T Nation

Rob Ford: I Smoked Crack, So What?

Politics and World Issues
#1

Personally I don’t know how I feel about this. On one hand, I want to lambaste this man for being so unprofessional and exhibiting behavior so unbecoming and embarrassing of the most senior political figure in a municipality. On the other hand, I don’t really see it as a big deal if he only did it the once and it isn’t part of a bigger character deficiency that possible influences his leadership and policy decision making.

I’ll say that the most important criteria for which to judge a politician is the level of trust he has with his delegates and electorates. If people approve of the major, trust him and like him; obviously because he’s been getting results and running the city well, then everything else is a circus fueled by the political schemes of opposition.

The fact he’s now so open about his cocaine use says something about his personality. Not only is he transparent, a stand-out virtue in politics but he’s also someone people can relate to (he made a mistake, don’t we all?) and strong-willed, gauged by the fact he says he doesn’t want to resign.

And at the end of the day, isn’t it just cool? Torontonians can say their major smokes crack and is bad-ass at his job.

#2

Looks like you were sitting on the fence about it at first, then farted and fell off the fence on the understanding side of the issue.
Congrats.

#3

I personally do not like the man . That said there are a lot of people that have done drugs and not been caught . There are a lot of people that used to snort Coke . I imagine most of the people that Smoke Coke are lower on the Socioeconomic ladder .

I am guessing why he is coming clean is some one has definitive proof that he is afraid of :slight_smile:

#4

[quote]pittbulll wrote:
I personally do not like the man . That said there are a lot of people that have done drugs and not been caught . There are a lot of people that used to snort Coke . I imagine most of the people that Smoke Coke are lower on the Socioeconomic ladder .

I am guessing why he is coming clean is some one has definitive proof that he is afraid of :)[/quote]

A picture in major new networks and newspapers started this. It’s hard to get more damning than that.

#5

[quote]Gettnitdone wrote:

Personally I don’t know how I feel about this. On one hand, I want to lambaste this man for being so unprofessional and exhibiting behavior so unbecoming and embarrassing of the most senior political figure in a municipality. On the other hand, I don’t really see it as a big deal if he only did it the once and it isn’t part of a bigger character deficiency that possible influences his leadership and policy decision making.

I’ll say that the most important criteria for which to judge a politician is the level of trust he has with his delegates and electorates. If people approve of the major, trust him and like him; obviously because he’s been getting results and running the city well, then everything else is a circus fueled by the political schemes of opposition.

The fact he’s now so open about his cocaine use says something about his personality. Not only is he transparent, a stand-out virtue in politics but he’s also someone people can relate to (he made a mistake, don’t we all?) and strong-willed, gauged by the fact he says he doesn’t want to resign.

And at the end of the day, isn’t it just cool? Torontonians can say their major smokes crack and is bad-ass at his job.[/quote]

Yeah but it is illegal. It’s a felony. That isn’t cool, and it isn’t ok.

Man if some guy off the street makes a mistake once like that, I don’t want to lock him up for 20 years. It was a mistake. But we’re not talking about 20 years in jail, we are talking about a political career. You cannot be a public leader and commit felonies (especially not in the open). Sorry.

#6

I remember the first time I found out MY mayor smoked crack…

#7

f2fd5_ORIG-spec_barry_2_23_06.jpg600×583 127 KB

Crap forgot the pic, but you get the point

#8

[quote]Aragorn wrote:

[quote]pittbulll wrote:
I personally do not like the man . That said there are a lot of people that have done drugs and not been caught . There are a lot of people that used to snort Coke . I imagine most of the people that Smoke Coke are lower on the Socioeconomic ladder .

I am guessing why he is coming clean is some one has definitive proof that he is afraid of :)[/quote]

A picture in major new networks and newspapers started this. It’s hard to get more damning than that.[/quote]

I personally do not see how you could distinguish between a crack or pot pie . I have seen pot pipes that are lit from the front just like a crack pipe

#9

[quote]Aragorn wrote:

[quote]Gettnitdone wrote:

Personally I don’t know how I feel about this. On one hand, I want to lambaste this man for being so unprofessional and exhibiting behavior so unbecoming and embarrassing of the most senior political figure in a municipality. On the other hand, I don’t really see it as a big deal if he only did it the once and it isn’t part of a bigger character deficiency that possible influences his leadership and policy decision making.

I’ll say that the most important criteria for which to judge a politician is the level of trust he has with his delegates and electorates. If people approve of the major, trust him and like him; obviously because he’s been getting results and running the city well, then everything else is a circus fueled by the political schemes of opposition.

The fact he’s now so open about his cocaine use says something about his personality. Not only is he transparent, a stand-out virtue in politics but he’s also someone people can relate to (he made a mistake, don’t we all?) and strong-willed, gauged by the fact he says he doesn’t want to resign.

And at the end of the day, isn’t it just cool? Torontonians can say their major smokes crack and is bad-ass at his job.[/quote]

Yeah but it is illegal. It’s a felony. That isn’t cool, and it isn’t ok.

Man if some guy off the street makes a mistake once like that, I don’t want to lock him up for 20 years. It was a mistake. But we’re not talking about 20 years in jail, we are talking about a political career. You cannot be a public leader and commit felonies (especially not in the open). Sorry.[/quote]

This.

No idea what drug law is like in Toronto, but assuming that crack cocaine is as highly illegal there as it is here, this fat abrasive dunce was presiding over a government apparatus that was doling out serious–and in some cases life-altering–punishments for doing thing X while he himself was doing thing X.

