bats

He's hanging on in there, says he doesn't go out of the house much these days.

So my replacements will be Yoko Ono and Burt Reynolds. Burt for the joker.

withabix

He didn't look a day over 65.

Trouble is he was only 46

bats

Change of plan, Glen Campbell and Burt Reynolds. Glen for joker please. Could someone update the spreadsheet for me. I can't do it on here

DaveLovesDee

Done.

bats

thank you!

How's life treating you these days? Where are you?

Shirtback

I was a bit shocked to discover he was younger than me

Oink

I always felt sorry for him, he looked like a very lonely and unhappy man. He became pilloried in public opinion and the international press bullied an overweight and desperate man. To me he seemed like quite nice bloke and who amongst us doesn't like the odd drink and a cheeky toot now and again?

DaveLovesDee

We're good thanks. We're currently living in the UK.

How are you?

caretaker

The whole family's mobbed up though, despite all the sincerity and engaging personality they shouldn't be in any kind of politics.

DaveLovesDee

Is this opinion through personal knowledge, or through the media?

caretaker

What do you think?

DaveLovesDee

I think that despite being constantly harassed by the Toronto media vultures regarding his personal life, he did what he could to save Toronto taxpayers money and tried to rein in City Council.

He was an average man who made the effort to try and change politics, and was hounded for his failings by Council and media while other Councillors with failings got a free pass.

Rob Ford wasn't perfect, but he made a change from career politicians who seem to be only in it for themselves.

I've answered your question. #WhatDoYouThink

BristolUK

Didn't his personal life impact rather significantly on his political life?

Oakvillian

I share the opinion of a number of commentators over the last couple of days. He was OK as a local-level community activist, maybe even OK as a city councillor, where stuff like visiting public housing tenants to arrange to have their bathtaps fixed might cut some ice. But he was way, way out of his depth as mayor, had no clue how to do the job, shunned advice from those who initially set out to help him, and the stress caused by that contributed in no small measure to the escalation of his drinking and drug abuse. The fact that he had a very small circle of friends but a much wider entourage of sycophantic supporters helped to precipitate his downfall. It's rather a sad story, and there's plenty to be sympathetic about.

But that doesn't change the fact that he was a drug-abusing, wife-beating drunk.

ETA: He was, of course, an abject failure as mayor. His magical gravy train didn't exist. Housing repair backlog increased hugely. Transit infrastructure planning and investment was stymied by political bickering, encouraged and enthusiastically joined by the mayor. Budgets were only balanced by slashing services (including cutting many TTC bus routes, which hurt most exactly the sort of "common people" whom Ford professed to be working for). Cuts to other city services (libraries, parks and rec) sere the inevitable result of a dogmatic pursuit of "small government" and low taxation. It will take the city a long time to recover.

DaveLovesDee

Not to the extent the media would have everyone believe.

Joe Warmington is both a Ford critic and supporter.

Toronto Star

CBC

Edmonton Sun - Warmington on Rob Ford admitting he smoked crack