Irish govt attacks on McGuinness will rebound with Clintons, leading Americans-----Short sighted assault to cost support in America
By: Niall O'Dowd | Published Tuesday, November 1, 2011, 7:14 PM | Updated Tuesday, November 1, 2011, 7:14 PM
Fine Gael attacks on Sinn Fein presidential candidate Martin McGuinness will reflect badly on them in America.
They appear to be desperate attempts to try and build law and order vote support for their candidate Gay Mitchell who is foundering in the opinion polls.
It may well end up not helping Mitchell and damaging Irish government and Irish American relationships.
The claim that the election of McGuinness would somehow damage Ireland’s economic prospects among American business is ludicrous and will be seen as such over here.
Martin McGuinness is very well known and deeply respected in American business circles since he became Northern Ireland’s Deputy First minister four year ago.
He has a particularly good relationship with Hillary Clinton the Secretary of State and with her husband, Bill Clinton.
One wonders what Bill Clinton will make of the vilification of McGuinness when he is in Dublin this week for the Irish Diaspora forum.
McGuinness is widely respected by them and a slew of leading Americans for his work on bringing peace to Northern Ireland, a far greater accomplishment than any his detractors have ever aspired to.
He has delivered on many key meetings and helped bring major investment to the North.
There are legitimate questions that can be asked about his IRA past but talking of future impeachment, arrest and denigrating his undeniable role in bringing peace to Ireland is way over the top.
The notion of portraying him as an unrepentant terrorist who would spook American investors is just plain stupid.
It also raises questions about whether this Irish government really cares or knows about the compact that has brought Irish America, Sinn Fein and successive Irish governments together.
It was created in order for the Irish peace process to succeed, for a united front that could speak to successive White Houses and key political supporters with one voice.
That contrasted greatly with past experiences where elements in Irish America opposed the Irish government tooth and nail and caused massive friction with them.
There were often tensions between the various parties since they began working together but a way to resolve them was always found.
The attacks on McGuinness are sure to unsettle the relationship as Sinn Fein’s counter charges about ‘black propaganda’ are bound to resonate with many Irish Americans.
The Fine Gael attacks are the worst kind of short sighted and deeply flawed political thinking.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.audreybolton | Oct 15, 2011, 05:58 PM EDT
As a loyal citizen of the Irish State,explain to me what exactly is a West Brit?
audreybolton | Oct 15, 2011, 05:54 PM EDT
What about John Hume, Gerry Fitt and all the other people who worked for peace don't they deserve a mention?
seanomelbourne | Oct 05, 2011, 07:47 PM EDT
If Hegarty was a british spy he deserved his lot.It has become a faux issue in the continued demonisation of McGuiness.As I stated before Mcguiness delivered for nationalist in the N.E. of Ireland what no other party could do. because the rest did not have the mettle to face the brits and the unionist head on.As General Napper Tandy said in 1798 "When talking peace with the english make sure your swords are sharpened".History only remembers the doers and the rest become a footnote.
Kilsally | Oct 05, 2011, 02:25 PM EDT
Sorry warrenpoint but the election of McGuinness as President will not make an iota of difference to a United Ireland since it is enshrined in international law that only a majority vote in Northern Ireland can change the constitutional position of NI - it wouldn`t make any difference either if Sinn Fein were the government in the South either. However what is relevant is should the head of Ireland be someone who promised the Hegarty`s that their son / brother would be safe returning to Ireland, the Hegarty`s drove their brother to meet the IRA after McGuinness promise. The IRA took him away and shot him in the back of the head, taping up his eyes so they wouldn`t pop out like happened the previous person they killed.