Same as Spitzer. Do I really care about ending luxury prostitution? No. But don’t send people to prison for something while you’re doing that very thing. That’s the kind of hypocrisy that makes me wish we still administered corporal punishments.

#10

[quote]smh_23 wrote:

[quote]Aragorn wrote:

[quote]Gettnitdone wrote:

Personally I don’t know how I feel about this. On one hand, I want to lambaste this man for being so unprofessional and exhibiting behavior so unbecoming and embarrassing of the most senior political figure in a municipality. On the other hand, I don’t really see it as a big deal if he only did it the once and it isn’t part of a bigger character deficiency that possible influences his leadership and policy decision making.

I’ll say that the most important criteria for which to judge a politician is the level of trust he has with his delegates and electorates. If people approve of the major, trust him and like him; obviously because he’s been getting results and running the city well, then everything else is a circus fueled by the political schemes of opposition.

The fact he’s now so open about his cocaine use says something about his personality. Not only is he transparent, a stand-out virtue in politics but he’s also someone people can relate to (he made a mistake, don’t we all?) and strong-willed, gauged by the fact he says he doesn’t want to resign.

And at the end of the day, isn’t it just cool? Torontonians can say their major smokes crack and is bad-ass at his job.[/quote]

Yeah but it is illegal. It’s a felony. That isn’t cool, and it isn’t ok.

Man if some guy off the street makes a mistake once like that, I don’t want to lock him up for 20 years. It was a mistake. But we’re not talking about 20 years in jail, we are talking about a political career. You cannot be a public leader and commit felonies (especially not in the open). Sorry.[/quote]

This.

No idea what drug law is like in Toronto, but assuming that crack cocaine is as highly illegal there as it is here, this fat abrasive dunce was presiding over a government apparatus that was doling out serious–and in some cases life-altering–punishments for doing thing X while he himself was doing thing X.

Same as Spitzer. Do I really care about ending luxury prostitution? No. But don’t send people to prison for something while you’re doing that very thing. That’s the kind of hypocrisy that makes me wish we still administered corporal punishments.[/quote]

A big fat old BINGO on that post

#11

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Crap forgot the pic, but you get the point[/quote]

LMAO I remeber this turd from high school… The funny part is as I recall nobody in DC gave a shit pretty sure he got re-elected after it came out.

What no hookers?

#12

[quote]thehebrewhero wrote:

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Crap forgot the pic, but you get the point[/quote]

LMAO I remeber this turd from high school… The funny part is as I recall nobody in DC gave a shit pretty sure he got re-elected after it came out.

What no hookers?[/quote]

He went to jail, and then was elected to City Council. Name recognition works bro.

#13

Aaaaand of course who can forget Arnie after a ‘‘Mr. Olympia’’, who also at around the same time period
partook with Tommy Chong in Cali…(a pic of THAT would have been priceless).

#14

[quote]dmaddox wrote:

[quote]thehebrewhero wrote:

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Crap forgot the pic, but you get the point[/quote]

LMAO I remeber this turd from high school… The funny part is as I recall nobody in DC gave a shit pretty sure he got re-elected after it came out.

What no hookers?[/quote]

He went to jail, and then was elected to City Council. Name recognition works bro.
[/quote]

Yeah but after that he was mayor 1995-99… He was Mayor while I was in HS I grew up in DC… Despite the crack he was pretty popular 4 terms as mayor…

crackin

#15

Well, that either says Americans are very forgiving, or very stupid…or both.

#16

[quote]pittbulll wrote:

[quote]Aragorn wrote:

[quote]pittbulll wrote:
I personally do not like the man . That said there are a lot of people that have done drugs and not been caught . There are a lot of people that used to snort Coke . I imagine most of the people that Smoke Coke are lower on the Socioeconomic ladder .

I am guessing why he is coming clean is some one has definitive proof that he is afraid of :)[/quote]

A picture in major new networks and newspapers started this. It’s hard to get more damning than that.[/quote]

I personally do not see how you could distinguish between a crack or pot pie . I have seen pot pipes that are lit from the front just like a crack pipe
[/quote]

How could you not??

#17

[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:

[quote]pittbulll wrote:

[quote]Aragorn wrote:

[quote]pittbulll wrote:
I personally do not like the man . That said there are a lot of people that have done drugs and not been caught . There are a lot of people that used to snort Coke . I imagine most of the people that Smoke Coke are lower on the Socioeconomic ladder .

I am guessing why he is coming clean is some one has definitive proof that he is afraid of :)[/quote]

A picture in major new networks and newspapers started this. It’s hard to get more damning than that.[/quote]

I personally do not see how you could distinguish between a crack or pot pie . I have seen pot pipes that are lit from the front just like a crack pipe
[/quote]

How could you not??[/quote]

You would have to see the contents of the pipe to distinguish

#18

[quote]thehebrewhero wrote:

[quote]dmaddox wrote:

[quote]thehebrewhero wrote:

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Crap forgot the pic, but you get the point[/quote]

LMAO I remeber this turd from high school… The funny part is as I recall nobody in DC gave a shit pretty sure he got re-elected after it came out.

What no hookers?[/quote]

He went to jail, and then was elected to City Council. Name recognition works bro.
[/quote]

Yeah but after that he was mayor 1995-99… He was Mayor while I was in HS I grew up in DC… Despite the crack he was pretty popular 4 terms as mayor…

crackin
[/quote]

AFAIK he is still involved in politics in the city. City Council IIRC. I dunno, I am across the bridge in VA. I saw him at brunch one day though…and he wasn’t smoking crack or banging hookers or making racist comments…