Actually, we do like him when he’s angry: Furious George shows up for mayoral debate
Months into the snooze-inducing mayoral campaigning, we’re thrilled to announce that the candidates’ gloves finally came off last night at the Real Estate Board debate. All of Smitherman’s campaign manager’s talk of “unleashing George” seems to be having an effect, as the front-runner called out Rob Ford over the latter’s comments about AIDS prevention. To wit (and remember, these remarks were made in 2006, not 1986):
Rob Ford spoke out against the city spending $1.5 million to help prevent the disease. “It is very preventable,” he said at the time. “If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn’t get AIDS probably. That’s bottom line.”
Smitherman was unimpressed then, and he’s unimpressed now.
“I’d like you to explain to people how your character, and especially these comments, is justifiable now that you present yourself as someone who wants to be mayor of Toronto, one of the most diverse places to be found anywhere in the world,” Mr. Smitherman said in front of a crowd of hundreds.
Smitherman conceded in a scrum after the debate that while his attacks on Ford were motivated by principle, it’s a little bit personal, too. Ford, for his part, didn’t help matters by re-tweeting supporters who say he was just “telling truth about AIDS” [sic].
Ford supporters are probably not unaware that their candidate has an indelicate way with words, so this is probably not the death blow to his ambitions. But the prayers of at least one newspaper have been answered, as well as the prayers of headline writers everywhere: who doesn’t love another chance to use the words “Furious George”?
• Smitherman attacks Ford on gay comments [National Post]
• Ford rips Smitherman’s ‘unseemly’ attack [Toronto Sun]
• Smitherman attacks Ford over opposition to AIDS funding [Globe and Mail]
BEWARE of backlash. It doesn’t take a genius to ask yourself, why would Georgie boy pick that specific Rob Ford comment to use as a banner on his high horse to charge ahead. Answer for yourself, it ain’t difficult. BUT the next question you need to ask yourself, is this a glimpse of the future policies if Georgie boy becomes mayer.
Hey Canuck17411, I’m no genius – what’s the answer? Are you implying that as mayor George Smitherman might introduce policies that fund AIDS prevention, that you fear that possibility, and you’d suggest that we all should? Hmm, that doesn’t seem right, maybe you can set me on the right track.
Can you please also help me to understand why Rob Ford’s comment about AIDS shouldn’t be picked as matter for debate? I know Ford’s made a lot of offensive comments over the years, maybe he should be held to account for a different one in your books?
Too bad we don’t have a provincial minister of health responsible for people’s healthcare in Ontario – so Toronto residents wouldn’t have to be taxed twice for health programs.
Oh… wait… this just in: Apparently, we DO have a minister of health… I wonder why he wasn’t making sure people in Toronto had what they needed in 2006.
Does anyone know who the minister of health was back then?