"It's always better if a candidate can run a campaign, rather than for a campaign to outrun a candidate. Which is what has just happened, to the consternation of the Soldiers of Destiny. Jim Gavin's name is still in the race, but the man himself has had to pull out of the field in a blaze of controversy over a rent issue."
"The unpalatable truth for Mr Martin is that he can not easily walk away from this hot mess unsullied. It was he who played the central role in championing Mr Gavin's selection. The onus fell to him to conduct a thorough vetting process. No one will know better than the Fianna Fáil leader that when there is hell to pay, it is best to stump up. After all, it was Mr Martin who brought the party back from the brink 15 years ago."
"If leaders are to hold others responsible for their actions, they have to hold themselves to account for their own. Mr Martin has accepted responsibility, but many are still hurting. Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher, whose Áras bid was rejected, had good reason to be aggrieved given the level of support he had received within the parliamentary party. He described Mr Gavin's candidacy as a "serious miscalculation"."
A presidential candidate withdrew amid a rent controversy while his name remains in the race. The party leader had championed the candidate and failed to conduct thorough vetting, leaving him politically compromised. The party's reputation suffered and voters feel let down by the selection process. Senior party figures labeled the choice a serious miscalculation, and an independent senator called the selection process a farce, citing hubris and arrogance. The leader accepted responsibility but faces lingering criticism. Party insiders emphasize taking responsibility quickly to avoid prolonged political damage.
Read at Irish Independent
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