Seeking Surplus

at

This afternoon.

Presidential hopeful Gemma O’Doherty (top right) is seeking the votes of 20 members of the Oireachtas to secure a nomination to contest the Presidency of Ireland before tomorrow’s deadline, including from Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald (above left with her party’s Presidential candidate Liadh Ní Riada).

More as we get it.

Earlier: Going Forward

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116 thoughts on “Seeking Surplus

  1. Rob_G

    Why on earth would SF want to facilitate a rival candidate entering the race (one that would probably be drawing on the same ‘anti-establishment’ band of support that their own candidate is going after)…

    1. Johnny Keenan

      It’s called democracy. The people are in to that kind of stuff ya know. Oireachtas is a different game.
      It’s not the premiership ffs!
      Anyway last time around Independents gave their surplus to Martin McGuinness. Independents need to give their nomination now to Gemma.

      If not I guarantee you they will lose in the next local and national election.
      Sinn Fein have proven once again how Me Fein they are.

      I know some people don’t believe Gemma O’Doherty has much support.

      We’ll see.
      We’ll see

      1. Cian

        I don’t believe that Gemma has that much support. (fewer than 5,000 filled in an online petition) https://www.change.org/p/politicians-of-ireland-gemma-o-doherty-for-president-of-ireland

        Saying that, I would love to see her get a nomination, and then see how she does.

        My prediction is that if she gets through she would is less then 3% 1st preferences (or fewer than 50,000 1st preferences) – she’s at the Dana / Mary Davis level.

        But then she’ll just complain that the media was against her…

        1. Brother Barnabas

          dont think you can interpret the petition as a measure of the numbers that would vote for her

          she might be around 3% now (who knows?), but, if she gets in, her support would soar after the first televised debate – she’d kick lumps out of gallagher and the other twat (not literally) in any debate

          i doubt she’d beat MDH, however

          1. Cian

            She has had a lot of media attention. She is very twitter happy. She has shared that petition herself on twitter. It has been shared here on BS a number of times. I’d guess it has been on FB….and still fewer then 5,000 people bothered to click it.

            But what would I know. I though Trump would crash and burn – another twitter-happy presidential candidate.

        2. Wellness

          “Signed by accident, but removed signature after seeing her in a promotional pic wearing a fur garment round her neck.”
          Best comment on the petition.

        1. Johnny

          It’s Johnny Abby:)
          The office is in Parnell Sq if she’d like join or sign up,16 years at INM which peddles anti SF propaganda, let’s just say her new appreciation and friends in SF are a little fair weather.
          SF and Mary Lou have been incredibly gracious at the CC level,they owe Gemma nothing.

          1. Abigail

            I was talking to Mr Keenan. I don’t like sinn fein. they have literally murdered children.

            do you forgive the church?

          2. johnny

            ….who am i to forgive or judge anyone Abby,given you appear to have divine powers perhaps you can learn to forgive yourself…..

      2. rotide

        “It’s called democracy”

        And if it was Bertie Ahern carrying on like this, you’d be saying the same thing?

        No you wouldn’t.

        1. Johnny Keenan

          rotide if a man is a field why is a rock?
          I know it makes as much sense as your last comment.
          Go on! We’ll wake you up when the elections over
          Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

      3. A Person

        Are you Gemma? Your support for her is as bad as the broadsheet establishment. It’s called politics – a party will not support a rival candidate, and Gamma calling them out on it is really really naive.

        1. Johnny Keenan

          She’s calling them all out publicly and so am I.
          so decent honest Irish people can call them out as well. And guess what it’s working.
          Democracy has to be seen to be working for the people by the politicians.
          I didn’t realise that truth honest and transparency was such a threat to so many.

  2. millie st murderlark

    There’s an attitude of entitlement in this kind of carry-on that is very unlikeable. SF are not obligated to do anything for her and I can’t see this doing her any favours

      1. millie st murderlark

        She does. To me though it reads as though she feels she is entitled to them as an independent candidate and I don’t think that’s right at all.

          1. millie st murderlark

            You know, it’s not my problem if formulating an answer of substance just a bit too tricky for you.

            Maybe it’s best if you sit a few plays out big guy.

