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Home Page > News > Clip of Irish President Michael D Higgins slamming US Tea Party politics goes viral – AUDIO

Clip of Irish President Michael D Higgins slamming US Tea Party politics goes viral – AUDIO

Two year old debate originally aired on Irish radio goes viral - POLL

HILDA HIGGINS,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Friday, August 24, 2012, 7:25 AM

Updated Friday, August 24, 2012, 9:26 AM

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President of Ireland Michael D Higgins with his wife Sabina

Photo by Google Images

IrishCentral.com Poll

A YouTube clip of Irish President Michael D Higgins slamming right wing conservatives in the US has become a viral hit.

The audio clip dates back to an interview which was broadcast in 2010. During a heated debate, Higgins, the then Labour TD, and US Republican radio broadcaster Michael Graham argue over issues like healthcare and foreign policy.

The clip originally broadcast on Newstalk’s The Right Hook has clocked up over one million views on YouTube.

During the interview, Higgins berates the tea party movement as he recalls his years living in the Midwest as a young professor in the 1960s.

He attacks US health care policy as he points out that many ordinary people have to work 2/3 jobs in order to survive while a tiny elite enjoy the privileges.

He slammed the tea party saying: “The tactic is to get a large crowd, to whip them up, try and discover what is the greatest fear, work on that and feed it right back and you get a frenzy.”

Read more: Michael D Higgins - Ireland's most anti-American President

“This tea party ignorance that is being brought all around the United States is regularly insulting people who have been democratically elected.”

In rebuttal, Michael Graham said: “Deputy Higgins, I’m not going to insult you by bringing up your lack of knowledge on the tea party movement in the United States.”

Higgins continued: “You have the neck to say that people like me... are somehow in favour of murdering Jewish people – that is an outrageous statement. I wish you well, keep drinking Guinness and keep ranting away.”

He concluded by telling the host amidst a rapturous applause: “Be proud to be a decent American, rather than just a w**ker whipping up fear.”

Commenting on the sudden popularity of the clip, the radio show’s presenter George Hook, who originally broadcast the clip tweeted: “Glad to hear people enjoyed the debate between President Higgins and Michael Graham although it should be remembered it was two years ago”.

The ninth President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins was inaugurated on November 11 last year.
A former student of the University of Indiana, throughout his life the Limerick man has campaigned for human rights and for the promotion of peace and democracy.

Listen to the clip below:

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47 Comments

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zelda Applebea | Aug 30, 2012, 02:15 PM EDT

You go Michael D! How right you are. Pity we didn't get to hear on this clip what exactly was said to provoke this response but his life's work on peace and human rights across all nationalities indiscriminatly gives this piece great authority.

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IrelandNorth | Aug 27, 2012, 09:54 AM EDT

This interview was 2010. The year before A Úasal/His Excellency Úachtarán Michéal Daniel Ó h'Úigeann/President Michael D Higgins was elected to office by over one million votes - (the equivelant of the whole unionist population of Northern[ised] Ireland (NI). He's generally considered to be a man of honour and considerable integrity, his last speech to Dáil Éireann/Hse of Reps being critical of excessive property ownership by the Irish political elite. Criticism of American domestic and/or foreign politics is NOT ridicule of Americans. Real friends tell you when you're out of line. Self serving sychphants tell you what they know your ego wants to hear. As an Irishman living in the 26 ounties (unlike others who are from the 6 counties but live and work in southern England), I personally welcome constructive criticism from Americans or otherwise. I wouldn't expect less from friends. Pres Higgins is prevented from being political. The reemergence of this audio clip is undoubtedly to aid the Obama relection camp. As for myself - I'm forever on the side of the working person and whoever best represents their interests anywhere, anytime.

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seanomelb | Aug 26, 2012, 09:12 PM EDT

STEVENSTAR can only post in capitals.He's an angry and frustrated teabagger

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GregShox | Aug 26, 2012, 03:21 PM EDT

Stevenstar -- Are you saying that an Irish citizen has no right to disagree with a foreign commentator broadcasting on Irish radio?

