The following day I had an early start as I headed for a meeting in HQ - the nerve centre of FF's campaign. I listened in disbelief to the media's verdict on the debate on 'what it says in the papers' on Morning Ireland. It was one thing to say that Enda Kenny wasn't given a knockout punch, it's quite another to be claiming a victory on the basis that he wasn't carried out of the ring. It was a clear points victory and it showed that Enda was no match for the Taoiseach and really hadn't a good grasp of his own manifesto.
Because I was travelling to a number of different events I noticed the media backtracking on their verdict from midday. From 2pm the transformation was complete. All the commentators, or most of them at least, had changed tack.
What brought about the change of heart?
Something fairly simple I believe - People Power-for the first time people saw the two main players in this election as they were, not through a media filter. People saw things through their own eyes not someone elses. They made their own judgements. When the media realised it was out on a limb backing Enda so strongly and they had to backtrack quickly.
The rest of the day was taken with official duties - the opening of the Bettystown Court Hotel and town centre and Port Oriel in Clogerhead. Both are significant investments that will benefit local communities.
Friday night we canvassed Kildalkey and visited the Third Age Foundation annual Mass.
My day was totally disrupted, but my campaign team were out canvassing as ever. I watched them over the last fewweeks do what Fianna Fáil workers do best - roll up the sleeves and get out there and fight for hearts and minds. It's inspiring.
I had to go to HQ for preparation for a two hour Saturday View special on RTÉ on the likely results from all the constituencies. The outcome of that programme,with every possible marginal being called against us, left us with 65, FG with 47, Labour 21, and the Greens with 9. Having taken every possible seat off FF, the so-called alternative with the Greens tacked on, left the opposition short by seven seats. Hardly a stable base for government.
The opinion polls later that night showed that maybe people were beginnig to realise the same thing. People were starting to move towards FF.
Sunday:
Yesterday the Taoiseach gave a rousing speech to the party faithful in the 'Nerve Centre' in Treasury Buildings. He was very worked up and bullish about the election. I think the slanted coverage he got after winning the national debate stung him and showed him that the media aren't going to do us any favours to say the least. When he finished the cheer rose the roof.
And then I travelled to Croke Park for more cheering as I watched Meath beat off a Kildare team that didn't bring their shooting boots. It was great to see Darren Fay back to his best. He is playing out of his skin -scoring a goal at one end of the field and then sprinting back to his own end to block one on the line.
Word of the 5% swing in the Irish Times poll came to me during the evening, finishing a pretty good day. It's certainly a welcome indicator but is nothing more than that. The work still have to be done right up until 10.30pm on Thursday. The result is a great morale boost for tired canvassers and supporters as we face into the last four days of the campaign.
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