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'Are you with us or against us?': media lather over poor turnout

"I'm willing to slit my wrists for this country...live on air!" - Egyptian TV anchors remind citizens of their national duty to hit the ballot box
Presidential candidate Sisi in his first televised interview in April (AFP)
Par MEE staff

Following on from MEE's earlier article about the media storm surrounding low voter turnout in Egypt, we have a translation below of some choice quotes from anchors telling Egyptians to get out and get their fingers inky in the ballot box.

00:00 - Every company manager…if you are willing to go and vote, he has a right to see your finger [to ensure you have an ink-stained finger from voting]

00:12 - “We are expressing our happiness at this celebration of democracy”. The celebration of democracy can go to hell! Where are the people?!

00:25 – I’m willing to slit my wrists for this country! Right now live in front of you. So that people go out and vote.

00:35 – What do you want?! I will kiss the feet of your ancestors. What do you want?!!

00:43 – Are you with us or against us?

00:45 – This is a nation that is addicted to getting kicked in the arse.

00:49 – Abdul Fattah al-Sisi’s campaign has no political body [behind it].

00:57 – Political participation in cities, and especially in Upper Egypt, is almost at 10 percent.

01:07 – It has been revealed completely that Sisi’s campaign has no electoral mechanisms, and no political body of support

01:16 – I’m asking a question honestly and clearly: when the General called on people to go down into the streets on 24 July, nearly 40 million did. What happened [this time]?

01:40 – People are lounging around, reposing, enjoying their ceiling fans, in their white jallabiyyas. They can’t be bothered, they have their air conditioning on. I swear, I’ll get them to switch off the electricity in every house, so the AC doesn’t work! Then people will be out on the streets!

02:14 – The scene that is transpiring in front of the polling stations is not what we [the media] desired…

02:23 – First Presenter: How terrible would it be if [an Egyptian woman] took the day off, went to the market to buy some vegetables and came home to cook them [without casting her vote].

Second Presenter: She should be shot! She should shoot herself! [gesturing at his head as if to shoot himself]  

02:32 – Completely empty space…completely [in reference to the polling stations]

02:41 – And the media, I’m sorry to say, are not very smart or enlightened!

02:46 – Whether you want to vote for Sisi, or for Sabahi – just show me your finger afterwards.

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