Oops Robby did it again!

[AdamH]

Getting back on topic, I think Rob Ford's initial popularity was borne out of taxpayer's pissed off about less service value for money, garbage strikes, St. Clair Ave. boondoggle (not that the dedicated streetcar lane doesn't look pretty), certain bicycle lanes and miscellaneous tax hikes.

Rob Ford is no accident and he certainly IS a thinker (politically anyway). He latched onto EVERY SINGLE COMMON MAN COMPLAINT.

"I hate these Hippie Biker types taking up my road, and now they want to rip up car lanes for MORE bikes!?"
"What's this? They're ripping up lanes for street cars?? But I DON'T TAKE STREETCARS"
"Stupid union elite demanding more money" (I don't actually disagree with this sentiment... Their timing was bad..)

Add to that the fact that he complains about it in a clear and concise (if not misguided) way that the average guy can get on board with.. BOOM.. You have a guy who can't shake the "common man" vote.

I think this is a failing of John Tory. John Tory needs his own version of Doug or Rob Ford to dumb down his policies for the average guy to be able to support. When John Tory does it himself, it comes off as disingenuous.

 

[GPIDEAL]

Like a stated I'm skeptical. But let's not wish him ill.

And people can change. Especially attitudes like Ford's. Hell I was Homophopic until I started working in restaurants downtown in the late 80's. Now I can say I was at Pride in the early 90's when it was a protest march and not a street party.

All I'm saying is at this point give him the 30 days (or however long he is gone) and then see what comes. If he is still an ass(good possibility) then fine. But if this is the beginning of his changing then no matter his politics to you he deserves(like any human being) the chance to make himself a better person.

Just not as Mayor.

Remember Smitherman? Did you state anywhere he wasn't qualified due do his usage? His anger issues(his staff called him Furious George)?

Don't get me wrong. If he continues to run then have at him. But at least the media should lay off until his return. No hunting for him. Let him at least try. And instead consentrate on the real candidates and their policies, giving them the airing they deserve.

30 days alone won't re-invent the man. People won't believe him either. He's on 'life-support'. If anything, it's hopefully the beginning of his rejuvenation, but it's gonna take longer than the time left until the next election.

He's done in my humble opinion.

Make room for John Tory. I can even tolerate Soknacki or Karen Stintz but not Ms. Chow.

 

[GPIDEAL]

Rob Ford is no accident and he certainly IS a thinker (politically anyway). He latched onto EVERY SINGLE COMMON MAN COMPLAINT.

"I hate these Hippie Biker types taking up my road, and now they want to rip up car lanes for MORE bikes!?"
"What's this? They're ripping up lanes for street cars?? But I DON'T TAKE STREETCARS"
"Stupid union elite demanding more money" (I don't actually disagree with this sentiment... Their timing was bad..)

Add to that the fact that he complains about it in a clear and concise (if not misguided) way that the average guy can get on board with.. BOOM.. You have a guy who can't shake the "common man" vote.

I think this is a failing of John Tory. John Tory needs his own version of Doug or Rob Ford to dumb down his policies for the average guy to be able to support. When John Tory does it himself, it comes off as disingenuous.

Ah yes. He can follow a certain course of action and uses his position of authority to force it upon others. Like a shrewd boss or bully. He's not analytical though. He can't think on his own when confronted.

Adam, a lot of thinkers and professionals voted Rob Ford too. They liked his agenda or his schtick (I'm guilty of that too).

 

[AK-47]

Make room for John Tory. I can even tolerate Soknacki or Karen Stintz but not Ms. Chow

This ^

It looks like I'm gonna have to vote Tory, even though he has charisma of a tse-tse fly

 

[GPIDEAL]

This ^

It looks like I'm gonna have to vote Tory, even though he has charisma of a tse-tse fly

Hmmm. I think he has about as much charisma as the other mayoral candidates. At least he was popular enough to successfully host a talk radio show. Some say he's not a shrewd politician, but he knows how to talk the talk. Everything he says sounds good. And he's "conservative".

One can argue that Tim Hudak is dull and doesn't resonate with the electorate but Tim doesn't say the things that other politicians say that make them popular. He's more of a straight arrow. He's okay in my books.

 

[AK-47]

Either way I'm not voting for Olivia Chow-Chow.

We'll have another 5 years of spend & tax

 

[TeasePlease]

Either way I'm not voting for Olivia Chow-Chow.

We'll have another 5 years of spend & tax

I did Robocall Forum poll last nite. The two I would NEVER vote for are RoFo and O Chow.

I'm starting to like Stintz more and more.

 

[fuji]

Unless Ford drops out or his support finally collapses, I think you are getting Chow. There are as many die hard left voters in Toronto as there are Ford Nation types. It USUALLY boils down to whether the left or right has a more compelling message to the undecided middle

But if the die hards vote Ford, even if Tory gets the entire undecided vote, I don't think it is enough to beat Chow. If the right is badly split, and no other left superstar joins to split the vote, Chow wins,

If Adam Vaughn had run for mayor he could have split the vote on the left, but he is going for Olivia's seat in Parliament instead, so the left seems to be aligned around Chow.

There are about 45 percent who lean left in one way or another, last time out 35 percent voting smitherman and another ten percent voting Pantalone. Most of those will vote Chow come hell or high water. That leaves about 60 to 65 percent undecided or right and if Ford siphons off 20 to 25 percent it leaves only 40 percent or so to divide between Tory, Stintz, etc.

