[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Props to Coyne. I disagree with him utterly on fiscal policy but he is pretty good regarding decency and honesty, and is seriously articulate. Quote from what he wrote (my bold) ...

And of all his enablers, the most culpable are the strategists, the ones who fashioned his image as the defender of the little guy, the suburban strivers, against the downtown elites, with their degrees and their symphonies — the ones who turned a bundle of inchoate resentments into Ford Nation. Sound familiar? It is the same condescending populism, the same aggressively dumb, harshly divisive message that has become the playbook for the right generally in this country, in all its contempt for learning, its disdain for facts, its disrespect of convention and debasing of standards. They can try to run away from him now, but they made this monster, and they will own him for years to come.

Good point. It's hard to imagine that someone as obviously intelligent as Towhey would put his chips on this guy. He's obviously an idiot and a substance abuser. Batra talked about how he'd go "off the grid" for hours or even days as far back as the campaign and these guys propped him up to get close to power, I guess.

So, then he's elected and you're trying to put a muzzle on Doug and whether it's Doug or Towhey or Holyday, it's anyone but Rob actually running the show and still you work for him. Still you split hairs over precisely what you said at the Garrison Ball when you KNOW that you helped the mayor of Toronto into the building when he was stoned out of his mind and with his kids in a car driven by his (OK, merely suspected) drug dealer.

At what point do you clue in that's not worth it? Apparently when he ignores your speech in favour of the one his mother wrote, that's the straw that breaks the camel's back. It's not even a moral slight so much as a professional one at that point. Heck, the day the cops announced they had the video Towhey said that until that moment he still wasn't even 100% sure it really existed. Really, Mark? Really? Every blogger in the city totally believed it but your "chief of staff" qualities were so locked in you just had to allow for the vague possibility, even after everything you'd seen?

Was it Kouvalis who took soooo much pride in all his lies (Queen's Quay Karen etc.) that smeared other people in favour of his obviously unqualified candidate? Whose idea was it to figure out how to spin the fact Ford was caught with a DUI and then lied about the pot charge? Are you all proud of the fine POLITICAL work you did to get this man elected? When did you clue in that everyone on the campaign (save Lisi!) was smarter and more qualified to be mayor than the empty husk you were trotting out every day to deliver bullshit stump speeches about an imaginary gravy train? Fuck the city, is your attitude - I just want my guy to beat those socialists!

I don't know how you look yourself in the mirror when that's your job, day in day out.

"Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul."
-Dylan, Masters of War

I feel better now

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Good point. It's hard to imagine that someone as obviously intelligent as Towhey would put his chips on this guy. He's obviously an idiot and a substance abuser. Batra talked about how he'd go "off the grid" for hours or even days as far back as the campaign and these guys propped him up to get close to power, I guess.

So, then he's elected and you're trying to put a muzzle on Doug and whether it's Doug or Towhey or Holyday, it's anyone but Rob actually running the show and still you work for him. Still you split hairs over precisely what you said at the Garrison Ball when you KNOW that you helped the mayor of Toronto into the building when he was stoned out of his mind and with his kids in a car driven by his (OK, merely suspected) drug dealer.

At what point do you clue in that's not worth it? Apparently when he ignores your speech in favour of the one his mother wrote, that's the straw that breaks the camel's back. It's not even a moral slight so much as a professional one at that point. Heck, the day the cops announced they had the video Towhey said that until that moment he still wasn't even 100% sure it really existed. Really, Mark? Really? Every blogger in the city totally believed it but your "chief of staff" qualities were so locked in you just had to allow for the vague possibility, even after everything you'd seen?

Was it Kouvalis who took soooo much pride in all his lies (Queen's Quay Karen etc.) that smeared other people in favour of his obviously unqualified candidate? Whose idea was it to figure out how to spin the fact Ford was caught with a DUI and then lied about the pot charge? Are you all proud of the fine POLITICAL work you did to get this man elected? When did you clue in that everyone on the campaign (save Lisi!) was smarter and more qualified to be mayor than the empty husk you were trotting out every day to deliver bullshit stump speeches about an imaginary gravy train?

I don't know how you look yourself in the mirror when that's your job, day in day out.

