Was Cowen badly hungover on the radio this morning?

[Main Street]

Maybe my ears are deceiving me, but that sound like the tune to the  Lakes Of Pontchartrain.

[Canalman]

Irrelevant really whether he was hungover or not. Perception that he was is all that matters. Seriously bad day for Cowen........ one I fear he will not recover from.
Reallly wonder if he has anyone at all advising him in relation to PR etc...... seems not.

Am pretty sure that the various FF ministers are not too chuffed about having to go on tv and radio defending their leader from allegations of being affected by alcohol while on the job.

[Declan]

but that sound like the tune to the  Lakes Of Pontchartrain.

Could be right Main street alright - the lad that sent it to me said Galway Girl but the Lakes is one of the Biffo's party pieces

one I fear he will not recover from

One I hope he will not recover from

[Geoff Tipps]

Maybe my ears are deceiving me, but that sound like the tune to the  Lakes Of Pontchartrain.

Yeah it is.

[dublinfella]

Last year when Biffo showed up 'tired and emotional' for a Chamber of Commerce breakfast do and propmply fell asleep, I got absolutely slaughtered on here for suggesting what the dogs in the street know, that the man has a drink problem.

Long and short of it is he presented for work drunk. And on the agenda for that day was an 8.45 interview that he slurred his way through and then a day discussing cutbacks. Its not beyond the realms of reasonable that he hold it together midweek.

And then there is the second level of hypocricy. How come he can stay up till 3.30 drinking midweek yet his government have severly restricted our ability to buy gargle in pubs, clubs and offies?

[Zapatista]

And then there is the second level of hypocricy. How come he can stay up till 3.30 drinking midweek yet his government have severly restricted our ability to buy gargle in pubs, clubs and offies?

That's not hypocrisy, FF are different. FF are our betters and it would be ludicrous to think the same standards and rules apply to FF as apply to the general public. From perjury to smoking in bars the rules are different if you are a FF TD. This has been evident for years and is just accepted, I'm surprised you didn't know it.

[Main Street]

Dublinfella and our great leader have something in common, both have a drink problem.
Only, Biffo is the inside swilling pints and Dublinfella is on the outside looking in, with his tongue hanging out.

[magpie seanie]

Did anyone see the interview on the 6-one news. Basically denied he was under the weather but apologised for doing a bad interview. The bare faced cheek of him. Then to make matters worse Coveney comes on and accepts what he said. DO THEY THINK WE ARE STUPID? (I don't need an answer for that last question).

[Bogball XV]

2 years........2 years of Accountancy lectures with her in Rathmines. If any of ye lads (and ladies  ) think she is the real deal then take my word...she is not.

the fact she has some sort of financial acumen has to be an improvement.  I'm sure any of us could have people saying exactly the same thing about us if we had the balls to put ourselves forward for election (i'd be fairly certain that Joan hasn't got balls, or at least that they haven't dropped yet).

Did anyone see the interview on the 6-one news. Basically denied he was under the weather but apologised for doing a bad interview. The bare faced cheek of him. Then to make matters worse Coveney comes on and accepts what he said. DO THEY THINK WE ARE STUPID? (I don't need an answer for that last question).

Obviously cowen has several stories he's threatened to leak to the press. 

[Cde]

dont know which looks the worst,  him doing the interview half drunk or him and the rest of the gobsh*ts in FF all lining up to try and convince us that he just had a sore throat

I suppose they have been telling these fairy tales for so long now they think they can tell us anything and we will believe it

[demusicman]

An Taoiseach Brian Cowen Singing

Brian Cowen - Another Awkward Moment

Brian Cowen - I Kissed Brian Cowen - Dublin's 98 Morning Crew

[Main Street]

The Examiner's front page  http://www.irishexaminer.com/home/uproar-forces-cowen-to-say-sorry-130954.html
carries this photograph to accompany the headline

Uproar forces Cowen to say sorry

[Donnellys Hollow]

[Shamrock Shore]

It just got better for Biffo:

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ryder cup winning golfer Philip Walton has written to Ireland's prime minister asking him to explain why he mimicked the sportsman at a now infamous boozy night with journalists and politicians.
In a statement released exclusively to Reuters on Thursday, Walton said he and his wife felt compelled to contact Brian Cowen after details of the skit appeared in newspapers and television reports.

"From what I have heard and read so far the stories are of concern to myself, my wife and also my children as they have seen reports on 'You Tube'," Walton said in a statement.

"As a result, we felt the best thing at this point was to write to An Taoiseach (the prime minister) ourselves to get more details and the exact context of the various stories."

The statement said Walton, who holed the winning putt in the 1995 Ryder Cup, felt "anger" at this week's events.

Walton's letter will heap further pressure on Cowen who was forced to apologize on Wednesday for performing badly on a morning radio interview just hours after he finished partying at his parliamentary party's annual conference.

Cowen has repeatedly denied he was drunk or hungover on the radio show.

The controversy, labeled "garglegate" by some, has raised questions over Cowen's leadership just as Ireland seeks to convince investors it is not on the brink of a debt crisis.

Renowned for his gruff public persona, Cowen traditionally lets his hair down at his parliamentary party's annual meeting.

A renowned mimic, he regaled the media and political colleagues, including senior government ministers, with a song and impersonations, including one of Walton, on Monday night.

(Reporting by Carmel Crimmins; Editing by Peter Graff)

[anglocelt39]

One of FG's "best and brightest"?? is sparking off worldwide interest in the country via twitter, The Taoiseach of the day is apologisiing profusely for doing a poor interview but it was not drink related, and now feckin Walton is pissed off about beng mimiced by the Taoiseach and, no shit, that's a main news item tonight. Send for the IMF and the men in the white coats now, the late Dermot Morgan couldn't have scripted this nonsense.