Cowen denies being hungover during interview

[Benbecul97]

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has denied being drunk or hungover during an interview on RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

Speaking to TV3, he said such comments were ridiculous and 'uncalled for.'

Following the interview Fine Gael's Finance Spokesman Michael Noonan claimed there were concerns over the leadership of the country.

Mr Noonan said there was little to inspire confidence.

'There was a feeling this morning ... that this can't continue, the game is up.'

Mr Noonan said the Taoiseach sounded tired, but that he was a long way from Galway and he did not want to say anything personal about him.

He did say, however, that what struck him was the uncertainty in Mr Cowen's approach and that the Taoiseach had no clear answers.

Labour spokesperson Roisin Shortall said the interview was inept and claimed only an election could save the country.

During the interview, Mr Cowen mistakenly referred to the Croke Park Agreement as the Good Friday Agreement.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said the Taoiseach was 'very hoarse' during the interview on Morning Ireland.

He said that the content of the interview was quite clear and focused on the estimates and the Budget.

'There is always a social dimension to occasions such as this week's Fianna Fáil gathering, but no more than that.'

When asked was the Taoiseach's interview an embarrassment, Micheál Martin said that there are always challenges in politics.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has said he is 'absolutely astounded' at the controversy surrounding the Taoiseach's tone of voice in the Morning Ireland interview.

He said the reaction to Mr Cowen's performance was a 'sideshow' generated by Fine Gael.

Final day of Fianna Fáil conference

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0914/fiannafail.html


Sounded like he had a late night alright!

[elvis]

how do these people get away with this kind of stuff, shocking,.

[Liverpool-law]

This is real playground stuff, you get the feeling that no-one knows what the fcuk to do and gets caught up in the name-calling bullshit instead of dealing with the issues.

[Paddser]

A non story that has dominated the national airwaves all day. One lad on Joe Duffy 'nearly crashed his car' when he heard it....I mean I ask you. He sounded a bit hungover, but even from the snippets of the 9 minute interview that I heard, he certainly didnt sound like he was talking drunken gobbledeegook...well any more so than normal.

At least he wasnt making up words unlike my namesake! 'He's entitled to his socialisation' :)

[sean]

A non story

Nail, hammer, head!

There's a good chance I'll be going into work Friday morning with a bit of a head on me after being over for the game on Thursday night - should I just resign my position now in case of sparking outrage? :rolleyes:

[Benbecul97]

Nail, hammer, head!

There's a good chance I'll be going into work Friday morning with a bit of a head on me after being over for the game on Thursday night - should I just resign my position now in case of sparking outrage? :rolleyes:

But you are not running the country in the middle of an economic crisis!

This is supposed to be a think-in where they are coming up with solutions for job creation and to find 3billion in savings/cuts in the December budget. And I'm sure there is a certain amount of that going on. But the nations media have decamped to Galway for the few days and this is just terrible PR.

Of course he is entitled to his downtime and a few beers at a "socialisation", but if you know you are going to be on Morning Ireland for a live interview, and you are already a poor communicator, and your party is on the ropes, the last thing you need is leave yourself open.

[travis]

Can a man not have a few pints after a hard days work ??

[graham]

So long as he didn't drive himself to the studio then I don't see what all the hype is about.
You'd swear he was swinging out of a bottle of whiskey during the interview

[Anfield Old Boys]

But you are not running the country in the middle of an economic crisis!

This is supposed to be a think-in where they are coming up with solutions for job creation and to find 3billion in savings/cuts in the December budget. And I'm sure there is a certain amount of that going on. But the nations media have decamped to Galway for the few days and this is just terrible PR.

Of course he is entitled to his downtime and a few beers at a "socialisation", but if you know you are going to be on Morning Ireland for a live interview, and you are already a poor communicator, and your party is on the ropes, the last thing you need is leave yourself open.

+ 1

Can a man not have a few pints after a hard days work ??

Not when he was one of the architects of our downfall as Minister for Finance from 2004 till 2008....

