Campaign Trail: CIAIN NIHILL's sideways look at the Presidential election
FOLLOWING THEIR fiery confrontation on Prime Timelast week, relations between presidential hopeful Martin McGuinness and presenter Miriam O'Callaghan cooled enough to allow both to take the stage together yesterday, and without need for a referee.
Rather than expand on his previous comments calling her questions “stupid”, McGuinness – probably wisely – elected to focus on the issue of intellectual disability when called upon by O’Callaghan, who was acting as host at the Inclusion Forum.
Afterwards, with her duties complete, O’Callaghan quashed any rumours about enmity between herself and McGuinness.
“I like and respect all seven candidates. I was just doing my job. I wish them all the best of luck in the campaign,” she said.
But where's the drama, Mr Norris?
PEOPLE EAGER for election drama yesterday were decidedly disappointed after Senator David Norris clarified that, despite confusion, he had not said his speech outside Leinster House was going to be significant.
“I said I was going to make a statement on an important matter,” he told the large gathering of media after some had gone so far as to suggest a political “stunt” had been pulled in “a last-ditch bid” by Norris for press coverage.
Addressing what he described as the “unexpected crowd”, Norris said he wanted to address the issue of mortgages – something which, as president, he would have little influence over.
“This is not an act of desperation, this is not a stunt,” he reassured.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Gay Mitchell
"I've been speaking to friends this morning who've said they haven't made their minds up yet."
While the Fine Gael candidate hopes that undecided voters might boost his standing in the polls come election day, it does not bode well for him that his own friends appear unsure about who to vote for.