VERBAL ATTACK:FINE GAEL presidential candidate Gay Mitchell has warned voters about electing a celebrity as president or someone who will sip champagne and recite poetry in Áras an Uachtaráin.
In thinly-veiled references to the two Independent candidates, Seán Gallagher and Mary Davis, as well as to the Labour-nominated Michael D Higgins, Mr Mitchell claimed the electorate would make a major error by picking a candidate for superficial reasons.
“If we choose celebrity over substance we are making a very serious mistake. I think there are people who are very good candidates but don’t have the experience or the vision that I have,” he said. Mr Mitchell, in what was received as a reference to Mr Higgins said he did not want Irish children to become part of “Skype generation while we sip champagne in the [Phoenix] Park reciting poetry”.
Mr Mitchell broadened his criticism of his rivals during an interview on RTÉ's This Weekprogramme yesterday. He also admonished them for failing to confront the Sinn Fein-nominated candidate Martin McGuinness on his record.
Mr Mitchell said he favoured intensifying the scrutiny of other candidates. “I think you should start asking some of them very difficult questions. When I started asking Martin McGuinness difficult questions, people say I am attacking him.”
Asked was he referring to Ms Davis and Mr Gallagher when referring to celebrity candidates, Mr Mitchell said he was not going to name names. He said the president needed to be a person who could find effective solutions.
“In every job I have done, I have brought a sense of experience and innovation. I will be the person to put jobs and the future of the country on the agenda.”
He insisted the whole Fine Gael organisation remained behind his candidacy and expressed optimism. “I’m telling you this now. The likelihood is that I’ll win this election. I will let you know in three weeks’ time,” he said.