Towngate | Oct 05, 2011, 08:53 AM EDT
barneyjo: McGuinness is canvassing and littering - in the wrong country! He must have failed geography at school (if any)! Seansegotia, maybe he is doing it out of guilt and fear having deserted his elected Office there to go abroad to another country to try and be President there! What a joke!................... NIALL, a chara, two things: Why do you and the Staff Writers insist in describing Martin McGuinness as the 'Sinn Fein Candidate'? He is officially pretending to stand as and Independent, but the dogs in the street know he will exert the SF Party and doorstep canvassing muscle on the hapless voters. ~ ~ ~ Are you seriously suggesting that the Irish shouldn't dare NOT to elect McGuinness for fear of upsetting some opportunistic American commercial investment or the likes of the questionable Clintons. If so,Niall, yer needle has hopped right out of the groove, man! Wake up, a chara, and take the pulse of Ireland today!
maireadinmelb | Oct 05, 2011, 05:18 AM EDT
and following on from Sean, it is a constant attempt to further divide the nation of Ireland!
seanomelbourne | Oct 04, 2011, 05:42 PM EDT
Sinn Fein and the IRA gave nationalist in the north an equality no other party north or south of the border in a 100 years. Equality was only achieved out of the barrel of a gun,this is a sad reflection on all the other parties who failed miserably with their talkfests.Mcguinness should be recognised for dragging the north out of the 17th. century.The tirade of abuse levelled at McGuiness from the west brit parties is born out of fear and guilt
barneyjo | Oct 04, 2011, 04:53 PM EDT
Niall - I thought you might like to know that Sinn Fein have put up posters of Martin McGuinness for the Presedential election in the centre of Omagh, county Tyrone in Northern Ireland. Last time I looked, I dont think we are entitled to vote in this plebicite. Making a point is all well and good. However, even for myself as a Nationalist voter I consider this an improper use of natural resources and an exercise in poor judgement from somone espousing such "Green" credentials :)
sirpeter | Oct 04, 2011, 07:48 AM EDT
@warrenpoint00.You are not far wrong with that comment.We now know the extent of the corruption, cronyism,and down right incompetence of our politicians that has lead Ireland into the economic mess THEY put us in.The people voted no to the Lisbon Treaty and FF AND FG AND Labour said!We are not excepting the vote of the people.All three parties proceeded to scare the crap out of the people until they voted YES.They then burden the people with billions in PRIVATE debt.At least McGuinness will represent the Irish people and I mean ALL the Irish people.Of that I'm at least sure of.McGuinness and company broke up the Unionist cosy cartel in NI.We need the same done down here in the Republic.
warrenpoint00 | Oct 03, 2011, 10:20 PM EDT
Enda and his free staters are scared their little cosy free state is sliding away into a Nation once again. votail McGuinness
pilib04 | Oct 03, 2011, 08:14 PM EDT
What did we expect from Enda Kenny. A lifetime of vilification of Sinn Fein was somehow going to disappear? The Blue Shirts will never change their colours!
petedev | Oct 03, 2011, 07:51 PM EDT
What thinking person in Ireland gives a damn what the Clintons think of the proper serious questions being asked of McGuinness? Anyone who has studied their pasts know that they are a pair of gangsters themselves. McGuinness cannot be trusted. He has consistently lied about his involvement in numerous deaths and now wants to distance himself from Sinn Fein and present himself as "independent". The sensible people of Ireland will remember the numerous deaths of innocents, including seven members of the Gardai by his organisation which has never recognised the present Republic and now he wants to present himself as its President. what dishonesty and sheer delusion to think that people will be taken in by his deception.
petedev | Oct 03, 2011, 05:36 PM EDT
Gearoid4, you are right of course, we've elected some dubious characters in the past to represent us, and, most regretably, still do. Since independence, our politics have been poisoned by a culture of the gun, never too far out of reach, and in government, a culture of corruption, cronyism, incompetence and, at times, blatant criminality. Once in a while we got lucky, Sean Lemass and Garrett Fitzgerald come to mind. The current crop of candidates for the Aras painfully remind me of our own current crop of GOP candidates. God Almighty! is this the best we can do?
Gearoid4 | Oct 03, 2011, 04:13 PM EDT
Well, Tom, if we applied the same litmus test that the increasingly desperate Fine Gael is using to judge Martin McGuinness, then some of the successful candidates in the past would not have been able to set a foot inside Áras an Uachtaráin. Just think about Dev, Sean T. O'Kelly who were not exactly members of the peace corps during the Irish War of Independence and consequent Civil War.
GeorgeDillon | Oct 03, 2011, 03:40 PM EDT
"We need a clean break with the past." TomSwinford says that, and then goes on to cheer for the oldest candidate in the election!! You mean you want that decrepit old liar Higgins?
