[anne]

Worst Campaign Manager in the history of Toronto.


As for the other thing - I've done both. The first hit off a pipe is incredibly intense, and sets you up to chase after the same rush from each subsequent draw, with diminishing returns.

Thanks for that vivid description. There's no doubt in my mind that for someone like Ford, this would be a feeling he would want to repeat.

People have made the physical connection to Ford and Chris Farley, but there is a striking behavioural connection as well. That need to be "liked", the habit of doing everything to excess. He definitely falls into that more is better personality type. As much as I want to dislike Ford for his childish behaviour, I feel some empathy and pity. With all that has transpired he will crash after the election. It's doubtful he could go back to coaching football. He's a political hot potato now and will probably be shunned by people he thought were his friends. I don't think he has begun to grasp what's ahead.

Of course I could be completely wrong and he'll be hired to host some sports/opinion show. We are living in strange times where even the worst characters are given cushy tv gigs.

 

[dforthandbview]

Doug Ford's next movie reference: "I tell you what, folks. Rob Ford is as popular as JFK. Just like the movie, when he's in his motorcade and he takes a left onto Elm Street and everyone's cheering and going crazy for the president. That's Ford Nation for you right there, folks."

 

[the lemur]

Douglas Bruce Ford o Clan Campbell, ye dinna ken yer history, ye fat-heeded sassenach.

 

[casita]

We are living in strange times where even the worst characters are given cushy tv gigs.

Didn't the senator recently take a greeter gig in an Ottawa strip joint?

 

[Long Island Mike]

Could it be "Rob Ford-Reality TV Star" instead of "Rob Ford-Mayor of Toronto"?

I don't think I'm the only one but this is the main thing I got out of the Kimmel visit. They are transitioning from MAYOR to REALITY TV STAR. It's hard to say if, in their hearts, they've really given up on the MAYOR thing but I kind of think they have. If people in Timbuktu are watching Ford Nation, how does that help Rob's electoral chances? (I know it's a rhetorical question...)

Their campaign seems totally lost and hasn't moved forward since January. I think there is a realization that he's not going to win (perhaps they haven't broken it to Rob yet?) and so they are positioning themselves and taking advantage of their notoriety so they can find another job for Robbie on Oct. 28 and won't have to stick him back behind a desk at Deco. Doug might even think this still plays into this own political "ambitions," but none of it suggests a serious interest in running Toronto anymore to me.

On a related note, I get that Robbie is a buffoonish manchild but Doug, ostensibly, has some real world business skills. Their inability to understand when they are being mocked is actually starting to get sad. If you were watching some movie where the high school nerd is being set up by the cool kids, not knowing it's all really a joke, it would be funny for 90 minutes. You wouldn't want to watch a TV series about the poor kid being made fun of without realizing it. Maybe they think they have a few a zingers to throw at Kimmel (Ford-style would be saying, "Hey, Jimmy, we found this TMZ article about you doing cocaine in 1999! Now, who's perfect?!") but their mixed-messaging on whether Ford was set-up by Kimmel, whether it was all in good fun or whether Kimmel apologized shows how lost in their own bubble they are these days.

TJ: I was not even thinking of the thought of "Rob Ford-Reality TV Star" until you brought this up...If RF "goes Hollywood" why would he still
need to be Toronto's Mayor? He could go the route of Sara Palin - the half-term Governor of Alaska - getting her own gig on Fox News - if the
"Ford Nation" show were to become a legitimate reality TV show...I will ask "Why will he still need to be Mayor?" since he has the monetary
means to comfortably survive without living in the fishbowl as Toronto's Mayor and finally a new competent Mayor can begin to work on trying
to solve some of Toronto's problems - in short I do think that RF does actually need Toronto far more then the City does RF...LI MIKE

 

[casita]

Doug Ford's next movie reference: "I tell you what, folks. Rob Ford is as popular as JFK. Just like the movie, when he's in his motorcade and he takes a left onto Elm Street and everyone's cheering and going crazy for the president. That's Ford Nation for you right there, folks."

That's when you need a Lloyd Bentsen type response, "I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Deepend: Good post and thoughts - I agree with you about your thoughts about the RF Scandal had he been Mayor of a US city and
that he would have been forced out of office by now...

