03.27.2014 06:25 AM

An open letter to Toronto media

Dear nice Toronto media people:

None of the candidates mentioned the word “crack” because I suspect the research shows, consistently, voters don’t want candidates talking about crack instead of the many other issues.

In addition, I alsoΒ suspect the research shows that the media’s ongoing preoccupation with crack, to the exclusion of any other issue, is one of the reasons why voters still cast a sympathy vote for Rob Ford.

You’re welcome.

Sincerely, Warren

.

21 Comments

  1. Sezme says:

    I’d make a crack but I can’t think of one.

  2. bw says:

    In November, when council was debating over stripping Ford of his powers, RoFo went over to the gallery to intimidate them. One guy kept repeating “How do you know Anthony Smith, you lying scumbag?!” And Ford reacted quite visibly to that question.

    That is the level of discourse the other candidates need to take with Ford. They can be polite and Canadian with each other, but they need to play hardball with Ford, to get through all the delusion and lies.

    Then he can be marginalized and ignored.

  3. W the K - No, not Warren says:

    Ugly parody account just popped up…

    https://twitter.com/kinseIlawarren

  4. Matt says:

    There was a story in the Toronto Sun last week about a British food/resturant writer who was doing a piece on Toronto.

    Rob Ford took the guy around a bit, naturally followed by the hounds in Toronto media.

    The British reporter claimed after his time with Ford was done, several Toronto media approached him and were very critical of him for not bring up the crack issue.

    He said he was stunned by that.

    • Coelocanth_Jones says:

      “Fuck the Poles” — said food critic, Giles Coren. The racially insensitive seem to have a lot of issues with the media these days

  5. Warren, c’mon. You’re a Toronto media person, and how many mentions of Ford’s crack use have you used? Too many to count. Heck, your band wrote a song about it.

  6. debs says:

    Well said, its sad that the politicians dont go after him, but I get what Warren is saying that it will garner sympathy.

    However its just too bad as many voters out there would like the politicians to be real, sincere and truthful. The fact that Rob Ford made a laughing stock of Toronto should anger them all, and make them last out with negative statements….ROFO and his contingent deserve this. And the election shouldnt pretend like his legal problems dont exist.

  7. Eric says:

    Well said Warren, I suspect that you suspect correctly.
    I did watch the debate, and I was appalled by the debate. I think CityNews has stumbled upon the only debate format that could have made Ford look good, so the media should stop praising the man for his strong performance. It’s easy to have your points heard during an unmoderated free-for-all where the loudest (often male) voices are the only ones coming through the noise. It also make all the candidates look just as rude and bullish as Ford does.

  8. Archer says:

    Leaving aside the idea that all politicians lie all the time as some assert, it was only recently that Canadian politicians generally – and Ford and the right wing specifically – finally decided to unmoor from propriety, leave even the “truthiness” facade behind and act on what many in the marketing/advertising world know instinctively: Truth and honesty are no longer of any importance – if they ever were.

    “This isn’t about the truth” said Brother Doug and Brother Rob is living proof of his words.

    A chaotic, disorganized liars scrum is Ford’s natural environment. Few will best him on that field and only an experienced ground & pound street fighter can descend into the gutter and go toe to toe with such a reckless and accomplished bullshit artist like Ford – as some suggest Olivia Chow and the others need to do.

    Tough as Olivia clearly is, I’m certain that mud wrestling in the gutter would not play to her strengths.

    No doubt all remember the Vice Presidential debate between wily old veteran Joe Biden and another accomplished bullshit artist named Paul Ryan.

    Biden laughed, ridiculed, mocked, shrugged helplessly, rolled his eyes, mugged for the camera, appealed to the audience and did pretty much everything other than granting any dignity to Ryan or his endless nonsense.

    Some say he went too far – and maybe he did – but my sense is that Biden knew exactly what he was doing. It was, IMHO, a well planned debate strategy and a well executed tactic given the slippery nature of his opponent. Biden knows political horsepucky baffles brains and he also knows that controlled derision can cut through the lies like a hot knife.

    There were some remarks of this nature evident in the first Mayoral debate, but it was sporadic and seemed to come about through frustration and not as a consistent plan whereas in Biden’s case it was a clearly a deliberate, over-arching theme that he did not stray from all night.

    I may not go so far as to advocate an Italian style turning of the back and shunning of Ford – though this approach has had some success at City Council – but Warren, perhaps you, Olivia and the team might consider (or reconsider) some sort of symbolic shunning and dignified ridicule – Biden style or better yet, Chow style – as a possible tactic as the campaign and the debates unfold.

    Honesty, experience and basic decency may not be enough to counter something as bizarre as Rob Ford’s particular style of Teflon lunacy.

  9. bir says:

    You’re probably right, but it was excruciating to watch everyone ignore the elephant in the room. (I suspect it was killing you too!)

  10. e.a.f. says:

    dealing with the crack issue wouldn’t have done much for the debate. everyone is aware of what Rob Ford has been up to. What is the point of bringing it up once again. Better to stick to the other issues the City of Toronto has to deal with.

    If some one wants to raise the “crack” issue, use ads a few days before the election.

  11. John Werry says:

    Who is David Senator @DavidSenater?

  12. Matt Guerin says:

    Please reconsider. Those of us outraged by Ford’s behaviour and lack of accountability and refusal to answer any questions about these issues want desperately to see him confronted over and over again. He deserves it.

    The media seem to not agree with you either on bringing up his poor judgment:

    http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2014/03/27/toronto_mayor_rob_fords_crack_cocaine_use_should_feature_in_debates_editorial.html

    • e.a.f. says:

      what is the point of “confronting” him over and over again. Everyone has seen the videos. Who needs to waste more time on that. Doesn’t Toronto have some other things to talk about, i.e. taxes, schools, roads, bridges, housing, medical care, police and fire departments. The list goes on. If you want Ford “confronted” go do it yourself. If Ford won’t answer or discuss things in a debate, its his right.

  13. DonaldE says:

    “I want to keep your taxes down!” = Rob Ford (notwithstanding his horrendous problems), and he will win a significant percentage of the vote!!

    What is the prime message of the other contenders… Chow?.. Tory?.. Stintz? …. I’m not sure and I only think of them as anti-Ford candidates.

    Do you see the problem? If not just look in on the Quebec election where the sole deciding issue has become the sovereignty referendum. Is the Toronto election a one issue election too? Rob Ford – Yes or No?

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