The Associated Press: Charm Sees Irish Leader Through Crisis - by Shawn Pogatchnik
Charm Sees Irish Leader Through Crisis - by Shawn Pogatchnik
Ireland's popular prime minister, credited with economic good times at home and peace in neighboring Northern Ireland, has admitted to a judicial probe he collected secret cash from dozens of businessmen — and offered explanations that few believe. But Bertie, a politician on first-name terms with his nation, has survived thanks to a rare alchemy of back-room brains and common-touch charm. His feat reveals as much about Ireland's attitudes to political ethics as it does about its Teflon-coated leader. Ahern has just spent four days in the dock answering questions from a decade-old corruption tribunal. His testimony, widely described as confused and implausible, triggered the first parliamentary no-confidence vote in Ahern's leadership since his 1997 rise to power. He survived in an 81-76 vote.
Labels: Bertie Ahern, EU, Ireland