FastEddy | Oct 03, 2011, 02:01 PM EDT
I'm shocked! ... Shocked to discover there is politics being played out in Ireland! ... shocked.
Nelsonbarry | Oct 03, 2011, 01:51 PM EDT
Amen!!
greensod | Oct 03, 2011, 01:05 PM EDT
Well said,and very true.This government is laced with badly informed and very nervous empty suites, in all position and at every level
greensod | Oct 03, 2011, 11:47 AM EDT
I do not believe that a President McGuinness would have a negative affect on multinationals operating in Ireland. Business is not moral or immoral, it is amoral. I do believe, however, that Ireland's moral standing in the world would be diminished. To reward a man with the most respected and prestigious office in the country - for being clever enough to recognize that his terrorist war was an utter failure and that the only way to remain relevant was to join the peace process, defies reason. Some of us have, apparently, forgotten that Sinn Fein/IRA was also at war with the Republic of Ireland, with the stated goal of abolishing the republic and its government. Now McGuinness wishes to be president of that same republic. The adage goes: "In Ireland there's no future, only the past happening over and over." We need a clean break with the past. McGuinness is not our man. For me, Higgins is the only one of the bunch who comes remotely close to being worthy of the office.
joan1954 | Oct 03, 2011, 11:09 AM EDT
McGuinness helped with the peace process and has done good things but it seems that Fine Gael is running scared. I'm not sure about Michael D.
kerryknorpp | Oct 03, 2011, 10:27 AM EDT
So True. Well said.
donal1951 | Oct 03, 2011, 10:05 AM EDT
Mr O'Dowd, I agree wholeheartedly with your editorial. I suspect were I living in Ireland Mr. Higgins would get my vote at this point, but not out of any disrespect to Martin McGuinness. He and Dr. Ian Paisley were the two biggest surprises for me in the peace process. For Fine Gael to slam McGuinness would be like the British Conservative party slaming Dr. Paisley, now sitting in the House of Lords.
Trealach | Oct 03, 2011, 09:55 AM EDT
@Towngate - you must have been watching a BBC production, because on RTE's Late Late Show, McGuinness was very forthright and positive in his answers. You're confusing McGuinness with that wimp Mitchell. As for the "Blue-shirts" who are running this country, they should really pack their bags and ask their queen for a job. Since the Treaty, they have NEVER, and WILL NEVER, work towards a United Ireland. Hopefully they'll shoot themselves in the head with this election.
MickRegan | Oct 03, 2011, 09:55 AM EDT
I suspect FG, knowing that their candidate isn't going to win, have told him to do kamikazi style attacks on Martin McGuinness. A case of keeping SF out at all costs. Very cynical.
butlerreport | Oct 03, 2011, 09:29 AM EDT
McGuinness is deserving of this office of President. Unlike other runners he has earned his place in history. As an elected Minister in NI who is anyone to put him down? His winning would upset the political status quo in Ireland - an upset that country needs badly. Go Martin :)
antoman | Oct 03, 2011, 08:43 AM EDT
As I have said here the Martin McGuinness's of other countries get elected to high office (see Israel) but the cartel of government and media we have in the Republic strive to deny McGuinness the opportunity of being President here. So far McGuinness in interviews I have watched on the TV and listened to on the radio has come across to me personally anyway as the strongest of the contenders. Infact each time he is attacked by a TD or the media here his prospect of gaining the office increases. They, the Irish TD's and media are dead set on looking at the past when they should be looking to the future. Sean Lemass when he was elected Taoiseach entered the Dail with a pistol in his pocket. It will be the people who decide who will be President and not a handful of stone age malcontents in our government or media. To show the world that we have finally matured and are a country that includes N.Ireland and its people and representatives than quite frankly we have to elect Martin McGuinness to the Aras. He is a man of the people, of all the people. north and south.
Towngate | Oct 03, 2011, 07:02 AM EDT
Niall, a chara: If electing McGuinness as President of the Irish Republic helps shoe-horn the country further onto America's disreputable lap, that's another very good reason for not voting for him. ~~~ The first TV Debate took place on RTE last Saturday and McGuinness blustered,sweated and fumbled his way defensively through some pretty soft questioning, as did several others. The only cool, articulate, dignified head, was that of Michael D. Higgins.