The King is dead long live the King….

As the Bertie Ahern era in Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s lap of honour draws to a close, what was noticeable at Arbour Hill Sunday 27^th how apt is the saying The King is dead long live the King. The Fianna Fail annual 1916 commemoration and mass for deceased members at Arbour Hill Sunday 27^th  April,  saw the largest crowd that I have ever witnessed in all the years that I have attended the event.

The church was packed to bursting point and it was standing room only. From the round of applause that greeted the arrival of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern into the church to the bursts of applause during the prayers of the faithful it was clear that this was no ordinary gathering.

 

This was to be the event where Bertie would say farewell to the ordinary member and judging by the large turnout they in turn saw it as their opportunity to say goodbye to the departing leader. As if to prove right all those who commented on Bertie’s legendary patience, there was no hand proffered that wasn’t shook or no request for a photograph that wasn’t met with a ready smile. It was vintage Bertie.

 

What was interesting was away from the scrum that surrounded Bertie, a sizable gathering was queuing up to shake the hand and have their picturing taken with the Taoiseach-in-waiting Brian Cowen. Now I must confess whether it was as a result of the midday sun or my being carried away with the atmosphere of the day, but I joined this growing throng to wish our next Taoiseach well.

 

So as the faithful departed from that hallowed ground amongst Fianna Fáil members it was very much a case of, The King is dead long live the King….

What next for Hillary?

Following  her win in Pennsylvania last week, what next for Hillary? Watching DNC Chair Howard Dean on Meet the Press yesterday (Sun 27) something he said regading the Super Delegates made me go the the MSNBC website and check the transcript of the show. I have posted a link and what he said below:

“MR. RUSSERT:  The rules are the superdelegates do not have to…

DR. DEAN:  That’s correct.

MR. RUSSERT:  …abide by the vote, vote of the electorate.

DR. DEAN:  Right.  And I might–that’s correct–and I might add that never in my time as going to these conventions, which has been back to 1980, have I ever seen that not happen.  I’ve never seen a situation where the, where the unpledged delegates didn’t essentially end up voting the same way the pledged delegates did.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24338217/page/2/

If you do the math as the Americans say then Hillary cannot catch Obama on either pledged delegates or in the popular vote. If you follow the logic of Howard Dean then the remaining unpledged ” Super Delegates” will follow the candiate with the most pledged delegates then its game, set and match to Obama. Chairman Dean earlier in the interview said that he expectes this to be over in June, the covention isn’t till August, so its game over Hillary. Which leaves me with a question why call it a convention if at the convention the delegates dont choose their candidate? If its all pre-determined then why not call it a launch of the campaign or something else?

Which brings me back to the original question … What next for Hillary ?