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GregShox | Aug 26, 2012, 09:56 AM EDT

Borefield -- You must have found every idiot between Derry and Kerry, because the Irish president has no role in government, and you show your own ignorance of our system with that ridiculous statement. By the way, did you ever ask yourself why so many fools were attracted to you?

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seanomelb | Aug 26, 2012, 12:23 AM EDT

Tom Swinford I was about to reply to stevenstar but I find it mentally debilitating flogging commonsense to duds

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STEVENSTAR | Aug 25, 2012, 11:26 PM EDT

THIS IDIOT HAS MADE NO IMPACT IN IRELAND WHAT SO EVER.. AS FOR COMMENTING ON AMERICAN POLITICS ITS NONE OF HIS BUSINESS. IM IRISH AND LIVE IN IRELAND AND THIS IDIOT SHOULD BE SENT OFF TO THE RETIREMENT HOME AND LET SOMEONE YOUNGER AND MORE IN TOUCH WITH IRISH SOCIETY DO THE JOB, BESIDES SWANNING BACK AND FORTH TO AMERICA !!!

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POL O L | Aug 25, 2012, 04:15 PM EDT

Michael D,I never knew he had large ones!Good on you .He said it as it is,Tea Party,A bunch of Nutters.

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Breathnach | Aug 25, 2012, 12:50 PM EDT

Borefield - talk about displaying your ignorance. The Taoiseach and the Fine Gael/Labour government run the country. The President is a ceremonial role with no powers.

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Breathnach | Aug 25, 2012, 12:15 PM EDT

I am with seanomelb and jerryoneill on this one. Way to go, Michael D. I loved it! Michael Graham, for once, was on the receiving end and from this genteel, professorial Irish president, gor a brief lesson in history. To jerryoneill's point, I never thought I would see the day in America when we could be so dumbed down as a nation: Ignorance is good, even virtuous; stupidity is better, and intelligence is suspect, maybe even un-American. We seem to have become a half-a-nation of dunces. The Tea Party Movement and its followers, like populist movements in the past, will eventually crash and burn like populist movements in the past - and we will heal eventually.

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faberm1 | Aug 25, 2012, 09:54 AM EDT

I think the Michael D Higgins is a bully and a loudmouth. This is not an exchange. It is him brow beating someone on Irish radio. It was a dialogue about Israel and Palestine which he used as an opportunity to spout off his own socialistic ideal of the world and how HE thinks America should work. It's NONE OF HIS BUSINESS. He should mind the affairs of his own country and stay out of ours.

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jerryoneill | Aug 25, 2012, 09:50 AM EDT

Well said Michael.The tea party is a fine collection of know nothing idiots who are so dumb they are voting against themselves. Romney/Ryan are for those making above $250k a year and plan on dismantling Social security. So if you are not among the rich and you don't mind losing your social security that you paid into for years and you are in the tea party you are a fkn idiot.

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kinvara7 | Aug 25, 2012, 07:53 AM EDT

@borefield: The President of Ireland has no real political power. The office is not comparable with that of the US President and Irish people know this. When was this trip? A few months ago? Higgins was only elected in October of Last year to a largely ceremonial office. Therefore, given the nature of his position, what change do you think he should have brought about in that time? I doubt if the conversations you speak of took place; when you say: 'I HEARD these responses with my ears, not pull them out for to knock him' [sic], my first thought is: sir doth protest too much.

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borefield | Aug 25, 2012, 06:50 AM EDT

GregShox, I traveled from Derry to Kerry and had conversations with the local people from various backgrounds. When asked how they felt how their President was doing? The first inclination was to laugh then, get serious and say, " look around you and see the devastation" . I realize it just didn't start with his election. He promised Hope and Change like someone else I know but didn't deliver. Some say he is just too old and tired to lead a country with so many problems. I HEARD these responses with my ears, not pull them out for to knock him. At the time I was there I did not know about the TeaParty exchange, just read that in IC. No, I am not a TeaParty member nor have I ever made a contribution to their cause. I am very neutral . Peace my dear.

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GregShox | Aug 25, 2012, 05:52 AM EDT

Borefield, his countrymen say no such thing about him. You just pulled that out of your ear. And he has every right to challenge anyone who comes on our national radio spouting teabagger rhetoric.

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