[serpheus]

A very very petty story. All he did was give an interview with a sore head big fcukin deal.

[F@ces]

But you are not running the country in the middle of an economic crisis!

This is supposed to be a think-in where they are coming up with solutions for job creation and to find 3billion in savings/cuts in the December budget. And I'm sure there is a certain amount of that going on. But the nations media have decamped to Galway for the few days and this is just terrible PR.

Of course he is entitled to his downtime and a few beers at a "socialisation", but if you know you are going to be on Morning Ireland for a live interview, and you are already a poor communicator, and your party is on the ropes, the last thing you need is leave yourself open.

Completely agree, well said.

[Fowler-9-]

A non story that has dominated the national airwaves all day. One lad on Joe Duffy 'nearly crashed his car' when he heard it....I mean I ask you. He sounded a bit hungover, but even from the snippets of the 9 minute interview that I heard, he certainly didnt sound like he was talking drunken gobbledeegook...well any more so than normal.

At least he wasnt making up words unlike my namesake! 'He's entitled to his socialisation' :)

Nail, hammer, head!

There's a good chance I'll be going into work Friday morning with a bit of a head on me after being over for the game on Thursday night - should I just resign my position now in case of sparking outrage? :rolleyes:

Can a man not have a few pints after a hard days work ??


I agree with these boys. I don't like the man, regardless of him gettin us into this mess, he still has the most stressful job in the country. He's entitled to a few pints after a stressful day of work. I know i'll have few after work tonight anyways...:confused::confused::confused:

[Con]

Having spoke to him a couple of times, I couldn't really tell the difference. He sounds like that most of the time

[F@ces]

I wonder is he a heavy drinker or if it's a media myth? Anyone remember him on the late late and the roasting he got regarding his alcohol consumption?

[travis]

I wonder is he a heavy drinker or if it's a media myth? Anyone remember him on the late late and the roasting he got regarding his alcohol consumption?

I've seen some pics of him slumped in a corner of a pub langers out of his head but I say so what, There is a lot of stress to his job no matter what you think he is responsible for politically , everyone needs to wind down.. silly silly story today.

[redabbey]

silly silly story today.

I heard the interview live this morning and my own immediate reaction was that he was after a 'heavy night'. I did not need the media to form my opinion.

What was shocking for me was the fact that his 'handlers' allowed him to go on the radio not that he had a few bevvy's last night.

[F@ces]

I've seen some pics of him slumped in a corner of a pub langers out of his head but I say so what, There is a lot of stress to his job no matter what you think he is responsible for politically , everyone needs to wind down.. silly silly story today.

I don't care if he drinks. I care when he drinks. I love a pint myself and if I do have a few tonight I will go into work tomorrow and my work will suffer if I'm hungover. But it's not as important a job as that of a political leader or a surgeon going into their mornings work dying. They made a career choice.

Everyone is entitled to a drink. However people like Cowen have made a career choice where they should only be doing so on select occasions. To be honest I see a guy on the Late Late who's family has to migrate to Australia as he's lost a family business that's 120 years old, and then hear that our country's leader (and Minister for Finance when things started to go pear shaped) has been out on the lash the night before an important radio interview. Frankly, I'm not surprised people are very very angry.

[Anfield Old Boys]

What was shocking for me was the fact that his 'handlers' allowed him to go on the radio not that he had a few bevvy's last night.

Particularly after Conor Lenihan falling asleep while waiting to be interviewed by TV3 at the same gig afew years back....

http://www.tribune.ie/archive/article/2005/sep/11/all-over-the-gaffe/

[Anfield Old Boys]

But it's not as important a job as that of a political leader or a surgeon going into their mornings work dying. They made a career choice.

Everyone is entitled to a drink. However people like Cowen have made a career choice where they should only be doing so on select occasions. To be honest I see a guy on the Late Late who's family has to migrate to Australia as he's lost a family business that's 120 years old, and then hear that our country's leader (and Minister for Finance when things started to go pear shaped) has been out on the lash the night before an important radio interview. Frankly, I'm not surprised people are very very angry.