 

[Viggo Rasmussen]

Tory screwed the Progressive Conservative party when he was leader with his call for funding religious schools. It something out of the blue, showing poor judgement of the public mood and he was quickly dumped by his own party.
What's his business experience, simply being a family friend selected to run Rogers?
He supported Rob Ford last time, again showing his poor judgement of what's needed to run the city.

 

[GPIDEAL]

Unless Ford drops out or his support finally collapses, I think you are getting Chow. There are as many die hard left voters in Toronto as there are Ford Nation types. It USUALLY boils down to whether the left or right has a more compelling message to the undecided middle

But if the die hards vote Ford, even if Tory gets the entire undecided vote, I don't think it is enough to beat Chow. If the right is badly split, and no other left superstar joins to split the vote, Chow wins,

If Adam Vaughn had run for mayor he could have split the vote on the left, but he is going for Olivia's seat in Parliament instead, so the left seems to be aligned around Chow.

There are about 45 percent who lean left in one way or another, last time out 35 percent voting smitherman and another ten percent voting Pantalone. Most of those will vote Chow come hell or high water. That leaves about 60 to 65 percent undecided or right and if Ford siphons off 20 to 25 percent it leaves only 40 percent or so to divide between Tory, Stintz, etc.

I think that was a nice trade-off so to not split the vote.

If the right vote is split, you could be right (regrettable to say in my view).

 

[GPIDEAL]

Tory screwed the Progressive Conservative party when he was leader with his call for funding religious schools. It something out of the blue, showing poor judgement of the public mood and he was quickly dumped by his own party.
What's his business experience, simply being a family friend selected to run Rogers?
He supported Rob Ford last time, again showing his poor judgement of what's needed to run the city.

He supported Rob Ford last time before all the shenanigans, and who was the lesser evil, if you will.

 

[AdamH]

Ah yes. He can follow a certain course of action and uses his position of authority to force it upon others. Like a shrewd boss or bully. He's not analytical though. He can't think on his own when confronted.

Adam, a lot of thinkers and professionals voted Rob Ford too. They liked his agenda or his schtick (I'm guilty of that too).

I think the "thinkers and professionals" that voted for Ford, voted for him because they always vote right wing.. There was no other viable right wing candidate in the last election. In this election you have 3.. Karen Stintz, John Tory, and Rob Ford.. No matter how much they want to paint John Tory as a liberal, the guy is still right wing to me.

 

[superstar_88]

Rob Ford is a joke.

 

[AdamH]

He supported Rob Ford last time, again showing his poor judgement of what's needed to run the city.

I think he supported Rob Ford because Rob Ford had supported him during his own mayoral run. It was the classy thing to do at the time (remembering that Rob Ford wasn't yet the crack smoking mayor of Toronto).

 

[TeasePlease]

Unless Ford drops out or his support finally collapses, I think you are getting Chow. There are as many die hard left voters in Toronto as there are Ford Nation types. It USUALLY boils down to whether the left or right has a more compelling message to the undecided middle

But if the die hards vote Ford, even if Tory gets the entire undecided vote, I don't think it is enough to beat Chow. If the right is badly split, and no other left superstar joins to split the vote, Chow wins,

If Adam Vaughn had run for mayor he could have split the vote on the left, but he is going for Olivia's seat in Parliament instead, so the left seems to be aligned around Chow.

There are about 45 percent who lean left in one way or another, last time out 35 percent voting smitherman and another ten percent voting Pantalone. Most of those will vote Chow come hell or high water. That leaves about 60 to 65 percent undecided or right and if Ford siphons off 20 to 25 percent it leaves only 40 percent or so to divide between Tory, Stintz, etc.

Unfortunately, you are right. I was told by a CPC strategist that ALL of their models show that Chow will win.

 

[Viggo Rasmussen]

He supported Rob Ford last time before all the shenanigans, and who was the lesser evil, if you will.

Rob's shenanigans began long ago, remember the drunk being tossed from a Leaf game after bullying other spectators? And then the coward denying he was at the game?
Can you imagine the outcry if Olivia did the same thing?

 

[Viggo Rasmussen]

Unfortunately, you are right. I was told by a CPC strategist that ALL of their models show that Chow will win.

And Ford won last time because of the poor alternatives, now the shoe's on the other foot.
Time for electoral reforms to get rid of the first past the post voting.

 

[GPIDEAL]

I think the "thinkers and professionals" that voted for Ford, voted for him because they always vote right wing.. There was no other viable right wing candidate in the last election. In this election you have 3.. Karen Stintz, John Tory, and Rob Ford.. No matter how much they want to paint John Tory as a liberal, the guy is still right wing to me.

That too!

 

[GPIDEAL]

Rob's shenanigans began long ago, remember the drunk being tossed from a Leaf game after bullying other spectators? And then the coward denying he was at the game?
Can you imagine the outcry if Olivia did the same thing?

Before the major scandals.

The public would be more forgiving of Olivia Chow just like they forgave her husband going to an Asian rub and tug.

 

[Carling]

Before the major scandals.

The public would be more forgiving of Olivia Chow just like they forgave her husband going to an Asian rub and tug.

ummm.... doubt it... ppl on TERB still bring it up , everytime there is news on Chow or Layton....