I feel better now

Regarding Towhey - he is certainly no saint - his now extinct blog basically said that we should do away the Canadian Parliament and all the TTC bus routes. I just think he happen to saw the impending implosion of Ford and made his escape before he can get dragged down along with it (and one would think that no one is better suited to be on the lookout for impending danger than an ex-captain in the CF). And let's not forget the VICE accusations either (and note how none of the parties have served any legal notice yet?)

AoD

 

[juniorfox]

Props to Coyne. I disagree with him utterly on fiscal policy but he is pretty good regarding decency and honesty, and is seriously articulate. Quote from what he wrote (my bold) ...

And of all his enablers, the most culpable are the strategists, the ones who fashioned his image as the defender of the little guy, the suburban strivers, against the downtown elites, with their degrees and their symphonies — the ones who turned a bundle of inchoate resentments into Ford Nation. Sound familiar? It is the same condescending populism, the same aggressively dumb, harshly divisive message that has become the playbook for the right generally in this country, in all its contempt for learning, its disdain for facts, its disrespect of convention and debasing of standards. They can try to run away from him now, but they made this monster, and they will own him for years to come.

I unfortunately disagree with the last bit, at least as far as their career prospects. I mentioned this once before - no matter what, they are still the architects of his election victory. They did it through all the awful means Coyne enumerates. But they still pulled it off, and it's about as unlikely an election victory as we're bound to see, ever. That won't be lost on people who might not put them in visible, out-front positions but will no doubt covet their expertise in the dark arts. Mark my words, these guys will all be running campaigns from behind the scenes and advising elected officials in backrooms for a very, very long time.

 

[Ex-Montreal Girl]

"Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul."
-Dylan, Masters of War

I feel better now

Your Dylan. My Zappa. We're positively a musical now.

 

[CalgarianExOntarian]

I will also bet that one or more of the elder Ford were boozers themselves and Diane and Father Ford only stuck together for political appearances' sake. I bet they yelled at each other a lot.

I know the type well.

Of course, this might all be total BS but I am fascinated by the psychopathology here, by how two guys can be so disconnected from reality and in positions of power.

I think you're right that the family dynamics created what in some other places would be a small-town tragedy. But it's the strategists who turned it into an international joke and an eviscerating pain for millions of Toronto citizens.

 

[Eug]

But it's the strategists who turned it into an international joke and an eviscerating pain for millions of Toronto citizens.

Eviscerating pain?

Au contraire. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. Jon Stewart's clips are especially awesome.

 

[CalgarianExOntarian]

I unfortunately disagree with the last bit, at least as far as their career prospects. I mentioned this once before - no matter what, they are still the architects of his election victory. They did it through all the awful means Coyne enumerates. But they still pulled it off, and it's about as unlikely an election victory as we're bound to see, ever. That won't be lost on people who might not put them in visible, out-front positions but will no doubt covet their expertise in the dark arts. Mark my words, these guys will all be running campaigns from behind the scenes and advising elected officials in backrooms for a very, very long time.

It makes me ill to agree with that, but I think you're right. There's a pretty good chance that the bad guys will "own him [Rob Ford] for years to come" and nevertheless continue to enjoy guilt-free success (by their own heinous standards) from time to time. I hope only the losingest among them head west to work for the PCs or Wild Rose in the next AB election.

 

[Dubster]

I hope comments are not being deleted out of disagreement with their substance. Not really positive.

 

[Huge Seagull]

Must-read just put up on the National Post:

Rob Ford’s prominence in police investigation into two other men puzzling, experts say

 

[juniorfox]

I hope comments are not being deleted out of disagreement with their substance. Not really positive.

I find it hard to believe that a person with an obvious vocabulary is doing anything but trolling when he says stuff like "I don't see how providing "education" helps anybody in the long run" or advocates that the best way to deal with junkies is to let them all get clean or die off on their own.

 

[CalgarianExOntarian]

Eviscerating pain?

Au contraire. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. Jon Stewart's clips are especially awesome.

Good laughs from Stewart and Colbert, I agree, but I imagine some people (say, millions of TO citizens) would trade to watch weak jokes about places they don't know well to lose the daily humiliation.

