Rob Ford's Toronto

[SFO]

But they're interested by the controversy surrounding the Mayor, so they listen to his soundbites. He lies about the park being a Mayor Ford initiative, for example, and since they don't pay attention to the rebuttal or other news stories about the park opening, that's the only thing that sticks.

This is the key. This is all you need to know about the Rob Ford phenomenon. He and his dirtbag brother figured out that ONLY the soundbite counts to the audience they're trying to reach. That way they can approach every single situation exactly the same: Get there first, make a big noise, say whatever the hell you want, leave an impression. Rebuttals largely count for nothing.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

SFO nailed it. And approximately 20 to 30% of the electorate in Toronto will lap it all up. It's up to the remaining 70% to figure out how to ensure their choice won't end up allowing this guy to sneak through again.

AoD

 

[animatronic]

So L'il Mikey has joined the internet age. In addition to his @michaelfordto twitter handle he also has a shiny new email address:

mford@wardtwo.ca

His website contains detailed descriptions of his entire campaign platform:

http://www.wardtwo.ca

It's good to see that he's supporting local business, because the website is being hosted out of Seattle...

 

[casita]

"Bike-loving councillor @mary_margaret32 hit by car."

Warning: Image may be disturbing to some viewers.
https://twitter.com/TheTorontoSun/status/494454839880200194/photo/1

"What I compare bike lanes to is swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later you're going to get bitten... Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks, not for people on bikes. My heart bleeds for them when I hear someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/rob-ford-and-a-decade-of-controversy/article4330595/

 

[vic]

So L'il Mikey has joined the internet age. In addition to his @michaelfordto twitter handle he also has a shiny new email address:

mford@wardtwo.ca

His website contains detailed descriptions of his entire campaign platform:

http://www.wardtwo.ca

It's good to see that he's supporting local business, because the website is being hosted out of Seattle...

Heh...I can't access it from work.

"You have been redirected to this page because the website that you're trying to access has been identified by ******** as potentially violating Corporate policy."

ETA: I didn't know our corporate web filter had a bullshit detector.

 

[sweetlou]

His website contains detailed descriptions of his entire campaign platform:

http://www.wardtwo.ca

It's good to see that he's supporting local business, because the website is being hosted out of Seattle...

I'm just getting a 404.

 

[animatronic]

"Bike-loving councillor @mary_margaret32 hit by car."

Warning: Image may be disturbing to some viewers.
https://twitter.com/hashtag/topoli?mode=photos

"What I compare bike lanes to is swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later you're going to get bitten... Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks, not for people on bikes. My heart bleeds for them when I hear someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day."
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Rob_Ford#2012

"Police are looking for a full-sized black SUV with a license plate ending in '691' The vehicle may have damage to its front passenger side bumper and smell like stale fish tacos. Citizens are urged not to approach the vehicle themselves, lest they be abducted and forced to play on a jungle gym with the driver."

 

[SFO]

SFO nailed it. And approximately 20 to 30% of the electorate in Toronto will lap it all up. It's up to the remaining 70% to figure out how to ensure their choice won't end up allowing this guy to sneak through again.

AoD

I dunno about lapping it up! IMO what we're seeing now is the Ford strategy failing in real time---I do think certain media outlets' diligence in keeping up with the rebuttals and calling bullshit has had a trickle effect that is now reaching the low-information voter. The "Fords lie constantly" meme is taking hold.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

SFO:

I think you might be optimistic - for that core group of supporters RoFo takes on a quasi-religious mantle - it will be hard to dislodge.

AoD

 

[the lemur]

Here is a comment a friend wrote on his Facebook. He was replying to a comment I made about longing for the days when people who are uninformed about politics were more likely to stay home than to vote for someone like Ford. He is not a Ford supporter in the slightest, but he did make some decent observations about his appeal.

It does nothing for disenfranchised people when you pretend to help them by showing up in their neighbourhood while you kick their legs out from under them by voting against their interests at every opportunity. Handshakes and selfies are just for the feels, to cover up the fact that at heart, he really doesn't give a shit for anyone but himself and his coterie of, ah, legitimate businessmen.

 

[SFO]

SFO:

I think you might be optimistic - for that core group of supporters RoFo takes on a quasi-religious mantle - it will be hard to dislodge.

AoD

Oh sure, there are the dedicated Fordian disciples and I really have no response to that. I just don't think those people make up 20%. I think the 20% is also made up of less invested, casual-onlooker types who like that he's "feisty", like that he's not polished, like his celebrity, and have internalized his message that he's saving them money and fighting for them at City Hall. I still think they can be convinced otherwise by enough repetition of new soundbites: "Rob Ford lies." "Rob Ford is corrupt." "Rob Ford only looks out for himself." And by highly symbolic "gotchas" such as being caught lying to children.

 

[casita]

Report from the Eastern Front ( Ford Fest East )
http://www.thestar.com/news/city_ha...irees_ford_fest_experiment_led_to_attack.html

 

[the lemur]

Shit our co-mayor says:

ddale8 11:20pm via Twitter Web Client
Doug Ford, Rob Ford's campaign manager, says they'll have policies on parks, transit, and the land transfer tax over the next "few weeks."

They just figured out now they need a platform...

Hey, even Doug will tell you it takes time to make shit up and pretending to care about stuff takes practice.

 

[fishie]

Jesus, what a bunch of braying dead-eyed morons. They need to be named and shamed, but I guess they just got high-fives from their friends and co-workers the following Monday.

Iola Fortino is the Chicken Lady from Kids in the Hall's circus freaks skit.

Providing a link for, you know...context

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YwnAdT9I_o

To err on the side of caution, this is probably NSFW.

 

[JWBF]

"Bike-loving councillor @mary_margaret32 hit by car."

Warning: Image may be disturbing to some viewers.
https://twitter.com/hashtag/topoli?mode=photos

"What I compare bike lanes to is swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later you're going to get bitten... Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks, not for people on bikes. My heart bleeds for them when I hear someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/rob-ford-and-a-decade-of-controversy/article4330595/

But lately, he said that streets are also for cyclists in an article about Open Streets Toronto... I'm so confused!