Good points F@ces...it should also be remembered that Cowen is from a political dynasty, (he took his father's seat) and well knows the demands of office.

[GaryMc]

I have no love for the man, however I agree with Cowen that its a new low in Irish politics. The opposition whoopers can't come with anything useful to say, they are constantly playing silly games like this and the fact it comes from Twitter is quite fitting. Not suprising when they have a joker like Kenny at the helm.

I saw Cowen on the news a few times today and he looked fresh as a daisy.

[Raven136]

This was a "think in" where the people who allowed the banks and builders avoid regulation and plunge the country to where it is were deciding on where the minimum 3billion was to be cut from the people was to come from.This wasnt a few pints to wind down,this was 3 am with a 7am interview on the mornings schedule.
Imagine if Obama or Cameron went on radio to talk about cutting social welfare etc and got mixed up with words and slurred and laughed about it.They would be crucified and because this is Ireland and sure its only a few pints etc its no big deal.

We are all entitled to a wind down and a few drinks etc but he is running the country,was the finance minister that watched us boom to bust and no he cant go on the ****ing radio telling us we are to be heavily taxed with a ****ing hangover and slurring words.

This isnt an ordinary joe soap, these fellas ruined the economic future of our country,a little bit of guilt and or cop wouldnt go astray.Dont stay aout till 3am when you have an interview the following morning.Also dont let your hair down on taxpayers time,you get enough days holidays already.Hve the deceny to talk about 400k unemplyed and spending upwards of 20billion propping up banks in a fit and proper state.


Maybe FF took the report that sakes in pubs are down and are just doing their bit to help.

[Niall]

This was a "think in" where the people who allowed the banks and builders avoid regulation and plunge the country to where it is were deciding on where the minimum 3billion was to be cut from the people was to come from.This wasnt a few pints to wind down,this was 3 am with a 7am interview on the mornings schedule.
Imagine if Obama or Cameron went on radio to talk about cutting social welfare etc and got mixed up with words and slurred and laughed about it.They would be crucified and because this is Ireland and sure its only a few pints etc its no big deal.
We are all entitled to a wind down and a few drinks etc but he is running the country,was the finance minister that watched us boom to bust and no he cant go on the ****ing radio telling us we are to be heavily taxed with a ****ing hangover and slurring words.

This isnt an ordinary joe soap, these fellas ruined the economic future of our country,a little bit of guilt and or cop wouldnt go astray.Dont stay aout till 3am when you have an interview the following morning.Also dont let your hair down on taxpayers time,you get enough days holidays already.Hve the deceny to talk about 400k unemplyed and spending upwards of 20billion propping up banks in a fit and proper state.


Maybe FF took the report that sakes in pubs are down and are just doing their bit to help.

Exactly. Very easy for people who haven't lost their jobs and home to say it's only a few pints and he's entitled to them. Wonder who's paying for his pints ohh yes the working man!

[F@ces]

From here (http://www.independent.ie/national-news/cowen-drinkin-the-inside-story-2337831.html).


Cowen drink-in: the inside story


TAOISEACH Brian Cowen's now infamous early morning interview came five-and-a-quarter hours after he left The Blazers Bar in the Ardilaun Hotel following a night of drinking, singing and telling yarns.

It was a night typical of any party gathering, enjoyed by TDs, senators and assembled journalists.

At the time, no one could have foreseen the political storm that would envelop the Taoiseach in what would become one of the most damaging episodes of his political career.

By 9am, a flood of texts and emails to the media sparked a day-long frenzy over his manner and ability to lead the country.

Five-and-a-quarter hours earlier, the first day of his party's think-in in Galway was winding down in a relaxed fashion.

Mr Cowen had addressed the Fianna Fail ranks on the economy and the Government's plans to pull the country out of recession.

The sedate gathering was given a bit of life when Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said the Government could look for more than €3bn in cuts in December's Budget.

It gave everyone something to chew over -- along with the beef, seabass and seafood vol-au-vents -- at the five-course presidential dinner hosted by Mr Cowen, where most availed of the red and white wine on offer.

