Any other progressives backing Ford?

Tue, 2010-09-28 03:10

mybabble

Ford is most likely going to win the race because the feds and the province have let the people down in Toronto but

the man has nothing to offer and it will not be beneficial to the city and its people and I'm going to go with someone who has

the necessary experience and an understanding of the problems faced by its residents, if it was my choice. After listening to Ford

and what he had to say which was an embarrasement for someone looking to be a mayor of a city but what can Ford say that could

cause the city future embarrasement is your guess as good as mine? He sure knows how to put his foot in his mouth and that

isn't going to stop there but be a great deal more of it if Ford wins the race. Hopefully Toronto can live it down.

Tue, 2010-09-28 16:44

#53

Rikardo

Ford will win because of our undemocratic first-past-the-post system. With an alternative ballot electors would get the most popular of his opponents. Or better still why not two rounds of voting. Of course all but one of his opponents could drop out leaving the most popular progressive to beat Ford. Few politicians would do this.

Tue, 2010-09-28 18:07

#54

socialdemocracynow

It's too bad the voting age isn't lower. Youngsters don't like Mr.Hybrid between Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh.

Wed, 2010-09-29 11:23

#55

writer

[url=http://www.torontosun.com/comment/editorial/2010/09/28/15510846.html]Rob and George selling fool’s gold: Editorial[/url] — editorial in the Toronto Sun

Wed, 2010-09-29 11:38

#56

Stockholm

adma wrote:

I suppose the case for Ford over Smitherman is akin to a case for Yeltsin over Putin...

That's an EXCELLENT analogy. Why didn't I think of that!!

Wed, 2010-09-29 13:40

#57

KeyStone

As a fellow progressive, I'm still hoping Mitt Romney will move to Canada and enter the race for mayor.

Wed, 2010-09-29 21:18

#58

adma

Stockholm wrote:

adma wrote:

I suppose the case for Ford over Smitherman is akin to a case for Yeltsin over Putin...

That's an EXCELLENT analogy. Why didn't I think of that!!

Thu, 2010-09-30 12:11

#59

writer

This is about Smitherman, not Ford. But really, it's about the pathetic Toronto Star:

[url=http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/868208--hepburn-... How Smitherman can fix his campaign[/url]

On second thought, it's really about how the pathetic Toronto Star is desperately trying to figure out Ford's appeal, and why the public won't just lie down and take the candidate the paper knows is best for us.

Quote:
“I haven’t done my best,” Smitherman conceded during a meeting this week with the Star’s editorial board, adding that he’s “not where I would like to be” at this stage of the campaign.

Like a grade schooler, bringing home a bad report card.

Thu, 2010-09-30 13:00

#60

Cueball

What they don't seem to get is that when posed as a two way race, their attempts to manipulate the result are just stampeding people into the Ford camp.

Thu, 2010-09-30 13:20

#61

Lord Palmerston

writer wrote:

[url=http://www.torontosun.com/comment/editorial/2010/09/28/15510846.html]Rob and George selling fool’s gold: Editorial[/url] — editorial in the Toronto Sun

This is just about the most honest and refreshing editorial I've seen in this election. The Sun sure beats the Star these days.

Thu, 2010-09-30 21:32

#62

adma

Shawn Micallef goes to Ford Fest

http://www.eyeweekly.com/city/psycho%20geography/article/102880--ford-fest-was-fun

The Ford supporters at the BBQ reminded me a lot of the working-class crowd I grew up with in Windsor: same “regular folk” but here in Toronto without Windsor’s long tradition of organized labour involvement and NDP voting to swing general sentiments in a leftish direction. Reader’s Digest by the toilet, white wine cut with 7UP and wood-panelled basements — this is comfortable territory but not highly politicized. Money is always an issue, though, and the whiff of waste isn’t taken lightly. Ford’s tapped into this and swung people who down south would be called “Reagan Democrats.”

That’s why the continued mocking of his supporters, his issues and his weight have given him momentum. His simple message resonates with these voters, people who aren’t radical and likely wouldn’t identify as right wing. It’s a kind of apolitical politics. In Windsor, the left filled this space. In Toronto, the roles are reversed. Ford’s campaign is beyond facts, now, which require smart thinking. The rise of the Ford Nation is as much a communication problem of the progressive side of Toronto as it is Ford’s regular-guy charisma. If his opposition doesn’t understand this crowd, we might have four years of Ford Fests ahead while we figure out how this all happened. Just make sure you get in line for a burger and Coors early.

Fri, 2010-10-01 20:17

#63

writer

[url=http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/Dave+Bidini+loves+Ford/361050... Bidini loves you, Rob Ford[/url], The National Post

You are welcome.

Fri, 2010-10-01 20:25

#64

Bookish Agrarian

I'm not sure what is funnier- the Bidini article or the picture they ran with it.

Tue, 2010-10-05 20:01

#65

Farmpunk

I'm listening to CBC radio Toronto's mayoral debate broadcast. Fascinating stuff, given that I've been following the various rabble threads.

Good Sun article. I thought it was funnier than Bidini by a fair margin.

Tue, 2010-10-05 20:58

#66

Farmpunk

Man, they kept letting Smitherman get away with promoting himself as a Green Energy expert, who is bringing investment to Ontario, and therefore Toronto, by courting Samsung for example. Hilarious!

Pretty fun debate.

Any other progressives backing Ford?

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