the left to the right and back to where you started. Now swing your partner.
its just you!
Well, on a more serious note I liked it and comparisons to the contract for change in America are apt, refreshing my memory wasn’t that the election that provided a landscape victory for the Republicans and set them up into office.
Reading the history of that campaign and how it was easy to sell a short two page contract to the people of America, I’d have to salute Kenny because it might just be the thing to sell to the busy bees that are the celtic cubs.
The other nice touch was the strong family message and a finish with his wife on stage rather than a horde of lackeys.
The RTE crowd scene was definitely a rent-a-mob, done by and for RTE’s benefit.
Perhaps they were kids. Perhaps they were.
Re the overall presentation, yes, I think it is telling how ‘Presidential’ it was. In a way it’s notable that for once unlike either Noonan or Bruton (although perhaps a little like Bruton) Kenny appears often quite comfortable in his skin and that has a resonance. I take your point braz re the Celtic tiger cubs. That might work. Then again…
Guess we’ll have to wait until the day after polling day.
Kenny may be comfortable in his own skin. The problem for Fine Gael remains convincing the electorate that they can be comfortable with him in office. Personally I saw nothing from the scripted, rehersed events of tonight that give me any confidence that he can do the top job better than those who have given scripted rehersed speeches to their faithful in recent weeks. The campaign trail impromptu press confrences and regular slots on the oppositiontalk106 lunchtime show have, so far, been far less reassuring as to the credibility of Kenny.
Rabbitt remains the best performing leader of the rainbow and my preference for Taoiseach if it were but possible. When he takes his turn at the daily rainbow PR slot on Eamonn Keane’s show he comes across as far more convincing than any of the Fine Gael or Green leadership when they use the slot.
jos, are you not on the limerick blogger calling yourself mod spouting the same tripe about opposition106?
http://www.limerickblogger.org/blog/?p=2936#comments
Not but I’ll admit that’s where I first saw the nickname and it makes a lot of sense.