Before dinner, The Blazers Bar was heaving as people chatted over pre-meal drinks between 7.30pm and 8.30pm. Mr Cowen was working the room, but was drinking a glass of water.

When dinner was called, all went into the Connacht Room, the main function room in the hotel.

Mr Cowen was sitting at the top table with, amongst others, Mr Lenihan, Tanaiste Mary Coughlan and Chief Whip John Curran.

Speech

The Taoiseach, who was drinking beer at the dinner, did not give a speech.

Parliamentary party chairman John Browne shared the honours with former GAA president and All-Ireland winning Galway hurling captain Joe McDonagh.

After a lengthy speech, Mr McDonagh roused the hall with a rendition of 'The West's Awake', the song he famously belted from the Hogan Stand in Croke Park when Galway won the All-Ireland in 1980.

After dinner, Mr Cowen stayed around the function room and was chatting and drinking with Mr Lenihan before he mingled with other members of the party in the lobby and then back in the bar.

A sing-song started at about 12.30am, with Pronsias Kitt, brother of TDs Tom Kitt and Aine Brady, holding court with songs and skits of musicians such as Van Morrison, Daniel O'Donnell and Tommy Makem.

The bar was packed. And when Mr Kitt told a tale about a Connemara man who goes to New York and brings his bike, there wasn't a person not laughing and enjoying themselves.

During this time, Mr Cowen stood on his own by the door leading into the hotel lobby, but was soon asked by Mr Curran to join others such as Enterprise Minister Batt O'Keeffe and Limerick TD John Cregan at the far side of the bar.

Mostly drinking pints of beer, it wasn't long before the Taoiseach -- who turned out to be the evening's star turn -- was up telling yarns and impersonating legendary GAA commentator Micheal O Muircheartaigh.

It was the side of Cowen often spoken about by his friends but never seen by the public.

But there was one major problem -- he had an interview on the country's most-listened-to radio programme first thing the next morning.

Stories

It was 2am at this stage, and Mr Cowen continued telling stories, with just over a hundred people wedged into the bar enjoying the Taoiseach's yarns.

Mr Cowen told two stories about a famous Irish golfer, one of which featured the golfer showing tourists around a local club.

After Mr Cowen stepped off the stage to applause from the whole bar, the songs continued, with MEP and presidential hopeful Brian Crowley tinkling the ivories and singing Billy Joel's 'Piano Man'.

Also among the singers were Junior Minister Sean Connick, who sang Bagatelle's 'Summer in Dublin', TDs Ms Brady, Bobby Aylward, Darragh O'Brien and Mr Cregan, who sang 'Raglan Road'.

But the Taoiseach was back on his feet at about 3am, leading the bar in a rendition of the classic ballad 'The Lakes of Ponchartrain'.

After relaxing for a while longer, and listening to more songs, Mr Cowen left the bar at about 3.30am, with Mr Lenihan and Mr O'Keeffe deep in conversation and about 20 people, including TDs, left behind.

The 'Morning Ireland' crew were down in Galway on Monday night, in preparation for yesterday's interview.

Presenter Cathal Mac Coille was at the dinner but went to bed soon after.

'Morning Ireland' interviews with the leaders of all the political parties are normally done at think-ins, and Mr Cowen's had been arranged weeks in advance. He was scheduled to go live on air at 8.45am, which is not the prime slot on 'Morning Ireland'.

The interview took place in the hotel, with the clatter of plates clearly audible in the background.

Mr Cowen was hoarse and slurred his words, but friends pointed out that he wasn't a morning person. But it didn't matter.

Word filtered out that the session in the hotel had stretched well into the early morning.

The public's image of Mr Cowen, of a man who enjoys a pint, was enough to allow angry callers to radio shows draw their own conclusions.

His political opponents were quick to jump on the bandwagon.

Fine Gael's Simon Coveney tweeted online that Mr Cowen "sounded half-way between drunk and hungover", a claim the Taoiseach later rejected as a "new low in Irish politics".

