[LINK] An Attempted Transcription of Rob Ford's As It Happens Interview

[rfmcdonald]

I've said elsewhere on this blog that Toronto mayor Rob Ford's election, and his apparent popularity, come from his popularity, produced by his addressing the immediate concerns of non-downtown Torontonians and their sense that they're being neglected by a "cultural class" with its own irrelevant concerns. I don't think it's a good thing. Last night's attempted interview with Rob Ford on CBC Radio 1 evening show As It Happens was ghastly. Couldn't he have at least pretended he was having a live radio interview? Why his media people told CBC to phone him while he was coaching football is beyond me.

Carol Off: Mr. Ford, congratulations...

Rob Ford: Thank you. Appreciate it.

Carol Off: People are saying it's a, calling it a stunning win. What do you think that—

Rob Ford: Things are, things are going really well.

Carol Off: What drew so much—

Rob Ford, yelling: Coach, half your juniors aren't even here, eh? Alright. Alright.

Carol Off: Hello, Mr. Ford, are you there?

Rob Ford: Yeah, yeah, I'm here, yeah.

Carol Off: Oh, you're at some event or...?

Rob Ford: I'm a coach. I'm a football coach.

Carol Off: Okay, so you're at football practice, then.

Rob Ford: Yes.

Carol Off: Alright well, okay, we'll continue then. What is it that you think drew so much support to your campaign?

Rob Ford: Yeah, it's just people are sick and tired of the wasteful spending. People are sick and tired of wasteful spending, that's the bottom line, that's what it comes down.

Carol Off: Well there—

Rob Ford: You know, I'm the only one that can go down there [Inaudible, then, yelling:] Just go get changed! Go! Out! And get changed! Don't worry about the water right now. [Pause.] Sorry.

It gets worse.