Quotes from a [Fianna Fáil] catastrophe…

This, rather like Declan Ganley, is the gift that just keeps giving… there are just so many quotes from the last few days that deserve to be aired at least twice and then forgotten, or simply used as a salutary example of how badly things have gone wrong for FF, and why.

Consider the following.

First up the man who must be ever so glad he resigned well ahead of the more infamous resignations in the middle of the week. Step forward Micheál Martin, a man who even though he himself has done nothing subsequently has seen his reputation somewhat enhanced.

Declining to say whether or not he was considering a new heave against his party leader, he said his position on Mr Cowen’s leadership had been made clear at Tuesday’s parliamentary party meeting. “Given what happened yesterday, I think it’s time for people to maybe just think about it for a short while and come to their own conclusions,” he said.

Ho, ho, ho.

Or… do your own dirty work you shower of cowardly so and so’s. And you know what, he has a point.

Fresh from his encounter with Vincent Browne and the most remarkable love-bombing of the Green Party on Pat Kenny this morning, why it’s a man known for his equanimity and even temper… [as noted by IELB here] Welcome back one C. Lenihan…

Now don’t hold back Conor, no need to sugar the pill here.

Mr Lenihan said it was known “as far back as Saturday” that the Greens were not willing to go along with the reshuffle. “We do need to take responsibility and accountability for unfortunate situations that we create ourselves. And, that’s why I’m asking Brian Cowen to resign,” he told RTÉ this morning.

What about this, perhaps my favourite?

Earlier, Mr O’Dea said the events of recent days increased the party’s chances of “electoral annihilation” and questioned whether the Taoiseach was “the right man” to lead it into the general election. He said the attempt to appoint new ministers was being perceived by the public “as a grubby stroke to advance Fianna Fáil’s electoral interests”.

So, let’s have a ‘grubby stroke to advance FF’s electoral interests’ and elect a new leader of the party…
Uh-huh…

And a very special award for outspokeness and political courage to the anonymous provider of the following quote:

A senior TD who has been consistently loyal to Mr Cowen last night described the Taoiseach’s behaviour as “unfathomable” and expressed the hope that he would now stand down from the leadership of the party.
“We’ve tried our best in the last few years to go in behind him. I got all sorts of abuse for supporting him, and in the last 48 hours he’s ripped the heart out of it. He’s destroyed the party tonight. They’d have no difficulty getting the 18 signatures now. I imagine there’ll be some sort of a move against him. I hope he doesn’t fight it.”

And the man at the centre of this?

Perhaps wisely staying away from microphones and public venues – at least in this state.

He’s still not getting it, is he?

“The authority of my leadership remains, but what was involved yesterday was a refusal by the Green Party to support my entitlement and right as I saw it, based on the conventions of coalition governments, to put my team into the field for the fighting of this next election,” Mr Cowen said.

“I will now obviously do that by the establishment of my own new front bench to deal with that issue and to prepare and fight those elections. So that issue is over,” he said.

And God love his optimism when he says:

…he has the support to lead his party ‘into the next election and beyond’.

Hmmm… ‘beyond’ he says. Oh yes, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more. ..

This is a game we all can play… contributions gratefully accepted.