But by this time the damage was done.

- Fiach Kelly in Galway

Irish Independent

[Juan]

Brian Cowen – “a new low”
Posted on | September 14, 2010 | 35 Comments


This just shows the way this government thinks.

€25bn of our money pumped into Anglo Irish Bank, now that’s a new low.

450,000 unemployed is a new low.

A ruined economy is a new low.

Drastic cuts to services, a new low.

This government’s greed and inability to see the warning signs, a new low.

The Taoiseach, mumbling like a buffoon on national radio, is a new low.

FFers justifying it by saying he was only having a few pints and a ‘sing song’ is a new low. Dermot Ahern saying he was suffering from ‘nasal congestion’, new low.

These people ****ed our country and they’re having sing songs as they continue to make a bollix of pretty much everything. They think this is fine. That’s a new low.

A TD criticising a hungover bloke for sounding hungover is not a new low. Unless the truth is a new low.

And as this is Fianna Fail, that’s exactly what is.


Taken from the blog by.. twentymajor.net

[Liverpool-law]

Brian Cowen – “a new low”
Posted on | September 14, 2010 | 35 Comments


This just shows the way this government thinks.

€25bn of our money pumped into Anglo Irish Bank, now that’s a new low.

450,000 unemployed is a new low.

A ruined economy is a new low.

Drastic cuts to services, a new low.

This government’s greed and inability to see the warning signs, a new low.

The Taoiseach, mumbling like a buffoon on national radio, is a new low.

FFers justifying it by saying he was only having a few pints and a ‘sing song’ is a new low. Dermot Ahern saying he was suffering from ‘nasal congestion’, new low.

These people ****ed our country and they’re having sing songs as they continue to make a bollix of pretty much everything. They think this is fine. That’s a new low.

A TD criticising a hungover bloke for sounding hungover is not a new low. Unless the truth is a new low.

And as this is Fianna Fail, that’s exactly what is.


Taken from the blog by.. twentymajor.net

I'm sshhocked and outraaged but that could jusht be the drink talking

[F@ces]

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa169/eganfr/cowen.jpg

[MrsPepe]

:D I like it, stealing it as well

[MrsPepe]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs665.snc4/60538_154916131194516_100000283903299_413257_48672 62_n.jpg

:D:D

[F@ces]

Brilliant :D

[prendy]

ha ha Im stealing that picture, brilliant!

[Anfield Old Boys]

Taken from the blog by.. twentymajor.net

Good points...and to continue on the same vein regarding the manageable costs of bail out Anglo Irish Bank..Fintan O'Toole makes the following points...

Thirdly, manageable – for whom? It is undoubtedly the case that a lot of people will be able to manage just fine as social services contract, poverty increases and unemployment soars. The entire political, administrative, banking and commenting elite will be among the managers.

But is it manageable for the Down Syndrome child who turns up in school to find that her special needs assistant isn’t there any more?

Is it manageable for the 85-year-old man who’s being discharged from hospital into the care of his 90-year-old wife? Is it manageable for the couple who have a €400,000 mortgage on a house worth €250,000 and who have just lost their jobs? Or for the 5,000 people who are living on the streets?

What the great and the good really mean when they use the word is not that the financial fallout is manageable. It is that the people are manageable. The assumption is that you can squeeze health and education, do almost nothing to create jobs, lock the economy into a downward spiral of cuts and depression and that there will be no long-term political or social consequence. Underpinning all the gambles on Nama and the banks is the ultimate gamble – on the infinite masochism and/or infinite gullibility of the Irish people.

That seems to me to be a bad bet. It mistakes the paralysing effects of fear and despair for humble acquiescence. It misses the rage, the disgust and the profound alienation from almost all aspects of the system. It ignores the damage that a sense of powerlessness and of outrageous injustice will do to the fabric of an already stretched democracy.

If we carry on as we are, the future existence of a society capable of consensus cannot be taken for granted. Those who cannot manage will not be manageable forever.