A good recent example that I can think of is the former Mayor of Trenton,New Jersey - Tony F. Mack was convicted of financial wrongdoing
in office and even though these charges were felonies he would not resign - and he ended up being forced from office by a court ruling
against him...Trenton now has a new Mayor - George Muschal - who is trying to get the City back on track after these problems...
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_F._Mack

With this comparison can those opposed to Ford be able to get a Ontario court ruling that can force him from office?
I will add that a conviction would more then likely be necessary and even then RF would probably fight any move that
would remove him from office unless he was forced to resign by the court short of a jail sentence...

I do feel that once RF is out of office that Toronto will change its City Charter to amend laws that will never allow a fiasco
like this to occur again...

LI MIKE

The Governor of Illinois also went to the mattresses rather than resign, IIRC

 

[Jude]

"That's going to be Ford Nation, coming at these guys."

Worth reviewing who came over the hill, and how that worked for them.

[video=youtube_share;xLaVpFhGW4w]http://youtu.be/xLaVpFhGW4w[/video]

 

[the lemur]

You watched True Detective too, didn't you?

Actually no, not at all! It just reminded me of the Australian aboriginal concept of the dreaming (which I'm not sure I entirely grasp anyway).

 

[pud99]

Gawker editor who watched Rob Ford crack video changes jobs
John Cook is joining online magazine created by journalist who worked with whistleblower Edward Snowden
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TWITTER

John Cook's Twitter profile photo

By: thestar.com Published on Tue Mar 11 2014
John Cook, who saw the Rob Ford crack video as editor of Gawker and launched a crowdfunding campaign to buy it, is leaving the gossip website for a new digital magazine.
The Intercept, launched in February by First Look Media, announced Cook would be responsible for daily editorial management when he starts March 24.
Eight of Gawker’s top 10 months in online reader traffic happened while Cook was editor, The Intercept said in its announcement.
Glenn Greenwald is one of three editors and founders of The Intercept, created to “provide a platform to report on the documents previously provided by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.” He was the journalist to whom Snowden provided the documents on the security surveillance.
The on-line magazine’s long-term plan, the site says, is to produce “fearless, adversarial journalism across a wide range of issues.”

 

[kbdid]

Congrats to John Cook.

Oh, and Ford, while touring TCHC, comes out against expanding programs that might actually help people who live in the complexes:

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/10/ford-rips-expanding-priority-neighbourhoods

 

[PinkLucy]

Oh, and Ford, while touring TCHC, comes out against expanding programs that might actually help people who live in the complexes:

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/10/ford-rips-expanding-priority-neighbourhoods

It's ok, he's giving them $20's. They'll be fine.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Comparing Rob Ford with Rod Blagojevich - there are similarities...

The Governor of Illinois also went to the mattresses rather than resign, IIRC

RRR: There are similarities between RF and former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich - like the fact of denying allegations until
it was too late but Blagojevich does not have the means that RF has like his family's wealth...
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich

LI MIKE

 

[kaboi]

Their campaign seems totally lost and hasn't moved forward since January. I think there is a realization that he's not going to win (perhaps they haven't broken it to Rob yet?) and so they are positioning themselves and taking advantage of their notoriety so they can find another job for Robbie on Oct. 28 and won't have to stick him back behind a desk at Deco. Doug might even think this still plays into this own political "ambitions," but none of it suggests a serious interest in running Toronto anymore to me.

I really don't think Doug has given up. Far from it. He thinks he is a brilliant campaign manager and political strategist who is finally getting the chance to run a campaign without outside interference. He clearly gets the importance of "face time" - hence the sending Rob to TCHC buildings to campaign inappropriately during working hours. He referred to their "ground game", so I'm assuming that Ford also has an assistant jotting down contact info as he knocks on doors. Clever, though totally inappropriate. Assuming they get their suppporter list back, they'll make calling those people the main focus. And the promotion of Rob Ford selfies and other news-making antics is also seen as an easy and powerful way to keep Rob Ford's name on voters' lips.

That the rest of the campaign has stalled really only demonstrates Doug's weak grasp of policy, which is the flip side of face time. The Fords on their own have never been capable of more than broad platitudes and catchphrases. That's how they can, with straight faces, promote the idea that they stand for the poor while voting against every single program targeting low-income residents. Until they get a legitimate policy advisor on their team, I can't really see their campaign getting an actual platform.

So. What may seem like giving up is really just a poorly run campaign.

 

[dforthandbview]

Did we ever find out where the murder rant video was filmed? The original Star article mentioned it was at a constituent's home and Ford showed up already in his inebriated state. Do we know that to be true?