De Bertie is da boss
In an interview on Friday night, when the full extent of his historic triumph was becoming apparent, the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, said: "It is a huge honour. Tirty years in your tent election…" And on he went in that peculiar English of his. All clipped sentences and minus the "th" in those words that are deemed to require it. This is the kind of thing that makes Ireland's media elites cringe. They want a leader who reflects their values: adoration of Brussels, hatred of Washington, Bordeaux not Bass, proper English, execrable French, rugby, dinner parties and so on and on.
Except Bertie is da boss. Today, he is the master of all he surveys and he will be for another five years. Why? "It's the economy, stupid!" The media wanted to nail Bertie on the fake issue of his personal finances, while ignoring an unparalleled economic boom and its implications, good and bad, for a huge number of electors. People of all classes, but especially working people and the young, went to the polls in search of security and voted for the status quo de Bertie represents. The leftwing parties, Sinn Fein and weird independents were hammered as a result.
Humble pie moment. Rainy Day said on Wednesday: "…watch out for significant gains by the Socialist Party, currently with one seat." Must have meant to type significant negative gains there surely as Joe Higgins and comrades were punished severely by the masses. Time to update that website, Joe. Talking of demagogues in decline, it is very satisfying to see that Richard Boyd Barret of the ludicrously named "People Before Profit Alliance" did not get elected. Time to update that website, Richard. Both Joe and Richard should spend some time, and they will have oodles of it, studying de Bertie and his winning ways. He is a man of the people, he leads the people's party and he speaks the people's language. It's as simple as that, er, dat.
