We were absolutely glued to our screens.
Another night, another Presidential debate. (Why? We’re not sure…)
After last week’s appearances on Claire Byrne Live – which resulted in three winners and three losers, in our eyes – and Virgin Media One – Tuesday night brought the latest instalment as the wannabe leaders took the stage for RTÉ Prime Time’s debate.
It was the final televised debate involving all six candidates ahead of the electorate going to the polls on Friday, and the majority of the highlights involved taxes and pay (with Peter Casey confirming that he was not a tax resident in Ireland as he pays tax in the United States, adding that he would be handing back his Green Card soon and would publish his expenses for his campaign on Wednesday), and the use of the government jet (Michael D Higgins said he has only used it twice, Casey said that was a lie as there were records of him using it four times).
However, even with all of the candidates on stage, attacking and defending from each other, all eyes were on the show’s moderator David McCullagh.
The presenter of Prime Time and This Week did not hold back during the debate, and while many viewers have accused him of a bias towards Michael D Higgins (who remains a clear leader in the polls) throughout, many others simply enjoyed the entertainment value he brought to the debate, as he dropped one-liner after one-liner against the majority of the candidates.
Here are just a sample of how the viewers at home reacted to McCullagh’s debate moderation:
"Stop calling us Dragons," says Sean Gallagher. "Perhaps we'll have 3 candidates from Ireland's Fittest Family next time," shoots back David McCullagh. #rtept #aras18
— Mark Tighe (@MarkLTighe) October 23, 2018
David McCullagh is doing a fantastic job here #rtept
— Louise Burne (@louiseburne_) October 23, 2018
Irish presidential debate is a laughable tonight. Highlight is David McCullagh tearing into the lot of em. #MichaelD4P #RTEPT #Presidentialdebate
— Rwesheeple (@rwesheeple) October 23, 2018
David McCullagh is getting my vote at this stage #Áras18
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) October 23, 2018
David McCullagh is the real winner tonight #rtept
— John Keane (@john_keane1) October 23, 2018
Glad that's over, David McCullagh's defo gtting my number 2 #primetimedebate #Aras2018
— EHarris (@nbgbgb) October 23, 2018
#rtept #RTEPrimeTime David McCullagh’s tone throughout this is all of us……Just a long, heavy, why am I doing this sigh.
— ElaineFitz (@EHFitz_) October 23, 2018
Main image via RTE.ie
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