General Election 2011 - Judge the party not the leader

IF yesterday’s Sunday Business Post/Red C poll proves anything it is that far from being the “sophisticated electorate” politicians assure us we are, we are a fickle, tribal, close-minded population who, despite the crisis eating away at this society, does not learn history’s lessons.

It shows too that we too easily and quickly divorce the man, especially an affable one, from his record. This blindness, this unquestioning fealty, is also an indication of why “we are where we are”.

The opinion poll recorded that just four days after his successful putsch Micheál Martin is the preferred choice as Taoiseach for 31% of the people surveyed. Eamon Gilmore recorded 26%, Enda Kenny 19% and Gerry Adams has, thankfully, the support of just 7%.