GENEVIEVE CARBERY's sideways look at the Presidential election
GAY MITCHELL has been "unendorsed" by the Christian Solidarity Party, which had looked to him to defend traditional Christian values but now say he favoured the "gay agenda" in the Prime Timetelevision debate. During the debate Mitchell had said he supported civil partnership.
This could all do him some favours among the young, as results of an survey found 80 per cent of students believed strong religious beliefs were a disadvantage to candidates, according to the online survey of 500 students by Student Marketing Network.
One candidate clearly supporting the gay agenda is David Norris, whose thoughts on gay marriage have been remixed into a song. Called They Bless Goldfish, the chorus uses the Senator's words: "They bless tractors, they bless animals, they bless goldfish, and I said I don't know why it wouldnt wouldn't burst them to bless a couple of dykes." http://bit.ly/n4VQje
Candidates hope for a Hollywood ending?
IF SENATOR David Norris is your cup of tea, his limited edition cups may just take the biscuit. His campaign is selling gold-rimmed bone china teacups feature a stylised image of Norris with either “hope” or “charm” written below, a clear homage to US president Obama’s iconic poster. Of course, Seán Gallagher has also tried to generate some Obama-style momentum by securing the endorsement of the president’s long-lost cousin Henry Healy.
However, Michael D Higgins may have trumped them all with his endorsement by the best American president that never was. His campaign has tweeted a link to his celebrity endorsements including actor Martin Sheen, who played President Bartlett in the TV series The West Wing.
McGuinness knows route to the Áras
If Michael D Higgins gets to teh park he could be well advised to take on Martin McGuinness as his driver. In an amusing coincidence, President Mary McAleese’s Garda driver has the same name as the Sinn Féin man running for president. Higgins’s campaign bus has been caught on camera circling a roundabout near the Áras three times before turning off. One of the roads had been closed, presumably confusing the bus driver.
Quote of the day: Michael D Higgins
“I think it’s time we stopped the nonsense of suggesting that somehow or other that if you have served in every elective office in this country, if you have been lord mayor twice, been president of the Council of [Arts] Ministers, that all of that counts for nothing”