Has Doug Ford finally become a political handicap for Rob Ford?
Doug Ford’s antics are finally catching up to him—and his brother. According to a nice piece in the Globe and Mail today, fellow city councillors, and Nick Kouvalis, too, are suggesting that Doug is becoming a political liability for the mayor. Although he was once described as the brains behind the Ford administration, Doug’s recent gaffes are now rumoured to be pushing away Ford’s natural allies. Case in point: Councillor Ford allegedly told Gloria Lindsay Luby, an obvious fit for Team Ford, he would “execute” her in the 2014 election. He also alienated councillors—apparently heartened by the mayor’s willingness to compromise on alternative funding models for subway construction—by claiming to the press that a lottery or casino could provide the much-needed cash. And there was that one time he said he wouldn’t trust his colleagues—the same colleagues he needs to vote alongside the mayor to, you know, get things done—to run a lemonade stand. So, it looks like Rob is the friendlier, more-willing-to-compromise, more reasonable one in the dynamic Ford duo. Who would have thunk it? Read the entire story [Globe and Mail] »
(Images: Rob Ford and Doug Ford, Christopher Drost)
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While I don’t think Doug is doing his brother any favours, I’m a little suspicious of this notion that Rob’s the “reasonable” one. What exactly about his past behaviour on Council, or for that matter, as Mayor, would suggest that Rob is any more reasonable than Doug. As a Councillor, Rob Ford was notorious for shooting from the hip without any thought put into what he was saying or how it came across – much like Doug is being accused of now. As Mayor, he’s taken a “my way or the highway” approach from Day 1, with his only tactic being to threaten to sic “Ford Nation” on any Councillor or other politician who doesn’t fall in line (remember his threats to McGuinty before the provincial election?).
This sounds suspiciouly like an attempt at deflection – blame it all on Doug so that Rob looks like a reasonable guy being harmed by his advisors, in order to humanize him and possibly try to save face for his faltering administration.
If Ford is truly trying to be reasonable on some of these issues, then why so silent? He’s the Mayor, not Doug – he needs to be in front of these issues, rather than sitting back and letting Doug and the gang speak for him. The problem with all this “Doug’s the problem” rhetoric is that whenever Rob has bothered to speak publicly on this or any other issue, he sounds exactly like his brother, which only reinforces that Doug is actually touting the party line and not in fact, going off script.
Just my opinion though.
Handicap for Rob Ford ? How about for the City of Toronto. Getting more ashamed now everyday when I travel to other parts of Canada to say I am from Toronto. People just laugh at us. What have we done ?!!!