Bloggers react to Cowen speech

Fianna Fail got on the wrong side of the blogging community last week because of a seminar that turned out to be a launch.

Today Brian Cowen’s Ard Feis speech is being discussed.

Cian at Irish Electionwas underwhelmed:

The concept of “new thinking” defined as “change through cooperation and collaboration”, will no doubt be talking point of the day alongside the announcement of an improvement to banking regulations, a new central banking commission to be setup – with oversight powers of regulator and central bank to be merged – and the €100m fund for export business.

Yet it was at heart a plea for everyone to get behind Fianna Fail. The nation is in danger, and when it is in danger the values of Fianna Fail and Ireland (are they really that different?) of neighbourliness, support, friendship and puling together, are needed to get us through. Reiterating core tropes of the past few weeks, service cuts and tax rises, alongside a belated effort to get a regulator in place (one which resorts to commission? The biggest board sinecure of all?).

Maman Poulet dissects the email she received from an Taoiseach just minutes after his speech.

As for me. Well I thought it was workman like. Some of the policy stuff is good, like transforming Ireland into the innovation island, a twist, if you pardon the foodie pun, on ‘Ireland the Food Island’ brand which was so successful in the 90’s. But it was not a speech which fitted the occasion. This was Cowen’s big play for the hearts and minds of the people of Ireland. It needed to be a perfectly balanced cocktail of style, substance with just a hint of emotion and topped up with hope. It was some of those things but by no means all.

What about working together at this time of crisis? An Taoiseach was smart not to get into party politics, he left that to Noel Dempsey TD who did the warm up, but he was uncompromising none the less. His message was Fianna Fail is in power and FF will stay in power.

The people will decide on that one.

Today’s polls are more bad news however.