Zoe Konstantopoulou’s Zoe to stem the defections to the party Karystianou, the self-important Velopoulos and the elusive \u201cleaders\u201d of the Left.<\/p>\n
We wrote yesterday about the top-of-the-table (for second place) ELAS vs. PASOK and the efforts of the two party leaders (the well-rested Alexis \u2014after a two-year-plus hiatus\u2014and the angry Nikos) to finalize their rosters. <\/p>\n
So while you were reading the \u201cManifesto,\u201d our Cat told us to take a stroll by Maria Karystianou\u2019s offices\u2014currently under construction (being renovated, to be precise)\u2014in central Athens, then by public transit (in the arms of a lovely lady) to Lipasmata, where, ahead of July 5, the entire staff of Zoe Konstantopoulou is based, and then by taxi to the northern suburbs. <\/p>\n
There he saw Antonis Samaras hurrying to the presentation of Michalis Sala\u2019s book. So that the former prime minister wouldn\u2019t notice that she was trying to read his lips\u2014since he had aides standing next to him\u2014 he opened his cell phone and stole glances at Kyriakos Velopoulos\u2019s Facebook page.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s quite a story, but the stakes are high for everyone mentioned in the first paragraph: Maria versus Zoe and Antonis versus Kyriakos! Let\u2019s start with the ladies. The president of the Freedom Movement is launching her election campaign next Sunday because she feels she must not give Hope any room to grow, either organizationally or politically. <\/p>\n
Ms. Konstantopoulou has held dozens of meetings in recent weeks, not only to solidify her own base, but also to cut off those who were considering responding positively to Maria Karystianou\u2019s invitation. According to her associates, the effort was successful, so she is not worried and considers the poll numbers given by polling firms to the party of the former president of the relatives of the Tempi tragedy victims \u201can echo of that period that won\u2019t make it to the polls.\u201d<\/p>\n
An opposition full of rabbit-brained people<\/b><\/p>\n
Let\u2019s move to the opposite end of the political spectrum and start with the president of Greek Solution. Kyriakos Velopoulos comes across as self-admiring and self-aggrandizing. <\/p>\n
If you look at his latest Facebook post, you\u2019ll understand what our Cat means: \u201cThe president of the Greek Solution party, Kyriakos Velopoulos, delivered a historic speech\u2014a manifesto\u2014in Parliament: \u2018This is how we will govern Greece!\u2019\u201d \u2018It\u2019s over\u2019 for Tsipras and his party! The New Democracy MPs went into hiding: \u2018You\u2019re blue-haired idiots; I\u2019ll put you in jail\u2019… Reopen the OEK now so Greeks can get homes! This is how bankers are robbing Greeks with interest rates… You\u2019re energy wrecks; you\u2019re devastating Macedonia! You\u2019re letting the Turks steal the Greeks\u2019 wealth…\u201d No, we\u2019re not joking. <\/p>\n
His associates wrote and posted these on his behalf.
Apparently, Antonis Samaras may not be causing New Democracy much anxiety, but the Greek Solution party seems seriously concerned about the prospect of the former prime minister founding a new party. He continues his meetings as usual, mainly at his office where he receives visitors, but he also enjoys the company of good friends at his favorite hangouts. Antonis Samaras also attended the event hosted by Ioanna Gelestathi, who was in charge of public order for New Democracy, apparently targeting an audience of police officers.<\/p>\n
There may be a lot of noise, but the bottom line is that Maria and Zoe on one side, and Kyriakos and Antonis on the other, are fishing in the same pools, in a world that would never under any circumstances vote for New Democracy. So the staff at the Maximos Mansion aren\u2019t worried. They\u2019re simply waiting to see what damage each will inflict on the other, who will survive, and who will have to swallow the bitter pill of relegation, ultimately remaining outside Parliament. And one final question: Where is Niki? Where are the Spartans? What are Yiannis, Gabriel, and Polakis-Pappas-Dourou up to? Answers coming soon.<\/p>\n
Champions of Silence<\/b><\/p>\n
Reppas, Petalotis, Xynidis, and other KIDISO kids (for those in the know) have mobilized once again to play ball in the\u2026 World Cup of the underdogs, which we\u2019re writing about in the adjacent column (the underdogs, not the World Cup). <\/p>\n
Although the \u201cRed Cat\u201d can hardly be described as a Papandreou loyalist, it is well aware that there are two factions within the former prime minister\u2019s inner circle. One group of advisors is urging George Papandreou to \u201cgo into the election quietly.\u201d <\/p>\n
After all, they tell him, \u201cas a former prime minister, he has a guaranteed seat in Achaea, so he\u2019ll still be in the loop the day after.\u201d In other words, he shouldn\u2019t risk exposing himself and should wait for the outcome of the showdown between \u201cthe relaxed Alexis\u201d and \u201cthe angry Nikos.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGeorge, take a stand\u201d <\/b><\/p>\n
However, there is also a pair of associates\u2014not included among the figures mentioned in the previous paragraph\u2014who are operating along the lines of \u201cGeorge, take a stand.\u201d<\/p>\n
In fact, the two officials spoke at length with the former prime minister on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Andreas Papandreou, as they had been associates of the late founder of PASOK. What did they tell him? \u201cGatos\u201d doesn\u2019t write lies. <\/p>\n
He hasn\u2019t been in touch with them recently, but from earlier discussions he knows full well that they are of the opinion that \u201cGiorgos can\u2019t just sit back and watch PASOK fall apart\u2014he has to speak out.\u201d After all, as we\u2019ve informed you, the former prime minister\u2019s office has received dozens of requests from media outlets waiting for him to grant them an interview.<\/p>\n
Pollsters in a state of panic<\/b><\/p>\n
Summer is coming, and the window for conducting polls is slowly closing. The problem is that right now, with so many new parties, there are a lot of clients who are in a hurry. <\/p>\n
Everyone wants at least one public opinion poll, either for internal use or to\u2026 leak it to the media, if they deem it to be in their best interest. That\u2019s exactly where the tensions lie, because in order for the latter to happen, some (mainly new players) ask pollsters to provide\u2026 interpretations, and serious pollsters don\u2019t do that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Zoe\u2019s meetings to stem the defections to Karystianos\u2019s party, the self-important Velopoulos, and the elusive \u201cleaders\u201d of the Left.
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