IVAN Yates is an interesting man. He was a big gun in Fine Gael, then he quit politics. He was a bookie and bankrupted himself. He was a key presenter on Newstalk radio, attracting listeners with his bruising style. And he was the guy who came up with ‘Smear the bejasus out of her’ in relation to Catherine Connolly, a remark that did a neat boomerang and hit the Fine Gael candidate between the eyes.
It now appears that Yates was also a communications adviser for Fianna Fáil. I suspect that he urged them to do two things. (No, Virginia, not smear the bejasus out of your opponent.) The two things would be (i) keep it simple; (ii) tell a story.
Sound advice. I’ve always been baffled by parties or movements that produce 100-plus page documents, explaining what they’ll do if they’re elected. If they rely on that solely, they almost certainly won’t be elected. The mind of the voter can carry only so much into the voting booth, and it won’t carry 100-plus pages.
Zohran Mamdani recently won an amazing contest to become Mayor of New York. A year ago, he hadn’t been heard of. But he cut through to the electorate with five simple promises.
He would freeze rent for millions of tenants. He would make bus travel in New York free. He would provide free child care. He would provide city-owned grocery stores that lowered the cost of living. And he would tax the rich.
Now that’s what I call clarity: Freeze rent, free buses, free child-care, affordable groceries. And tax the rich.
Those promises cut through the rhetoric of his opponent Andrew Cuomo and inspired NY citizens to vote for him. This despite Cuomo being part of a Democratic dynasty stretching back decades and Mamdani having become a US citizen as recently as 2018. Were he born in the US, he almost certainly would have been selected to run for President in 2028.
Catherine Connolly in her bid to become President of Ireland also kept it simple. She would champion the Irish language. She would push for inclusivity of all communities across Ireland. She would be a strong supporter of the South of Ireland’s neutrality. She would advance the discussion around a united Ireland. And she’d put the strength of her office behind preparing for a border poll.
You may have noticed that Catherine Connolly smiled a lot. Even when sharp criticism was being directed at her. Commentators remarked on the extent to which she remained pleasant, even and more especially when she faced opponents. Mamdani did likewise – he approached adversaries with that dazzling smile. Some denounced that as the equivalent of kissing babies, but it was more than that. It was a continuous reminder that this candidate is a human being of goodwill who doesn’t allow politics to turn personal and toxic.
For a sharp contrast, check political unionism. Historically it has been built on fear. Fear that the South will gobble them up, fear that the Taigs are getting uppity, fear that the demographics have changed, fear that Britain may ditch them.
Catherine Connolly was fearless. When she won, she promised: “I will be a voice for peace, a voice that builds on our policy of neutrality, a voice that articulates the existential threat posed by climate change.”
Mamdani was stylish too in the wake of his victory: “I wish Andrew Cuomo only the best in private life." Followed by a quick shin-kick: "But let tonight be the final time I utter his name." Ouch.
We should learn from Catherine Connolly and Zohran Mamdani: leave negativity and smearing to those opposing you, and keep your goals clear and simple so people know what the hell you’re talking about.
Connolly and Mamdani have given hope to millions. You don’t have to mimic your opponents. Just be clear and brief, and beat them at the ballot-box.