    1. rotide

      As has been pointed out, the ONLY council nomination she got had a majority of FF/FG on it.

      No one is out to stop her. She’s just not as popular in the real world as she is here

      1. Jeffrey

        I’ll smoke what you are smoking my dude! Of course she was stopped – can you just imagine the result on the televised debates? Someone actually saying what they and many of us think about the state of this bananaland? Inconceivable and thus its not happening. Like someone said above you can bet she would have done very well from the telly stuff.

        1. rotide

          And I bet she wouldn’t have done very well. It would only take one slip of one of the many conspiracy theories she espouses and she’d go down in flames.

          If she is as charismatic as you and her supporters keep claiming, she would have got the nomination already.

          1. Jeffrey

            down in flames like Gallagher did in 2011 then? with 500k votes post BagMan revelations? You dont seem to know the Irish electorate do you?

          2. sheskin

            Her “conspiracy theories” have downed a few wrong wans in our law enforcement,with maybe some more to follow.Personally I wouldn’t dislike her for her “conspiracy theories”.She talks about things others avoid,and this obviously upsets some people.This seems quite odd to me.I think she should stick with what she is doing and forget about being president.

        1. ReproButina

          Why didn’t they nominate any of the other candidates? Were they all victims of a conspiracy as well? Or were they judged and found wanting?

          1. ReproButina

            Of course, I forgot the office of President is like being a Marshall in the old West and GO’D was all set to clean up this town.

    1. rotide

      Not unless she radically changed her platform and veered away from the conspiracy theories and into one that actually suited the remit of the office.

      1. johnny

        ….surprised no one has brought up the presidential power too pardon……
        -that’s quite a lot of power in the wrong hands :)

          1. Johnny

            It’s considered by constitutional experts to be ambiguous,but interestingly Michael D hasn’t exercised it,the two prior ones did-Nicky Kelly and ?

          2. ReproButina

            Yeah, that’s how I know about it. I think it’s only been used 4 times since the foundation of the state.

          3. millie st murderlark

            Very interesting. I didn’t know any of this. I actually was even aware our president could give pardons. Every day a school day and all that.

          4. johnny

            oh just wait till the shinners get the Aras-the govt contemplated using the presidential pardons for the ‘on the run’ combatants,but negotiated ‘comfort letters’,from the brits instead, granting immunity.

            not sure on total either.

      2. sheskin

        Rotide her “conspiracy theories”have done more good in a few short years than some politicians have done in a lifetime.You obviously prefer the staus quo.

        1. rotide

          Do tell us what good her assertion that the state murdered Veronica Guerin has done.

          Also tell us what has come from her ‘just asking the questions’ regarding vaccinations has done?

          Jesus christ, she’s not JFK. This level of pedestal raising is getting ridiculous

          1. sheskin

            You seem to think her “conspiracy theories” are doing some harm,whereas most right thinking people would applaud her.She has certainly shook up the Gardaí.I don’t get where your coming from.

  3. Ron

    What is wrong with all of you on this site? What are ye all suffering from? Why are people so against Gemma getting on the ballot? You don’t have to vote for her you all do know that right? Why the hatred towards her? MDH represents a party that actually damaged society, why not the level of hatred towards him?

    Our Houses of the Oreachtais are filled with the most inept politicians we have ever seen. What is it that she says that they are so desperate to keep quiet?

    What is wrong with all of you?

      1. johnny

        ..if you expect to be taken seriously here or anywhere hun, perhaps refrain from asking people if they forgive the church or accusing Sinn Fein 20 years after the GFA off killing children,did the circus leave town in a hurry and forgot one of its…….

        1. Abigail

          just pointing out your hypocrisy sugar. apologist for the ra but harsh on the church.
          but you’re passionate so can be saved with the warm embrace of a kind woman x

          1. johnny

            Generally I avoid commenting on the ‘church’ its pretty much DOB/NAMA and occasionally defending SF,the odd time I join the scrum but most off it I avoid.
            And I did like your question on Digicel-we can agree to disagree on SF.
            Hardly an apologist for the ‘Ra’ but thanks for the virtual hug:)

          2. johnny

            thanks SOQ-I’m at work (trying also get something up on Digicel) not a chance I’m opening any your links :)
            Ok,ok i did quickly then shut it down, partial to some ‘dance’ music but tend towards Japanese electro,Shinichi Atobe,Minami Deutsch,Yaeji (NY based).
            Burning up the turntable at “Johnnys” this week is- Alpes + Catherine Riberio,Lets Eat Grandma and Parquet Floors.

