Blog Archives
Oh Happy Day: Rob Ford is Back in the Saddle
Bobby – Rob Ford returned to city hall on Monday after a two-month stint in rehab, offering a public apology for his past behaviour and asking for another opportunity as mayor of Toronto.
In a news conference Monday afternoon, Ford said he is “ashamed and humiliated” by some of the choices he made in the past.
“I was wrong, and I have no one to blame but myself,” he said in a 15-minute-long statement.
“It was never my intention to embarrass the city or offend my fellow members of council. I deeply regret some of the personal choices I have made in the past.”
Ford also apologized to mayoral candidate Karen Stintz for the “hurtful and degrading remarks” he made about her. “I offer a deep-felt apology for my behaviour,” he said.
Ford took a sudden leave of absence from office in late April to seek professional help for substance abuse at GreeneStone, a rehab facility in Bala, Ont. It came following a new string of racist, sexist and homophobic comments that were recorded and made public in media reports.
Let’s hope this is the new, crack free chapter in the life of Rob Ford. Rehab usually goes two ways: the person realizes they need to change their lifestyle and really commit to sobriety or they fake their way through rehab and relapse. Rob Ford seems like he’s taking the first path, which is good news for everybody. Did he make some mistakes? Sure. Did he smoke crack and say some terrible things about other city council members? He is guilty of that as well. But I believe it was Bill Paxton who said “fall down seven times, stand up eight.” I’m interested in seeing how tall Rob Ford can stand, not how far he’s willing to fall.
-Ryan
Buddy Cianci is Running For Mayor of Providence Again and He Already Has My Vote
Vote 4 Buddy – Buddy Cianci, the twice-convicted felon who led Providence as mayor for 21 years, wants his old job back.
Cianci said Wednesday that he is running as an independent for a seventh term as mayor. The last time he won an election was 16 years ago — before he was convicted in 2002 of racketeering conspiracy for widespread corruption in his administration. He spent 4 ½ years in prison.
Cianci, 73, said he is not seeking redemption, but wishes to bring his experience and vision to the city to make a difference. He said Providence can’t afford to have a mayor who is getting ‘‘on-the-job training.’’
Making an announcement on his radio show, Cianci said that many people would call this an eleventh-hour decision, but that he decided to join the field after much soul-searching and reflection. He said he wants to rekindle the city’s ‘‘renaissance.’’
‘‘If the people don’t want me, they don’t have to vote for me. I realize I have baggage,’’ he said during a break in his show. ‘‘They know who I am. They know what I am. And they know what I’ve accomplished.’’
Cianci’s announcement came shortly before the 4 p.m. filing deadline; a surrogate filed his paperwork for him at City Hall. He will take a leave from the show and from his duties as a local television commentator during the campaign.
Cianci previously won office as a Republican and independent.
Nice little feel good story to get your Thursday off to a roaring start. And if you think Cianci is losing this election you’re high. The guy is absolutely loved in Providence. And it might just take a 73 year old ex convict to have the vision to actually fix the fucking potholes in this city. The fact of the matter is all politicians are corrupt, especially the ones who serve six terms as Mayor; but the city thrived under Cianci and the people he served adored him. So he did a little racketeering – water under the bridge (stupid saying). Vote 4 Buddy.
– Ryan
Don’t You Dare Ask a Mayor in Florida For Directions – Don’t YOU DARE
Florida – Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper is under investigation for an altercation with a tractor-trailer truck driver who was backing up his truck on a city street.
The truck driver, Timothy Dixon of Memphis, Tennessee, said Coerper appeared drunk when the incident happened Tuesday night.
“I got lost when the GPS gave the wrong way. I was getting ready to back up when he pulls up,” Dixon said. “He got out and said he was tired of dumb truck drivers. I was like, what? He went off on me. He got up onto my truck and told me he would get me fired. He pushed me. They were telling me he was the mayor, and I said, ‘He’s the mayor acting like this?’ ”
Coerper could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
Alachua Police Department spokesman Detective Jesse Sandusky said an officer took a report on the incident, adding that the investigation was turned over to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
The nerve of Timothy Dixon to ask the Mayor of Alachua for directions. He’s got balls the size of grapefruits approaching an elected official for directions. Probably not the best move here by the Mayor though. Not only are you assaulting a guy just asking for directions, but you’re doing it while informing him that you are in fact the Mayor. Nobody is going to mistake this guy for a rocket scientist, but this is a pretty stupid move. Also, are lost truck drivers an epidemic in Florida? It’s not like this guy was asking the Mayor for a kidney; he just wanted to know where the goddamn highway was. Florida, you crazy bitch. Don’t ever change (please change).
– Ryan
P.S. Gip? Get a better name, buddy.
Safe to Say Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Enjoyed the LA Kings Victory Parade
Have yourself a day Mayor Garcetti. If one of your major sports teams wins a championship you should absolutely take the day off, have a beer and drop some f-bombs. That goes for everybody, whether you’re a garbage man or a dentist or the god damn mayor. That’s what sports is all about: you tear your hair out all year to support your team, and if you’re lucky enough to witness them win, you celebrate like you’ll never see it again. Eric Garcetti can be my mayor any day.
