Eithne, a caller to Marian Finucane's Liveline, was probably the most sympathetic ear the candidate had encountered all day. Derek Nally was not anti-Mary McAleese, he was pro-Derek Nally, she said. The former garda was simply a pawn in what she eloquently described as the "the mother of all dirty tricks department".
Mr Nally accepted Prof McAleese's statement that she was not a Sinn Fein supporter, but there were further questions for both Prof McAleese and Brid Rodgers to clear up.
So he hadn't really accepted it, suggested Ms Finucane. "I have to hear both sides of the story," he said.
His company, Secureway, had never bugged phones, he said in response to queries and an article written in Ireland On Sunday. The report was "false and misleading". Mr Nally said he would deal with it but "not until the election is over".
He pleaded ignorance when one caller, Edward, made the point that while Mr Nally expressed dissatisfaction with Mary McAleese over her alleged Sinn Fein connections, he allowed his nomination for President to be seconded by a Sinn Fein councillor in Kildare.
"I did not know who voted for me, who proposed me, who seconded me. . . I heard it since," said Mr Nally.
Would he have accepted the proposal if he had known? asked Ms Finucane. He would have. Gerry Adams was now a constitutional politician and he would give Gerry Adams the respect he deserved as a constitutional politician.
The caller was not impressed. He said Mr Nally was "running with the hare and going with the hound".
Irish people were not fools, and the candidate should not treat them as such.
Austin phoned to remind the candidate of the days when they used to play hockey on roller skates in Tramore. "I'll never forgive you for losing us that final 6-5," he said. He had been a sub brought on in the last minute, protested the the candidate, sounding as if he had a slew of far more worrying own goals on his mind.