[URBAN NOTE] "Is this the death spiral of the Rob Ford legend?"

[rfmcdonald]

Over at the National Post, that magazine's Posted Toronto staffers Jonathan Goldsbie, Matt Gurney, and Chris Selley discuss Rob Ford's ongoing death spiral of popularity.

Goldsbie: Last week, we talked about Rob Ford’s conflict of interest case and debated whether the newly apparent depths of his ineptitude render him unfit for public office. But this week’s revelations were of an even more problematic nature: The mayor’s reported insistence on devoting City resources (namely his own staff) to his private football endeavours is much closer to actual corruption — and at the very least is definitive proof that he is a hypocrite of the worst kind. These stories have provoked a different reaction, one that questions the meaning and validity of the myth at the very centre of Ford’s leadership. If Rob Ford is not for the judicious use of office budgets, then what is he for? What is left of a man after he himself has undermined the supposed bedrock of all his principles and appeal? Once again, I put to you that Rob Ford does not have values, he has preferences. And he has let it be known that football is what he prefers. He will be coaching his team (presumably alongside his staff) every weekday afternoon for the next two months; meanwhile, the scrutiny will persist. Is this finally the death spiral of the Rob Ford legend?

Gurney: Hard to say. The Rob Ford legend, as you put it, is more like religious canon to some, and for them will not be shaken. For some others the man could never do any right, so this won’t change many minds there, either. But if the “football is gravy” narrative bites and holds — as an unnamed Rob Ford staffer was reported to have warned the Mayor it might — then, yes, this could potentially blow a hole in the S.S. Rob Ford. My own take is a bit more nuanced. The use of city cellphones or email accounts doesn’t much alarm me, since I’m sure I’m not the only Postie who’s used a work phone to call the wife or a work computer to check Facebook. Yeah, not taxpayer devices, I know. But I still think that making city staffers use different phones for different parts of their lives is unnecessary, so long as they don’t go overboard, of course. What did alarm me, though, was Ford slipping out of a meeting of his own executive council to go coach a game. Good Lord. If it wasn’t for that, the revelations about the phones might not have gone anywhere beyond the usual suspects.

[. . .]

Selley: What really intrigues me at this point is, does he even want to be mayor still? And if so, why? He has no staunch defenders left in the media. His biggest fans are now willing only to lament that his achievements are being undermined by this amateurish hypocrisy — but the achievements aren’t really that earth-shattering: Contracting out garbage pickup, scrapping the vehicle registration tax, reasonable settlements with the unions and no labour disruptions. I’m grateful for two of them, and indifferent to the other. But can he keep that agenda going, now that his reputation nears laughingstock status? And if he can’t, then what’s the point? Keep punching and kicking at his opponents and hope he gets another term? And then what? He could go back to being a councillor, which he was good at, or into the family business and coach football as much as he wants. I can’t help thinking that someone like John Tory could have accomplished all that he has and more, without the crazy sideshow. And if a reasonably conservative person enters the next mayoral race, then how does Ford appeal beyond his diehard base? This is certainly rock bottom, so far. He could win again. But I don’t see how he can do so with much of his self-respect intact.