Robyn Doolittle’s excellent and entertaining book Crazy Town (Penguin Canada) came out
earlier this year.
I read it in the spring and wondered at the time about
the author’s prediction that her subject, Rob Ford, could win the October
election.
In her closing chapter, she suggested it was
possible.
As I write today, Ford is in a hospital bed hospitalized. Not a good spot to run a campaign from, or so
it would seem.
However, as the former Star reporter now with the
Globe and Mail wrote:
“…if it were possible to run from prison, I
think he would.”
So, using Doolittle’s logic, the hospital
shouldn’t be a problem.
In fact, since Doolittle’s book was released, Ford
has had troubles that might have landed other mere mortals in prison. But, as Doolittle noted his approval ratings
are always up after bad publicity. And,
with the help of his goofy Campaign Manager Brother Doug and other members of Ford
Nation, it is pretty certain we can expect more bad publicity.
Doolittle’s supports her argument by
citing -Bricker and Ibbitson’s book the Big
Shift. (The Big Shift: The Seismic Change In Canadian Politics , Business, And
Culture And What It Means For Our Future by Darrell I Bricker, John Ibbitson Harper Collins Publishers, 2013)
Here they argue that a lengthy period of
conservative rule is coming because of New Canadians moving into metro
areas. These people are more religious
and socially conservative and averse to debt. The authors call them “strivers.”
They want to own a home in a safe
neighbourhood as opposed to “creatives." Creatives (who the privileged Fords
would likely call "elites") are more concerned with “community supports,
the environment and international engagement.”
That’s why Ford and politicians of his ilk will be
more and more successful according to the Big Shift.
I took a look at the Big Shift and don’t agree
with the authors. Time will tell, I
suppose.
Back to Crazy
Town though.
Having followed the sordid Ford saga over the last
few years I wondered what I’d find that was new in the book.
Quite a few things actually. For example:
On telling the truth
Clearly, Rob Ford is challenged in this area. He comes by it naturally, however, as his
father Doug basically airbrushed” his partner out of history as it relates to
developing the Deco label business
On ambition
Ford lost in his first attempt at electoral
politics. Was he discouraged? Was he finished?
After this 1997 loss, a caller to Ford’s mother Diane
to offer condolences received this response.
“Oh, no, no, Robbie’s a career politician.’”
On chutzpah
In the 2000 municipal election, the Fords
approached 15-year incumbent Gloria Lindsay Luby suggesting that she run in
another ward. They’d even help her. Lindsay Luby declined.
On my own reading of the public
Doolittle argues that Ford has a “natural gift for
reading the public mood.” Up until now, I
haven’t bought this argument. But at a
George Smitherman focus group midway through the 2010 campaign, mayoral candidate
Smitherman’s handlers knew their man was done when they got this comment from
an attendee:
“If I have to choose between someone who
wastes our money and someone who beats their wife, I’ll choose the person who
beats their wife.”
On how the media is better able to track
down these stories.
The author talks about a 2009 Supreme Court of
Canada decision which created “a new defence for libel” that helped and guided
the Star in their investigative reporting.
The decision meant that Journalists were permitted
to tackle contentious issues where hard evidence was not available if reporters
could prove that they:
- · acted professionally
- · did their best to verify info
- · attempted to get both sides of the story.
For Doolittle this all lead to the night of May 16th 2013 “the day before my
life changed forever…..” Pictures from
the famous crack video went public that day.
Toronto politics hasn’t been the same since. Many hope that after October 27th
it will return to pre-Crazy Town days.
