We have just had European and local elections. Am I the only person who enjoys talking to canvassers? That may be a yes. In the months that preceded the election, the children got into the habit of running around the house shouting, “Mum, come quickly there’s a canvasser at the door”. Jason O’Mahony suggested a couple of questions for candidates and I tried them out but, somewhat to my chagrin, I was easily distracted every time and failed to pin anyone down on these relatively straightforward questions. It was all, “enough about me, let me talk about your issues, how are you getting on with the new rubbish collection arrangements?”
A friend of mine said that every time she went out hoping to give the canvassers an earful about her views on their parties (like me, she wanted to be what they were saying on the doorsteps), the canvasser would turn out to be the candidate’s mother and she would have to hold back. Is it only in Ireland where you have a very good chance of meeting the candidate or his/her mother canvassing on the doorsteps?
Anyway, all over for a bit; must try harder next time.
Yes, I think Ireland must be one of the only places. Canvassing on doorsteps, with or without your mother, seems to be unheard of in most other democratic countries, according to my very unscientific enquiries around our office (13 nationalities). “Surely it makes the candidates very unpopular?” was one astonished reaction…
Really? Surely Mammy is a clincher everywhere…