[F@ces]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jD1JqU9vsyc/ScqtPZH0yRI/AAAAAAAAAEA/myJI4UZN8v0/s400/brian_cowen_fat_boy_slim.jpg

[Liverpool-law]

Good points...and to continue on the same vein regarding the manageable costs of bail out Anglo Irish Bank..Fintan O'Toole makes the following points...

Thirdly, manageable – for whom? It is undoubtedly the case that a lot of people will be able to manage just fine as social services contract, poverty increases and unemployment soars. The entire political, administrative, banking and commenting elite will be among the managers.

But is it manageable for the Down Syndrome child who turns up in school to find that her special needs assistant isn’t there any more?

Is it manageable for the 85-year-old man who’s being discharged from hospital into the care of his 90-year-old wife? Is it manageable for the couple who have a €400,000 mortgage on a house worth €250,000 and who have just lost their jobs? Or for the 5,000 people who are living on the streets?

What the great and the good really mean when they use the word is not that the financial fallout is manageable. It is that the people are manageable. The assumption is that you can squeeze health and education, do almost nothing to create jobs, lock the economy into a downward spiral of cuts and depression and that there will be no long-term political or social consequence. Underpinning all the gambles on Nama and the banks is the ultimate gamble – on the infinite masochism and/or infinite gullibility of the Irish people.

That seems to me to be a bad bet. It mistakes the paralysing effects of fear and despair for humble acquiescence. It misses the rage, the disgust and the profound alienation from almost all aspects of the system. It ignores the damage that a sense of powerlessness and of outrageous injustice will do to the fabric of an already stretched democracy.

If we carry on as we are, the future existence of a society capable of consensus cannot be taken for granted. Those who cannot manage will not be manageable forever.

Some classic ditch hurling from Fintan, doubt ya Fintan. Shock, horror, outrage, poignancy, (I mean who can argue with a down syndrome child, or a 90 year old man, give Fintan a medal) and not a single fcuking suggestion of what to do. Except blame the government. Don't get me wrong, I'm as sick of these incompetents as the next man but it sickens me the amount of wallowing and fingerpointing this country can do, all the while ignoring the issues. Is there not a few fcuking politicians who have real ideas to tackle problems or are they all going to sit bitch and take pot-shots because they haven't a fcuking clue what to do themselves. While we all slowly sink into the shit. If there ever was a time for a state of economic emergency to be declared and cross-party governance to be dealing with problems it's now, not for playing imbecile political games. I don't see that changing though.

[LUCAN RED]

He's a bleedin joke...Hope he's pi**ed and forgets to read out December's budget.

[SUPERFAN]

Dermot ahern just said on six one "it's been an unfortunate few days for the party."
Is he fcukin winding us up?
It's been an unfortunate/disastrous few years for the whole country..:mad:

[redabbey]

Dermot ahern just said on six one "it's been an unfortunate few days for the party."
Is he fcukin winding us up?
It's been an unfortunate/disastrous few years for the whole country..:mad:

He could be sharpening a knife to sink into Cowen? Micheal Martin has already got the first cut in.

[Carroll9]

He's a bleedin joke...Hope he's pi**ed and forgets to read out December's budget.

That's Brian Lenihan's job.:)

[bobby benitez]

Some classic ditch hurling from Fintan, doubt ya Fintan. Shock, horror, outrage, poignancy, (I mean who can argue with a down syndrome child, or a 90 year old man, give Fintan a medal) and not a single fcuking suggestion of what to do. Except blame the government. Don't get me wrong, I'm as sick of these incompetents as the next man but it sickens me the amount of wallowing and fingerpointing this country can do, all the while ignoring the issues. Is there not a few fcuking politicians who have real ideas to tackle problems or are they all going to sit bitch and take pot-shots because they haven't a fcuking clue what to do themselves. While we all slowly sink into the shit. If there ever was a time for a state of economic emergency to be declared and cross-party governance to be dealing with problems it's now, not for playing imbecile political games. I don't see that changing though.

Spot on!