EVERY evening, TheJournal.ie brings your Daily Fix: our pick of the highlights (and some of the lows) of today’s campaign trail.

GOOD DAY FOR:

• Stroking – Brian Lenihan and Michael Noonan have been attempting to “outstroke” each other over the decision to delay the recapitalisation of the country’s banks.  While Lenihan insisted that he had the backing of the EU, ECB and IMF for the move, Noonan said the move was an “electoral stroke” and called on Lenihan to “come clean with the Irish people”.
• Number crunching – the build-up to this election campaign has been a bit of a whirlwind. Get your head around it with some cold, hard numbers.

BAD DAY FOR:

• Johnny Brady - please spare a thought for the outgoing Fianna Fáil TD Johnny Brady who has to scrape by on just €100,000 each year. Brady told the Trim Chamber of Commerce that – between cuts, taxes and levies – his relative take-home pay was no larger than what he earned in 1974. He also pointed out that he had to pay for an extension to his house and a “good car” out of his own pocket. Now, where did we put that violin…
• Agreement – the deputy leaders of the main three political parties clashed over the state of the economy, the bank guarantee, student nurses and the Irish language today – and, of course, over “who outstroked whom” in relation to the Lenihan v Noonan dispute.
• Sean Fleming – who was dealt a mixed bag today; he was trending on our Twitter Tracker – showing that he one of the most discussed candidates of the day…. however, that might have been because of some bad reaction to his appearance on Vincent Browne’s TV3 programme last night.

CAMPAIGN TUNE OF THE DAY:

Move over Dillon, eat your heart out Bracken – Mannix Flynn has arrived… and he’s rapping for your vote.

TRIBUTES:

Politicians across the state paid tribute to the victims of this morning’s plane crash at Cork Airport.

Brian Cowen said his thoughts were with “all of those affected by this morning’s crash, including the families and friends of those who have died. I also want to send my best wishes and those of the government, to all of those who survived the crash and are being treated in hospital at present.”

Fianna Fáil postponed the launch of its fiscal policy in light of the accident, while the Fine Gael conference began with a minute’s silence in the memory of those killed.

Green Party chairman Dan Boyle said the accident was “a dreadful blow to everyone in the Cork area and across the country”, and Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams paid tribute to the victims before the launch of the party’s manifesto.

President Mary McAleese said her “thoughts and prayers, and those of all the people of Ireland, are with the families of the deceased and the survivors.”

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