In the Toronto Sun, Adrienne Batra explains why being a staff member for Toronto mayor Rob Ford is the toughest job in town:
Those who aren’t familiar with the political staff in Mayor Rob Ford’s office always ask the same question: “Who’s advising him?”
Those who are at City Hall, embroiled in the daily circus which has engulfed the mayor since Don Cherry called left-wing councillors “Pinkos” at his inauguration, know them to be a hard-working and exhausted group of young professionals.
Many work longer hours than a typical ER doctor and some are paid less than a bus boy.
Of course, they all serve in the Office of the Mayor voluntarily and are hired to do a job.
But they are far too often unfairly criticized for the actions of the one man in that office who is not doing his job.
That would be their boss, Rob Ford.
In the latest scandal about the so-called crack video, the mayor would have been wisely (and repeatedly) advised by his staff on a number of potential courses of action.
They would have included, depending on what Ford himself knows to be true, everything from completely rejecting the allegations, to stepping aside and dealing with whatever issues he may have.
Each option would have been presented to him with a well-planned course of action.
Instead, the mayor has balked at much of the advice he has been given and, up until Friday, remained silent despite one of the most serious allegations his mayoralty has faced.
Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday put it best when he was asked if the mayor listens to anyone.
Holyday said that while Ford does listen, he rarely sees any evidence the mayor heeds the advice he has been given.
If nothing else, Rob Ford has managed to put Toronto on the map with all the late-night talk show comedians: you just can’t avert your eyes from a trainwreck like this.
The problem for Rob Ford is that no matter what he does he is wrong in the eyes of many of the MSM. So, he holds his press conference and says it isn’t him in the video, and the media move to the next thing. What else did they expect him to say? I imagine they hoped it was really him and he would step down, they have been using the same kind of reporting on he PM. Throw enough poop at a target and you hope some sticks.
If any of the “progressives” were given the same treatment they would wilt under the pressure, but Ford and Harper know they have jobs to do and they will carry on under full court press attacks, day in and out.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see both men win their next elections, but it is an uphill battle when the media owns the narrative and keeps pounding away.
Comment by Dwayne — May 26, 2013 @ 17:05
Actually, I think his avoiding saying anything other than “Ridiculous” was a much worse self-inflicted wound than anything the “maggots” said in the intervening time.
I suspect Justin would wilt, but I think Mulcair is made of sterner stuff (not that I particularly relish the thought of either one of them as PM…)
Harper is oddly quiet in the Duffy affair. As one of the most effective communicators in the Tory party, it’s surprising that he’s choosing to stay in the background.
Comment by Nicholas — May 27, 2013 @ 14:46