– Ryan
Mark My Words: Rob Ford Will Be Back Better Than Ever
Tommy Boy – Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said he is taking a break from his re-election campaign to seek help for alcohol abuse — hours after a local newspaper reported on a new video that allegedly shows him smoking crack cocaine.
“It’s not easy to be vulnerable and this is one of the most difficult times in my life,” Ford said in a statement Wednesday. “I have a problem with alcohol, and the choices I have made while under the influence. I have struggled with this for some time.”
The statement, provided to CNN by Canada’s CTV News, comes after the Toronto Globe and Mail reported on the new video.
In the video purportedly filmed Saturday, the newspaper reports Ford is seen smoking what a drug dealer described to the paper as crack cocaine from a copper-colored pipe. Two Globe and Mail reporters viewed the video, and the publication said it was shot in what appears to be Ford’s sister’s basement.
The paper said the substance in the pipe could not be confirmed.
The video is part “of a package of three videos the dealer said was surreptitiously filmed around 1:15 a.m., and which he says he is now selling for ‘at least six figures,'” the paper reported.
Shortly after the newspaper confronted the Mayor about the video, Ford announced he was taking a break to get help.
“Today, after taking some time to think about my own well-being, how to best serve the people of Toronto and what is in the best interests of my family, I have decided to take a leave from campaigning and from my duties as mayor to seek immediate help,” he said.
His lawyer, Dennis Morris, told CNN that Ford’s leave begins immediately.
“He has to take a break to re-energize, because he realizes he has flaws that have to be addressed,” Morris told CTV.
But Morris told the Globe that he questioned the authenticity of the video, and said it is hard to prove what the Mayor is smoking.
“If these guys are drug dealers and there’s money involved, they can say whatever they want to get more money, to extract more money from the people who are paying,” he said of the seller.
Kind of a bittersweet day for Rob Ford. You don’t want to see this guy disappear into Bolivian but it’s great to see that he realized he needs help. I personally would have stepped down after the first crack video but hey, everybody’s got their own style. Now to the real stuff. It’s REALLY easy to kick a guy when he’s down, especially when it comes to addiction. I’m not going to pretend that I know Canadian politics, because I don’t. I don’t know if he’s a good mayor and frankly I don’t care, just as I’m sure people in Toronto don’t give a shit if the mayor of North Providence is good or not (hint: he’s not). But fate brought Rob Ford into my life and I’ve never been one to question fate. Beyond all the jokes, he seems like a genuinely nice guy. He’s jovial, he’s a sports fan, he doesn’t take himself seriously. Does he have an addiction problem? Yes. Anytime your resorting to crack you have a whopper of a problem. But he’s been on this blog from the beginning, and the Average Nobodies do not leave soldiers behind, crack smokers or not. Hell, he’s even front and center on the website banner. We hope Rob Ford gets the help he needs, then comes back better than ever, less sweaty and crack free. For now, I’m going to listen to that Fuel song on repeat and smile at these pictures.
– Ryan
thanks to @LunaElektraSMC for the tip.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day From Our Favorite Person in the World – Rob Ford
When I woke up this morning I knew there was going to be a video of Rob Ford. I would’ve bet my entire life on it. Drinking holiday’s are Rob Ford’s specialty. And here it is. Want to know the genius of Rob Ford? One of the first videos leaked of him, which really put him on the crazy train map, was of him smoking crack. Now every other video, whether he’s steamrolling old ladies or sweating up a storm after a night of drinking, seem tame. I watched this video and thought nothing of it. Just a guy on the town getting his drink on for St. Paddy’s Day. I honestly would have been upset if I knew Rob Ford didn’t celebrate this holy day like only Rob Ford can: a lot of alcohol, maybe a little crack, and literally tons of fun. Keep doing you, Bobby.
– Ryan
*UPDATE* Rob Ford Says He Had Been Drinking During Fast Food Restaurant Video – Ya Don’t Say!
Source – Toronto’s illustrious mayor was captured on camera putting on a bizarre patois monologue for customers at the eatery in the Canadian city on Monday night, during which he ranted away about police surveillance and flailed his arms seemingly at random.
Since then, the video, called ‘New Video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Drunk, Swearing in Jamaican Patois? Bumbaclot’ has gone viral.
Confronted about the footage outside his Toronto office, he told reporters he had imbibed “a little bit” of alcohol on Monday night.
“I was with some friends and what I do in my personal life with my personal friends, that’s up to me,” Rob Ford said.
“It really has nothing to do with you guys.”
On whether he felt the language he used was offensive or discriminatory, he said: “It’s how I speak with some of my friends.”
So Matt did a post earlier on the charismatic Rob Ford and his Jamaican speech in a fast food restaurant. Turns out Rob had been drinking before this. No! I refuse to believe it! You’re telling me the same guy who smoked crack actually drank before he gave a speech to Jamaican’s in a Jamaican accent? Mind blowing. I gotta say, the more I watch this guy, the more I fall in love with him. Oh and by the way his approval rating is 42%, higher than President Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
– Ryan
Rob Ford Goes To Church
Rob Ford! You dog, you! Getting groovy at, what looks like, one of the churches you see on TV. The power of christ compels Bobby! (If the gif doesn’t load click the image or here)
GIF of the century would be an understatement and an insult.
-Matt
