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FINE GAEL PRESIDENTIAL candidate Gay Mitchell has denied that he has been confrontational during the election campaign.
Mitchell was responding to questions on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland about his behaviour with Sinn Féin candidate Martin McGuinness who has come under heavy criticism for his past associations with the IRA by members of Fine Gael including government ministers.
McGuinness and Mitchell famously clashed on a Newstalk radio programme earlier this month leading to McGuinness criticising what he said was Fine Gael’s “black propaganda”.
But Mitchell has insisted this morning that his questions to McGuinness were part of “normal discourse”.
He told Morning Ireland:
I haven’t been confrontational with anybody. The only person I asked is Mr McGuinness to say why he says he’s not a Sinn Féin candidate. Since when did that become confrontation?To ask somebody to say why they’re saying they’re not a Sinn Féin candidate and why they claim not to be a member of the IRA, I don’t understand how that’s confrontation. That’s part of normal discourse, normal debate.
In the interview, Mitchell also responded to a weekend of polls which did not make for good reading.
In a Red C poll for the Sunday Business Post Mitchell commanded just 8 per cent of the vote but he insisted that such was the volatility of presidential polls he was still in with a chance.
He said:
You have to compare it with same situation in the last presidential election when the front runner on 38 per cent ended up on less than 7 per cent.Volatility is, to put it mildly, the guiding principle in these polls.
All I can tell you is my hand on my heart, I do not believe these polls will be the polls that will come out next Thursday week and I think most people are simply answering polls as they’re put to them.
I have never, in my entire life in politics, except in the last presidential election, see somebody go up by 19 per cent and down by 19 per cent.
Mitchell also spoke about his vision for the presidency saying that people were looking for someone with experience to takeover in the Phoenix Park and did not want someone who will be “learning on the job” once elected.
He said: “This is a political job, I am a businessman, my business is politics.”
The MEP added that it was his belief Ireland was on the “cusp of a recovery” and spoke about one of the main themes of his campaign, dealing with suicide in Ireland.
He also said that he wanted “real inclusiveness” as opposed to “politically correct inclusiveness” if elected.
Mitchell was never a suitable candidate!
Who is?
Sorry, but volatility in polls would be the fact that David Norris used to be first, then Michael D and now Sean Gallagher… Polls may be volatile but consistently coming second last is not. It would just say to me that while people might be making their minds up about who they’re voting for they most certainly know who they’re not voting for.
Sick of this campaign its an ugly race would put u off its like school yard bickering
Cant fault him on asking McGuinness a question or two on his past. For a conservative candidate I think he has handled himself reasonably well. He has said a few strange things about abortion etc but has done some genuinely admirable things also such as speaking out against stoning of women in Nigeria. Dont get me wrong I wouldnt vote for him but for a conservative he is not the worst.
I can’t understand how GM is doing so badly in the polls. People complain that he questions Martin McG on his murderous past!! In my eyes that shows leadership, do the other candidates condone it or worse still, are they afraid of him?
Eh because he is a weasel.
I don’t actually think the two are connected, as people tend to assume. Mitchell was considered a dud of a candidate, with a poor showing in polls, before McGuinness was even speculated about as a potential candidate.
I don’t think Mitchell’s being punished for asking McGuinness hard questions; I think he’s being punished for being Mitchell.
If the candidates can’t even take a bashing from other candidates, how in gods name will they handle the bashing theyll get, if they get elected, from all the people who don’t like them? You don’t think
Obama gets a hard time? It’s not all sunshine and rainbows
Thats ridiculous thing to say, the president of ireland isnt subject to partisan attacks on a daily basis, obama gets attacked because he makes decisions that affect his whole country, irelands president cant even make a decision without consulting govt. Or the counsell of state.
the point im making is that if they can’t handle criticism it doesn’t say much for their strength of character does it?
Mitchell’s contributions to the campaign have largely consisted of badgering, carping and sniping about the other candidates. For sheer quantity and intensity of invective Mitchell should get some sort of prize. Is there a Cerberus of the Year Award? After watching him in action during the televised Presidential ‘debates’ I worried that my TV speakers might become deformed under the torrent of harangues he directed at McGuinness. His campaign is not over yet, but his bid for the Presidency is long dead.
‘I haven’t been confrontational with anybody’
I’m fairly certain that, that’s all there has been to his campaign.
“Teacher teacher look what Martin did teacher”. Like a tattle tale from school. Grow up Grey Mitchell.
Every time he opened his weasel mouth on Vincent Browne’s Big Presidential Debate it was to attack Martin. I’m not trying to defend Martin, it’s just that Grey seems to have nothing to offer other than the fact he’s less dangerous than Martin. Well he’s not the only one.
Mitchell’s default modus operandi is attack attack attack. This is fine for everyday politics but simply doesn’t wash in a race for the Park.
He is also very boring.
He told mcguinness he would cut him off at the knees on dunphy that morning. Confrontational???
OMG . I didn’t hear that ! That is disgraceful, from a Presidential candidate . Can you imagine the headlines if it was said the other way round!!! I agree he
is very confrontational.
“I haven’t been confrontational with anyone! Me? Confrontational? Prove it. PROVE IT. That’s the kind of thing I expect from a Provo/socialist/atheist/Fianna Fail fellow traveller. I was raising one of 23 children in a cardboard box in Inchicore, and I’ll fight _anyone_ who calls me confrontational.”
P.
I can’t stand that.. I should say man but I feel that would be an insult to the gender..
It’s his demeanour, the way he projects himself.. He’s like a nasty school child.. Making catty remarks just loud enough to be heard, but not outright..
And some of the things he chooses to say.. Having him in the Aras would be like having our own Prince Phillip only with a bitter nastiness that would not be so easy to laugh at..
He reminds me of Grima Wormtongue from Lord of the Rings for some reason.. Or perhaps Golem..
this muppet beggers beleive
Can anyone tell me why my comment was removed??
What was it ?
It was just my response to the kind of person I think Gay Mitchell is regarding his treatment of campaigners in my town when they protested outside the local radio station. The candidates of the General Election (Fine Gael and Labour) made huge false promises and told lie after lie to the electorate and continue to do so to this day regarding cancer services. In retaliation to that the campaign is urging people not to vote Fine Gael/Labour in ANY election. They are turncoats. No better than the crowd we voted out. But his behaviour astounded me. He completely ignored these people which leads me to believe that he reckons he’s not going to get their vote so why bother address them. Hardly presidential material.. And the comment was removed..
Nothing surprises me any more about anything. You have a valid point tho. I dont think FG chose the right candidate , Mitchell is not presidential material. He sneers too much,
have your say