          3. SOQ

            That was a joke johnny btw.

            Yes the Japanese are very popular in NYC these days, very sharp and edgy. I am more European house myself, especially the likes of andhim and Solomon.

        2. SOQ

          The woman has few social filters, she is raw. I hope and pray she comes through into an influential position in Irish society at some stage. She is not perfect but she is principled and questioning which above all, is my sort of person.

    1. ReproButina

      I’m not against her being on the ballot. I just think it’s ridiculous to shout about corruption and the death of democracy just because she can’t convince 4 county councils.

      1. Johnny

        Part why I want her on the ballot is to give the crazies another target for their vitriol,this distraction has allowed Liadh to quietly file her paperwork (with 28 SF signatures) and settle into her campaign.
        At no point did SF ever suggest,imply or enter into any agreements with Gemma,they lifted the whip at CC level,other parties didn’t,that’s the way it works.

  4. McVitty

    If she gets quota and manages to progress to the debate level, it will be refreshing to hear her speak of uniting people in Ireland in shared values – talk of repairing a society that has become weakly identitarian and individualist and has found itself fractured by a liberal media, prey to a populist political establishment and poorly served by corrupt institutions – worst of all, we have become detached and too hardwired in our thinking to be objective. It’s not that she’s a visionary, it’s that she might say what needs to be said.

    What’s more likely is that people will write hit-pieces, that contempt will manifest – that libelous assumptions will be recited until they become accepted truths – whatever it takes to drown out her voice, yet somehow we will tell ourselves that we are making progress, that we are becoming fairer and more inclusive. Oh the irony….

    The process of how she will be treated might remind people that we used to be a bit more generous and courteous people – give benefit of the doubt. That we should try to stand for better than that and aspire to be a people who can handle nuanced counter-arguments without rushing to judgement with the help of a ready-made label – aim for a stronger society rather than take our lessons from America. If she achieves this much, then she will have succeeded….even if they destroy her character in the process.

    1. Rob_G

      “… talk of repairing a society that has become weakly identitarian and individualist and has found itself fractured by a liberal media, prey to a populist political establishment…”

      – this is a load of meaningless, esoteric nonsense

        1. Raven

          She only needs three more nominations, so fingers crossed and hold onto your hats lads and lassies, round the kitchen and mind the dresser!!!

  5. Blo Jo Brexit

    This whole GoD thing smacks of the Serena Williams.

    IMO Gemma should be looking to get elected/nominated to An Seanad. What’s her background anyway – NUI/TCD, etc? Or Would it be a Taoiseach nod job?

  6. Owen C

    Any chance she had for making it through the nomination process ended with the Veronica Guerin comments. Doubling down on them, and then throwing in stuff around murdered homeless people in Limerick, ended up showing what she’d really be like if she made it through to the debates. A Seanad run probably her best chance of public office given how the voting or selection occurs, but I’d expect her to regularly run afoul of parliamentary privilege rules. Would be entertaining though and likely a major boost to the legal and media sectors.

    1. Abigail

      I’m just glad that she highlighted it, shows what nonsense the state sponsored propaganda movie actually was

      1. Owen C

        Highlighted what? That a “member of the gardai” made a vauge allegation to her? An allegation concerning a notorious murder which took place 22 years ago and which Gemma never mentioned before, despite the fact that she is not shy of making serious allegations without much substantiating evidence to back them up? This is a nonsense. Other than the important work she did on the penalty points scandal, the only allegations she ever makes concern historic cases where enough people have died or stopped caring, and enough time has passed to allow increasingly vague claims to be made knowing that they can neither be proven or disproven, that she can make whatever claims she wants with little chance of being found out.

          1. Owen C

            Making completely unsubstantiated claims is “brining some to water”? More like bringing them to the Kool-aid. Thanks, but no thanks.

          2. Abigail

            they aren’t unsubstantiated, she has to keep her sources confidential for their protection from a murderous administration

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