He was hungover and the taxpayers were hung up

Over 600 world wide media sources picked up on the embarassing interview with Brian Cowen recently. A country which is very keen to demonstrate itself as a serious player as a place to invest money and do business is not best served when the state leader plays into the sterotype of Ireland Land of Saints and Skullers.

 

Cabinet ministers were quick to state that they had found nothing wrong with the content of the speech. Rather pathetically nobody mentioned the man himself but limited their support to the content of the speech.

 

The Irishelection.com website has reviewed the content of that speech. By the way Its a good website and worth checking in on every so often. As they note focussing on the content of the Brian Cowen speech makes the whole tawdry event even more pathetic. Their post points out:  

In the now infamous interview (transcript) with Morning Ireland, Brian Cowen –

• Could not provide a headline number for the total budgetary adjustment being sought next year
• Was reduced to vague jargon in trying to explain the budgetary process ('estimates campaign") — this from someone who served 4 years as finance minister
• Barely could muster an opinion on whether Dublin should have a Mayor, a critical urban policy decision
• Made it clear that despite earlier claims to the contrary, nothing has been done on initiating the Croke Park Agreement or will be before 2011
• Hadn't been briefed on the earlier interviews that had taken place about the conference, not least with the despairing graduate and couldn't generate any specific message for her 

The FF circling of the wagons today includes the claim that we should focus on the content of what he said.  It ain't pretty.

It certainly aint pretty.

 

I dont go to work hungover. Its not too much to ask that Cowen could do the same especially since he has been paid nearly €2 million gross over the last 7 years to manage the economy.

 

And look at the economy.