Pubdate: Sat, 25 May 2013
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Rosie DiManno

FORD'S WORDS ONLY INVITE MORE SKEPTICISM

There was nothing declarative or convincing in the mayor's 
performance Friday, compounding the tragic sight of a man in ruins.

That was profoundly tragic.

And that's why Mayor Rob Ford said just about nothing for eight days.

Because he's incapable.

Because he's stunningly erratic.

Because the wiggle room between a lie and a denial is hair's-breadth narrow.

Because there's nowhere to hide, not in obfuscating language, not in 
a flailing counter-attack at the Toronto Star that landed no punches.

Because he is a man in ruins, drowning in the wreckage of a scandal 
that continues unabated.

Because he needs help and won't take it.

Three-and-a-half minutes and the Ford camp push-back was left in shambles.

"There has been a serious accusation from the Toronto Star that I use 
crack cocaine. I do not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of 
crack cocaine."

Nothing declarative or convincing there. Nothing that will choke the 
life out of allegations made about him.

"I cannot comment on a video that I've never seen or does not exist."

Not: There is no video.

Not: The video is a fake.

Not: I have never smoked crack cocaine.

Not: I don't do drugs.

Not: I don't consort with drug dealers.

No explanation for a photograph that shows the mayor in the company 
of a man since murdered, shot in the head.

No explanation for the provenance of cellphone video footage that 
appears to show Toronto's mayor sucking on a crack pipe, thrice 
watched by Star reporters Robyn Doolittle and Kevin Donovan, as well 
as the editor of U.S.-based website Gawker.

No explanation for Ford's voice on that alleged video calling Justin 
Trudeau a "fag" and the teenagers he coached "f---ing minorities."

No explanation for suddenly firing a chief of staff who, sources had 
told some Toronto media, went out urging the mayor to go to rehab, a 
wise piece of advice that got Mark Towhey jettisoned.

No acknowledgement of the "open letter to Toronto" signed by a 
six-pack of executive committee members who'd just entreated Ford to 
"definitively address the allegations before him ... openly and transparently."

No explanations, no questions allowed, no sincere plea for 
forgiveness and compassion - which was there for the taking.

Ford's words were so specific, his shuffle so finely choreographed, 
that they immediately invited skeptical parsing.

The mayor's highly anticipated and highly anti-climactic remarks 
weighed heavily towards the irrelevant - a farewell to the Don Bosco 
Eagles football squad he's coached for the past decade, because as of 
Wednesday Ford is no longer welcome to coach any team for the Toronto 
Catholic school board. Is that what this baffling mayor is most 
grieving, while all about him turns to rubble?

And do we now have to wait another week before Ford takes another run 
at it? Because that statement on Friday will not be the epitaph.

"I don't believe the mayor," Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker fumed 
afterwards. "Whether he formally resigns or not, he's gone. His tenure's over.

"He should resign, he should then go and seek some help for himself 
and his family."

Ford's tenure is not over. There's no apparatus for impeaching the 
mayor under these circumstances. That's his ace in the hole.

But he's just dug himself a bigger hole of incredulousness.

Ford blamed legal counsel - unidentified - for a week-plus of 
mystifying silence, day after day of dodging journalists, skulking in 
and out of his office.

Ford blamed the Star for his miseries, as so often before, as if this 
entire debacle is nothing more than mischief without basis and this 
newspaper a reckless media organization.

"It is most unfortunate, very unfortunate, that my colleagues and the 
great people of this city have been exposed to the fact that I have 
been judged by the media without any evidence."

Ford had no sooner turned his back on the horde of journalists 
outside his office than brother Doug stepped to the podium, banging 
on the same one-note drum.

"Very simple. There's one news organization that ... has an 
accusation of a video that does not exist or we haven't seen."

The mayor had made no reference to Gawker, which actually broke the 
videotape story last Thursday. Doug Ford took up that refrain instead.

"Let me tell you about Gawker. I think it's disgusting, as I said 
before, that an organization like Gawker would go out there and deal 
with a bunch of extortionists, Somalian drug dealers, as they said, 
in their words ... puts a real tarnish on a Somalian community that I 
represent, thousands of them, they're hard-working people, and I 
again think it's disgraceful.

"Folks, you have a good weekend."

Oh shut-up, Doug.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom