Rob Ford is running for mayor, crazy bar has been set
After much speculation, Rob Ford is now in contention to have the craziest mayoral campaign. Sure bands may have cancelled their appearance at Giorgio Mammoliti’s concert, Sarah Thomson may have forgotten how she fared in a past election and Adam Giambrone may have had that indiscretion, but the candidates will have to step it up now that Ford is in the race.
The Etobicoke North councillor made the announcement on AM 640 this morning, promising to cut the number of city councillors in half over the next four years in order to “save millions.”
The self-proclaimed fiscal conservative and social liberal famously said in June 2006, “It is very preventable. If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you won’t get AIDS probably—that’s the bottom line,” and in 2008 said, “Those Oriental people work like dogs… They sleep beside their machines… The Oriental people, they’re slowly taking over… They’re hard, hard workers.” And to top things off, weeks after that happened, he was arrested and charged with assault and threatening death.
Another Ford gem: “I can’t support bike lanes. Roads are built for buses, cars and trucks. My heart bleeds when someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day.”
Sure, we all know Ford’s never going to win, but at least we’ll end up with more notable quotables.
• Ford kicks off mayoral campaign with pledge to cut city council [Globe and Mail]
• Rob Ford jumps into Toronto’s race for mayor [National Post]
• Rob Ford Arrested For Assault And Threatening Death [City News]
• Rob Ford Refuses To Publicly Apologize Over Asian Comments [City News]
You say that Rob Ford will never win, but the question is, is that what you want? You’d rather have Mr. E-health Millions Smitherman win and take hold of Toronto? Be careful.
In another post a couple of days ago, Toronto Life quoted Rossi in the Star: “I don’t see myself as right or left. I see myself as pragmatic. Fiscally conservative and socially liberal,” Rossi told the Star.
Above: [Ford is a] self-proclaimed fiscal conservative and social liberal.
They both suck. Who’s going to proudly proclaim themselves as socially conservative and fiscally liberal? That’s the guy who’ll get my vote.
I hope you’re hungry because you may have to eat those words that he’s never going to win! I hope the far too silent majority will finally get out & vote now that we have someone who is truly “for the people”. Go Rob!!
If you’ll excuse the American comparison, I see Rob Ford as kind of a Ron Paul candidate in that a lot of people like his ideas because they are different and fresh, but when it comes to actually voting, most of those people will for whatever reason get cold feet and vote for someone more moderate.
As for the “Oriental” comment, I am Chinese. I know its offensive, but I don’t know why. Ford wasn’t trying to be offensive (actually sounds like he is complementary) and I am somewhat embarrassed that David Miller asked for him to apologize. What does David Miller know that I don’t?
Rob Ford Says what he’ll do and does what he says. I think to not vote for Ford would be a terrible mistake. and if we vote in those other wastes then Toronto will get exactly what it deserves
I hope he wins – he is realistic and so what that he shouts what he thinks we need someone with some chutzpah in this City and even more so to go against our terrible Premier! Let’s see his platform before you remark that he won’t win. As for the other candidates they come from the same old ways which means no change and we need change did the olympic flair of what it means to be Canadian already disappear? I have been living in this city all my life and have seen many move up north due to the high costs and inefficent systems that are in place – I don’t want to be one of these people. Toronto could be an amazing city once again with the right representation and I think Mr. Ford is just what we need to get there again.
I hope Ford does win. He’s got my vote and probably more votes than the writer of this article anticipates.
I vote for Ford. He has proven to be the one who is for the people of Toronto. In my opinion, he is far better than any other candidates.
It’s about time that someone like Rob Ford is stepping up to the plate and running for Mayor. As hard working tax people should know Mr. Ford has always been there on their side but unfortunately Mr.Ford has never had the authority to have the final say at the end of the day. I truly hope that people will make the right decision and vote Mr. Ford in as Mayor. I wish you the best Rob Ford because you are the man that will make the city move in the right direction.
I’d move back to Toronto to vote for Ford, but what’s needed is for a more concerted anti-socialist coalition of candidates. The radical left needs to be driven back to its downtown corner. People like Karon Liu have no clue.
Funny how knee-jerk lefties like Liu never give Ford credit for not spending the taxpayers money, while her socialist friends ring up her tax dollars. Talk about stupid.
Never win? Typical Toronto Life effete “analysis” of the Toronto mayoral race. I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of people from whom I have heard positive comments regarding Rob Ford. Reagan could never win in 1980; Harris could never win in 1995 and again in 1999. Moreover, Karon Liu is obviously biased against Ford because of his comments about “Orientals” or “Asians” but frankly he was expressing a view widely held, whether people have the character to be truthful about it or not. We all have biases, both for and against individuals and groups, and we would do well to acknowledge this reality and stop playing childish gotcha games. I will be both donating both my money and time to Rob Ford’s campaign despite the fact that I have never previously been motivated to do either. As far as election night results are concerned, Smitherman should not count his proverbial chickens yet.
What a shallow article written by what must be a hollow author. Ford has my vote. Time for the residents of Toronto to take back our city and hard earned money from unproductive leftist leeches with an insatiable appetite to spend other peoples money.
