The Taoiseach and the Fine Gael leader are engaged in the first political confrontation of the presidential campaign over Mr Gerry Adams's endorsement of the Fianna FailProgressive Democrats candidate as his preferred candidate.
The president of Sinn Fein said yesterday that "personally I would probably vote for Mary McAleese if I had a vote". Asked if Prof McAleese would be please with his endorsement, Mr Adams responded that even if it meant that the people who voted for Sinn Fein in the South would vote for her, "I'm sure any candidate getting that type of support, if it helps them to get elected, will be helpful".
Later in Belfast, Mr Adams said Prof McAleese had never been involved with Sinn Fein. "I think that Mary McAleese, because of her stature, because of her vision and because of her experience and skills, is best-suited for that responsibility as President of the people of this island," he said.
Last night, Prof McAleese said she had "no view one way or the other" about Mr Adams's comments. "He is entitled to his point of view, but I believe the subject is now closed."
The Irish Times has learnt that the Sinn Fein ardchomhairle discussed the question of endorsing a presidential candidate at a meeting earlier this month. A decision was postponed, in the absence of agreement, until a further meeting before polling day.
Mr Adams's comments prompted the Fine Gael leader to challenge Mr Ahern and the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, to say whether their parties and their supporters would be happy to have a Sinn Fein-endorsed President in Aras an Uachtarain.
Claiming the Sinn Fein endorsement was a disturbing development which cast Prof McAleese's candidacy in a new light, Mr John Bruton stated that if Prof McAleese was elected with the support and endorsement of Sinn Fein, among others, "it would render impotent the role of the Presidency as a symbol of reconciliation between the unionist and nationalist communities which was so effectively developed by President Robinson".
The strength of the Government's response to Mr Bruton's challenge last night is the first firm indication that Fianna Fail sources believe that the Department of Foreign Affairs document leaked last weekend, coupled with Mr Adams's statement, could be damaging to their candidate. Government sources expect that extracts from another Foreign Affairs briefing with Prof McAleese will be published this Sunday.
Mr Ahern said last night that Mr Adams's expression of a voting preference "is not by any means an endorsement".
The Government spokesman later challenged Mr Bruton to give a categorical assurance that neither he, not any member of his political staff, passed reports, either directly or indirectly, to several Sunday newspapers.
He added that Prof McAleese "is, and always has been, clearly opposed to violence and there has never been any ambivalence by her on that".
In a second statement from Cork last night, Mr Bruton accused the Taoiseach of desperately trying to distract attention: . "I condemn the leaking of confidential briefings in regard to Northern Ireland that are made available to ministers. I have checked with all of my advisers and they have categorically denied leaking this, or any other, briefing document," said Mr Bruton.
It is understood Foreign Affairs briefings are normally circulated in a so-called green book. In the case of the leaked document, the book would have gone to the then Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, the Tanaiste and minister for foreign affairs, Mr Dick Spring, the Government secretary, the Taoiseach's programme manager, the attorney general, the minister for justice, the secretary of the Department of Justice, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, ministers of state Mr Gay Mitchell and Ms Joan Burton, and a number of ambassadors.
