The Cowen interview - A step closer to an early election

IF we expect our political leaders to be perfect then Taoiseach Brian Cowen fell well short of that mark on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland yesterday.

Even if we settle for jobsworth leaders who are barely reassuring and just about able to give the impression that they understand the urgency, the single-mindedness, vision and ruthlessness needed at the very moment our economic independence is being whittled away then Mr Cowen must do an awful lot more than he did yesterday to meet that challenge.

If, like the great majority of people in this country, you were already very angry with him and his Government because of their central role in our economic collapse, your poor view of him was solidified by a performance that, for whatever reason, did nothing to inspire even the barest confidence.