Fianna Fáil’s Quiet Man finds his voice
THE moment Micheál Martin took to the podium at the televised news conference after his election this week as leader of Fianna Fáil there was no doubt who was in charge. He was calm and self-assured, exuding just enough self-confidence to soothe a nervous electorate and just the right amount of humility not to appear gloating.
The rhetoric was right on the button, too; measured yet forceful, a tour-de-force of politico-speak — say nothing but keep talking. Not for him the brainless arrogance of a deluded Bertie Ahern, the beaten-dog appearance of Brian Cowen, nor the jaded expression of Brian Lenihan. As if from nowhere, he suddenly emerged as the fresh face of Irish politics, no mean feat when you consider that despite his youthful appearance, he has been around for decades.
