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Rob Ford is back. Is he sticking around for good this time? Rob Ford is back. Is he sticking around for good this time?
(about 2 months later)
As far as political radio ads go, it’s a clever one. “It’s back! The most distracting show on Earth is returning to Toronto!” a booming, echoey voice shouts, before changing tone slightly to announce the show’s name: Rob Ford. As heavy metal guitar plays in the background, the voice continues: “Incredible errors in judgment! Billion dollar budget lies! Watch him drag your city’s reputation through the mud!” And, finally, after a dig at another front-running mayoral candidate, John Tory, a different voice comes on. “I’m Olivia Chow. I can beat Rob Ford, and I endorse this message.”As far as political radio ads go, it’s a clever one. “It’s back! The most distracting show on Earth is returning to Toronto!” a booming, echoey voice shouts, before changing tone slightly to announce the show’s name: Rob Ford. As heavy metal guitar plays in the background, the voice continues: “Incredible errors in judgment! Billion dollar budget lies! Watch him drag your city’s reputation through the mud!” And, finally, after a dig at another front-running mayoral candidate, John Tory, a different voice comes on. “I’m Olivia Chow. I can beat Rob Ford, and I endorse this message.”
Sure enough, Ford returned to take back his (still truncated) mayoral duties on Monday afternoon, and with him came exactly the kind of frenzied atmosphere the radio ad promised. It was like a monster truck rally: lots of loud noises, plenty of hot air blowing around, and general mayhem. Essentially, as it was when he left.Sure enough, Ford returned to take back his (still truncated) mayoral duties on Monday afternoon, and with him came exactly the kind of frenzied atmosphere the radio ad promised. It was like a monster truck rally: lots of loud noises, plenty of hot air blowing around, and general mayhem. Essentially, as it was when he left.
When Ford finally got to the dais at his invite-only news conference, he repented slightly, saying he was “ashamed, embarrassed and humiliated” by his past choices. He also noted that he may have been his own worst enemy. But in his usual way, he quickly moved into campaign mode, stumping on his record as mayor – perhaps exactly what Chow’s team had been expecting he would do when they dreamed up their pre-return ad dump. After all, as Chow’s camp told the Globe and Mail, “Rob Ford is a formidable opponent” and “should not be underestimated.” When Ford finally got to the dais at his invite-only news conference, he repented slightly, saying he was “ashamed, embarrassed and humiliated” by his past choices. He also noted that he may have been his own worst enemy. But in his usual way, he quickly moved into campaign mode, stumping on his record as mayor – perhaps exactly what Chow’s team had been expecting he would do when they dreamed up their pre-return ad dump. After all, as Chow’s camp told the Globe and Mail, “Rob Ford is a formidable opponent” and “should not be underestimated.”
But is that still true?But is that still true?
Judging by her ads, if the Chow side gets its way, the vote for Toronto’s new mayor in October will be a referendum on Ford’s reputation. That is: does Toronto agree that it’s bad enough to kick him out of office for good?Judging by her ads, if the Chow side gets its way, the vote for Toronto’s new mayor in October will be a referendum on Ford’s reputation. That is: does Toronto agree that it’s bad enough to kick him out of office for good?
How strong the Yes side is on that right now depends on who you ask. A Forum poll last week had Chow leading with 34% of the vote, with Ford behind at 27% and Tory at 24%. In response, the Tory team put out its own numbers, showing Tory essentially tied with Chow in the mid-30% range, and Ford running a distant third with only 20%. Dreadful numbers either way for the incumbent but, theoretically, it still gives Ford a solid base, baffling as it may seem to his haters. How strong the Yes side is on that right now depends on who you ask. A Forum poll last week had Chow leading with 34% of the vote, with Ford behind at 27% and Tory at 24%. In response, the Tory team put out its own numbers, showing Tory essentially tied with Chow in the mid-30% range, and Ford running a distant third with only 20%. Dreadful numbers either way for the incumbent but, theoretically, it still gives Ford a solid base, baffling as it may seem to his haters.
What will it take to unseat him?What will it take to unseat him?
Ford has always pushed two main ideas, which he summarized again in his campaign launch speech back in April. The first, as he put it that night, is to “block elitists who would take money out of your pockets and put it in theirs." The second is cutting the cost/size of government along with taxes – or, making Toronto’s municipal government more efficient.Ford has always pushed two main ideas, which he summarized again in his campaign launch speech back in April. The first, as he put it that night, is to “block elitists who would take money out of your pockets and put it in theirs." The second is cutting the cost/size of government along with taxes – or, making Toronto’s municipal government more efficient.
The radio attacks from Chow (a left-wing former MP) and whatever offensive follows from Tory (a former big business CEO) will give Ford material on which to reassert the first of those talking points – that he is the people’s champion taking on the elites. Coupled with a personal story of redemption, it remains a useful a useful tact for the Ford campaign.The radio attacks from Chow (a left-wing former MP) and whatever offensive follows from Tory (a former big business CEO) will give Ford material on which to reassert the first of those talking points – that he is the people’s champion taking on the elites. Coupled with a personal story of redemption, it remains a useful a useful tact for the Ford campaign.
In other words, Chow and Tory will have trouble berating Ford about his reputation too much. They must choose a different path, and it’s actually quite a simple one. They must attack Ford on the very message he is most fond of using to promote himself. It’s the one he repeated Monday, and it’s the one he articulated to his supporters at his re-election launch in April. “I must get re-elected to continue making your city work for you,” he said then. This is utter nonsense. And we now have the proof.In other words, Chow and Tory will have trouble berating Ford about his reputation too much. They must choose a different path, and it’s actually quite a simple one. They must attack Ford on the very message he is most fond of using to promote himself. It’s the one he repeated Monday, and it’s the one he articulated to his supporters at his re-election launch in April. “I must get re-elected to continue making your city work for you,” he said then. This is utter nonsense. And we now have the proof.
While Ford's been goneWhile Ford's been gone
During Ford’s two-month absence, deputy mayor Norm Kelly has quietly steered the city, and the reviews are good. “He’s contributed to the stability that council has benefited from since the mayor has left,” councilman Denzil Minnan-Wong told the Toronto Star. “We’ve gotten back into a pattern of governance where we get things done. And we haven’t been distracted.” Arguably, the past two months were the first in more than a year that Toronto has worked this well or this efficiently for Torontonians.During Ford’s two-month absence, deputy mayor Norm Kelly has quietly steered the city, and the reviews are good. “He’s contributed to the stability that council has benefited from since the mayor has left,” councilman Denzil Minnan-Wong told the Toronto Star. “We’ve gotten back into a pattern of governance where we get things done. And we haven’t been distracted.” Arguably, the past two months were the first in more than a year that Toronto has worked this well or this efficiently for Torontonians.
In an era of money-for-value politics, perhaps more than even budgetary matters, what we really like is our politicians at work – quite literally. A federal election in Canada three years ago practically turned on this very point, when it was pointed out in a debate that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff was rarely in the House of Commons. He never recovered. Attacking Ford on his personal troubles or whether he’s actually saved Toronto $1bn won’t get anyone very far. Chow and Tory can promise not to be Rob Ford, but they may be better off simply pledging to be Norm Kelly.In an era of money-for-value politics, perhaps more than even budgetary matters, what we really like is our politicians at work – quite literally. A federal election in Canada three years ago practically turned on this very point, when it was pointed out in a debate that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff was rarely in the House of Commons. He never recovered. Attacking Ford on his personal troubles or whether he’s actually saved Toronto $1bn won’t get anyone very far. Chow and Tory can promise not to be Rob Ford, but they may be better off simply pledging to be Norm Kelly.