There are some august former high-ranking members of the Defence Forces who without much prompting will talk at length about Jim Gavin's leadership qualities.
His work as part of the UN operation in Chad which focused on protecting civilians is cited in particular.
Towards the end of that mission as the rebels began to enclose the UN base, it was the unflappable Mr Gavin who flawlessly oversaw the departure of 27 military flights from dawn until dust over the course of one fraught day.
All this was achieved on a potentially perilous desert airstrip.
It was surely something of that same demeanour Mr Gavin exuded when he met Taoiseach Micheál Martin over the summer and got the Fianna Fáil leader’s blessing to contest the presidency.
Yes, the parliamentary party vote followed but the boss’s imprimatur was unlikely to be overruled.
However, many of those within Fianna Fáil who were worried that they did now know a great deal about the former Dublin GAA football manager have not had their concerns completely assuaged.
Indeed, throughout the week, members of the party were shrugging their shoulders or looking towards the ground when asked how they felt about their presidential candidate, now that the contest is fully under way.
Some whispered that it suits certain agendas if the party leader’s chosen candidate suffers in the run up to the 24 October election.
The predominant view though was that Mr Gavin’s campaign had failed to catch fire, and it was not clearly evident how it could be remedied.
There was even a charge that all this was leading some figures, who should be enthusiastically out canvassing, to quietly retreat from the campaign.
A stance that is regarded by several Dublin members of the party as being a massive overreaction, given that this election effort is really only in its infancy.
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Those who have been out on the stump with Mr Gavin talk of a candidate who is growing into the role, and they highlight the fact that many people are keen to talk to him.
His ability to interact with people in those situations is described as good and he is suitably relaxed in that environment.
But unquestionably the early television appearances left a sizable swathe of TDs and Senators underwhelmed.
All this after Mr Gavin had urged them at the party’s recent think-in to each mount a committed canvass in their individual areas.
Officially the word from Mr Gavin's camp is that there is no anxiety in the air about what is unfolding.
Plus, there is a focus on the high energy approach that will define the period ahead.
This rhetoric will be tested once the presidential television debates commence, with the first scheduled to take place tomorrow night.
Today Mr Gavin will have his official campaign launch.
This will have to be perfectly pitched to two audiences. They are the voting public obviously, but also any Fianna Fáil politician who might be in two minds about their level of commitment to his cause.
A failure on either front could present significant difficulties for Mr Gavin.
The stakes could not be higher.
