Public Image
Cowen is often referred to in Irish satirical and tabloid media as BIFFO, a nickname applied to people from Offaly. BIFFO is an acronym for "Big Ignorant Fecker/Fucker From Offaly". Cowen has said that 'BIFFO' stands for "Beautiful Intelligent Fellow From Offaly'. An unnamed journalist described Cowen "as subtle as a JCB".
Wikileaks cables from Ireland to the US revealed, that US diplomats in Ireland reported that the nickname 'BIFFO' applied "especially well" to former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, as described in leaked US embassy dispatches.
In a candid profile from Wikileaks, of Cowen as the Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader, then US Ambassador Thomas Foley described Cowen as "burly and brusque" saying that he had "a reputation of not being much concerned with his public image."
The ambassador also described Mr Cowen's fondness for frequenting pubs and singing, saying he would likely be more approachable than his predecessor Bertie Ahern.
Cowen was accused of 'conduct unbecoming', over comments he made in the Dáil when, at the end of a heated exchange, he sat down and spoke to Tánaiste Mary Coughlan; Dáil microphones picked up the Taoiseach using the word "fuckers", though he was not referring to any opposition politician. He later apologised for his remark.
Cowen has been openly criticised by his parliamentary party colleagues including one who said in an interview that Cowen has suffered from "poor communications and consultation" and expressed concern about the emergence of a perceived "triumvirate" (comprising the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance) within the Cabinet.
In a novel criticism, artist and teacher Conor Casby placed unflattering nude portraits of Cowen in the National Gallery of Ireland and the gallery of the Royal Hibernian Academy. The pictures were reported in a television news bulletin and caused considerable debate in the media.
Cowen was criticised as being inept during the approach to the third budget, in December 2009. He said, "our priority is to stabilise the public finances", a year after the Irish public was told that this was the priority for 2008.
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