Intense scrutiny of Aras candidates is legitimate

Presidential elections in this country were once fairly sedate affairs between no more than two or three candidates. The modern, media-driven era has changed all that and the very personal nature of some of the mud-slinging these days is more reminiscent of an American presidential election where the exchanges are often no-holds barred. Independent candidate Dana Rosemary Scallon has been arguing this week that it was "disgusting" a private family matter had been "dragged across the airwaves" and threatened to quit the campaign if her family were brought into it any more. It is the latest twist in a campaign that has been enlivened by revelations about Senator David Norris, who quit the race and is now back in again; the entry of Martin McGuinness into the race and the charges levelled against him concerning his past as an IRA commander, and the revelation of the extraordinary number of State boards Mary Davis has served on. Some of those speaking on the airwaves over the past week have found the whole negative campaigning issue distateful and unseemly, yet the robust exchanges between the candidates are actually helping to generate public interest in what was, up to a short while ago, a relatively lacklustre campaign. When one considers that the turnout for the last contested presidential election in 1997 was less than 50 per cent, maybe it is no bad thing that the electorate is taking more of an interest in this contest than in the past. Moreover, it is extremely important from a democratic point of view that searching questions are asked of candidates in order to assess each one's suitability for the highest office in the land. It is entirely reasonable that their personal characteristics, their past and their records and parsed and analysed. Most voters would agree with the view that they have a right to know all about about them before they entrust them with their vote. Presidential elections differ from general elections - and even local elections - in one crucial aspect. The nature of the office of President does not involve formulating policy so there is no real debate around the role of policies. Therefore, the individual themselves and their past record comes much more into focus. A vote in a presidential election is much more of a personality vote than in a general election, for instance, when voters can be swayed as much by a party's position than by the candidate themselves. Failure to interrogate candidates thoroughly amounts to a dereliction of journalists' duty during an election campaign. It is entirely legitimate, for instance, that David Norris be questioned closely about the letters he wrote to the Israeli authorities seeking clemency for his ex-partner, particularly as he has decided to re-enter the fray without having properly addressed the controversy in the first place. Questions surrounding Martin McGuinness's time in the IRA are also perfectly reasonable when one considers the stature of the office for which he is standing. In Aras an Uachtarain, he would be supreme commander of the Irish Defence Forces whose members have come under attack, and indeed been killed, by members of the IRA during the Troubles. Similarly, Mary Davis's acceptance of over €200,000 in payments after being appointed to several State boards by Fianna Fail ministers has also been closely scrutinised. Questions, too, have been quite rightly raised over Dana Rosemary Scallon's US citizenship. But while there are serious and legitimate public interest questions to be answered, there have been some instances where the media bloodletting has threatened to go too far. The tone and tenet of some of the questioning has bordered on the unfair and some of the more sensationalist reporting has a vindictive feel about it. In modern, media-driven elections, a certain amount of this is to be expected, but on the basis of some of the negative campaigning that has been a hallmark of this campaign so far, the two candidates most untouched by scandal thus far - Sean Gallagher and Michael D Higgins - had better watch their step for banana skins over the next fortnight.