 

[juniorfox]

Must-read just put up on the National Post:

Rob Ford’s prominence in police investigation into two other men puzzling, experts say

Okay but I mean, if they're interviewing Ford's staff, they HAVE to transcribe everything they say, that's part of the process. So that stuff was included in the report and then redacted as it was deemed irrelevant. Then the media sued to get that stuff released. Now the Post is saying that "oh, that stuff that was deemed irrelevant but we fought to see anyway is actually irrelevant after all so WTF are we reading it?"

 

[ShonTron]

Somehow, I ended up on Josh Matlow's mailing list. I read his email blasts anyway as they are usually a bit interesting; much better than most mass communications by politicians. Today, he comments about Ford, merely calling him "Mr. Ford" rather than Mayor.

The last few days have seen more shocking revelations, along with the video of him appearing to smoke crack cocaine and make homophobic and racist remarks, about Mr. Ford including serious allegations by his own staff about drinking at city hall, illegal drugs, prostitutes and harassment, to name just a few. Mr. Ford has also recently made very offensive comments about women including a former staff member of his and his own wife. This ongoing circus must come to an end.

While there is no legislation that allows Council to remove a mayor from office, my colleagues and I have worked closely together to mitigate further damage Mr. Ford can do to our city and do everything possible within Council's authority including allocating many of the mayoral functions and resources to the Deputy Mayor for the remainder of the Council term, including:

Reassigning the powers of the Mayor in emergency situations such as a severe storm or a future event like the G20 protest
Reassigning the powers of the Mayor to appoint and dismiss Chairs of Standing Committees such as Parks & Environment and Planning & Growth
Protecting his staff and ensuring that the functions of the Mayor's office continue under the direction of the Deputy Mayor
I still believe that the best and most honourable resolution to this awful situation is for Mr. Ford to resign, put the residents of Toronto first and seek the help he needs. His statements, unfortunately, indicate that isn't likely. As a result, Council is using all the tools at its disposal to ensure that the important business of Toronto continues and your tax dollars are spent wisely.

On a positive note, I have seen councillors from across the city and the political spectrum work together in this difficult time like never before to meet this unprecedented challenge. My colleagues and I have cooperated to form a consensus in response to this challenge and have voted in near unison on the items regarding Mr. Ford. It is my hope that this spirit of collaboration and respectful dialogue will carry forward to matters of public policy, such as transit and housing, for the good of Toronto.

Our city is greater than any one person. We are a vibrant community of 2.8 million people who make Toronto one of the best place to live in the world. Together, will continue to work to make it even better.

I'm good with renaming this thread, at least removing 'Mayor' from it.

 

[Peepers]

Must-read just put up on the National Post:

Rob Ford’s prominence in police investigation into two other men puzzling, experts say

I agree - very interesting. Once again in the National Post serious questions are being raised about the Toronto Police investigation:

Mr. Neuberger has dissected many ITOs in his career, including in a massive probe against Mafia boss Alfonso Caruana, one of the world’s largest drug traffickers. None looked like this one.

“It is extremely long. It is extremely detailed. I’ve never seen a 500-page ITO. I have never seen such detail in an ITO. All of this sort of comes together quite uncomfortably,” he said.

“If it is not bearing fruit for a criminal investigation it is not relevant. Superfluous, irrelevant information ought not to be in there,” he said. “As to the motive, I can’t speculate,” said Mr. Neuberger.

Increasingly it is beginning to look to me like Bill Blair's main objective was not to arrest or exonerate Rob Ford. It seems to me Bill Blair purpose was to collect as much damaging information on Ford that he could in order to exert control over Ford. Anyone who has studied the late FBI director J. Edgar Hoover will know how this game is played. If this seems far fetched look at the reports today that police on more than one occasion caught Rob Ford driving drunk but let him go (even drove him home). You can bet that in each of these instances Bill Blair would have been contacted and gave the order to hush things up ( I bet this is what happens also when a judge gets pulled over for drunk driving or other offenses which is why there are so many corrupt judges out there willing to return the favor when a cop is before them charged with an offense).

 

[W. K. Lis]

The main problem with Rob Ford is his stubbornness and his refusal to accept suggestions. When his staff suggested that he do take a leave of absence to deal with his "problems", they were either fired or "asked" to resign. He has refused to listen his fellow councillors and the public.

Maybe it is time for Rob's "pal", Tim Hudak, to tell him and the public, that he should either resign or take a leave of absence. He may win in the courts, but he has lost in the court of public opinion.