I sort of want Ford to win, just for entertainment value. It will be funny in the same way the nuke-riding cowboy scene in Dr. Strangelove makes me laugh.
Ford is not a plausible or desirable candidate for mayor for very simple reasons: he kneejerks the same as Miller, just in the opposite direction, and he has come out swinging on positions he didn’t appear to think through first. Neither of these traits will serve Toronto well. This city needs a moderate, even keel mayor with vision beyond populist bumper sticker sentiment, not Ford’s rightie bombast. Those praising him here are either oblivious to, or excuse, his failings.
wwooooowww gee i wonder which side this article is leaning towards. its funny how i havn’t read 1 article supporting rob ford yet. iv heard those quotes about 5 times in 5 atricles from 5 different newspapers yet they dont show what he said before and after them. ROB FORD FOR MAYOR please GOD finally someone with a functioning brain is running
He is not Jewish nor Italian so he’ll not win the race? is that what the writer mean?
I vote for him, just 1 reason, his account is clean, he does not spend tax payer money like other, the rest are CROOK! I repeat the rest are CROOK! Specially the Mr E-HEALTH, they should kick him out, why he still work there and run for Mayor now?
About the the “Oriental” comment, “Those Oriental people work like dogs” I not sure what in his mind when he said so but the David Miller asked for him to apologize, that was nailed him down
When Mr. Ford posted the councillors’ expenses on the internet – and I saw with my own eyes their gluttony and waste – I became so furious that I am devoting every spare moment campaigning for Mr. Ford and against those arrogant wasters of taxpayers’ money! My councillor thinks he’s going to get away with wining and dining himself and trips all over the world at my expense, the land transfer tax, the garbage tax, the driveway paving tax, the tree cutting permit tax, the grocery bag tax, the 9% water increase, the 5 week garbage strike, the propane explosion in a residential neighbourhood, the no weed control, the graffiti everywhere, voting to have Rob Ford taken to the integrity commission (you bunch of lying, theiving losers), the rain barrel fiasco, the re-decorate the mayor’s office budget, the TTC fare increase, the $50,000,000 in grants that goes who knows where, the use of taxpayer charge cards by who knows who, the sewage all over the Lakeshore because the infrastructure is overloaded, the trip to Finland by TTC, the sacking of the Scarborough Rapid Transit line – what a waste! The city councillors were elected to maintain the infrastructure,keep our city clean and safe – but instead – they raped and pillaged the taxpayers! Rob Ford is a man of integrity. His business sense will be a welcome change instead of the air heads currently running this city. Tax payers living on a fixed income will have their homes stolen out from under them if the city councillors do not reign in the waste and bring spending under control Rob Ford is the only one running for office who understands this. The rest of them are all in la-la land. Rob Ford for Mayor – Yes!
I am a senior.lived in the same house for 50 years. in all those years the only person to come to my aid when I called was Councillor Rob Ford no other councillor ever bothered, My taxes keep going up each year.Senoir want to live in there homes, But with all the extra money the City Hall councillors spend,its impossible.They could not give a damm about the rest of us. They have the honey pot. its our money they have a good time on, and if you Torontoians dont see it, you sure are in for a big surprise,They want to sell Toronto Hydro and other assest we have. We sold 407. now you have to pay through the nose to use it. and that will happen to whatever we sell,We should not be in the red. we are only there becuase of poor leaderchip. you never sell your bank….how is it possible for the seniors to survive.and for the rest of you with your family.City Hall is afriad of Rob Ford becuase they know the axe is coming,and they will say and do any thing to stop him.So get out, and vote for the man who is helping us.Be strong like him. He won’t back down.and we will be behind him.. ROB FORD FOR MAYOR
Ford is a liar, and an ass. I guess he will at least get 10 votes from the above posters. Are you that ignorant, that you would actually vote for this villian?
I think it is great that someone has finally noticed that we can’t adequately handle the population we have, and I meam that nationally as well as locally. His opponents’ arguments are really idiotic.”We pride ourselves on diversity” when there is already about as much diversity as possible and the white population has willingly made its children a racial minority.”More population means betterr economy” when increasing population has been accompanied by increased unemployment and recession.
Its time to stop the insanity.
Interesting, here it is, September 10th, and the majority of the readers had the insight as to who was going to be mayor when the columnist did not.
A little out of touch, are we?
Wish I knew if you had any follow up articles, the backpeddling would be interesting to read….
This columnists arrogant prediction that Ford will never win can now be filed under EPIC FAIL. The latest poll has Ford with 45 percent of the vote.
I’m tired of the leftists running our city. I’m tired of our oversized city government. Cut half of the councilors you say? You can’t get in fast enough sir.
PS This is article is a great example why I don’t read Toronto Life…
Is the world mad? I particularly enjoyed the comparisons to Reagan’s and Harris’ campaigns: yes, they were surprise victories, but look how well their leadership went. Cutting down on immigration would be cutting our own throats economically, and yet while everyone talks about how great it would be if taxes were lowered, no one wants to speak for the inevitable consequence of budget cuts on the services provided by our city. Every single part of his platform is flawed. I am not afraid of him not keeping his promises, rather, I am afraid of him keeping them.
Patrick C you got wha t you wanted, Rob Ford won the election.