This is an actual transcript of Rob Ford, whose campaign manager had requested this interview, talking to the national radio program "As It Happens" the evening of his election.
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.
Carol Off: Uh-huh—
Rob Ford: So, um, yeah, no, people are just fed up with, uh, with, you know, uh, politicians squandering, uh, hard-earned tax dollars, and they know that I'm gonna get rid of the sixty-dollar car registration tax and the land transfer tax.
Carol Off: Well you know that your campaign has been compared to Mike Harris's Common Sense Revolution, to the Tea Party movement, do you see those comparisons?
Rob Ford: I don't see [inaudible] comparisons [inaudible] what, I don't care [laughs]. I just, I just know, know the taxpayers, uh, want, uh, you know, the gravy train to come to an end, and that, uh, Rob Ford's the guy to do it, and uh [inaudible]—
Carol Off: Do you think there are similarities?
Rob Ford: And, and, I don't, I don't see there's any similarities, I just know that, uh, like I said, uh, I'm, you know, gonna put an end to the wasteful spending, and, uh...you know, stop the gravy train—sorry, I'm being distracted [inaudible] so...
Carol Off: So—
Rob Ford: So, that's pretty well it.
Carol Off: Mr. Ford, do you think that though there's not people that who might think that their taxes are too high, or that too much is being spent on things? There seems to be a division in this city. People, in the, ah, you've seen it in even your voting: people who live in the more of the core of the city have different priorities than people in the suburbs. So when you stop the gravy train, some people want to see more public transportation, more bike lanes...
Rob Ford: Right...
Carol Off: ...others want to see better routes out into the suburbs. how are you going to reconcile that?
Rob Ford: Well the first, well the first and foremost concern with people—is money. That's the first and foremost concern. So, I'm gonna make sure our finances, um, you know, are well taken care of, and then we can deal with all the other issues, but uh, money's the first and foremost concern, and, uh, that's what my uh, what I'm gonna concentrate on.
Carol Off: Well sure, that's everyone's concern, but we're not sure what it is that you're going to save moneyon. Are you going to reduce public transportation?
Rob Ford, interrupting: Well I just told you that I'm gonna get rid of the sixty-dollar car registration tax and land transfer tax, so, um, maybe I'm not making myself clear, but I'm gonna get rid of the sixty-dollar car registration tax and land transfer tax. And we're gonna stop the wasteful spending, and not have $12,000 retirement parties, and you know, all the other nonsense that's been going on for seven years.
Carol Off: Um—
Rob Ford, interrupting: Anyways, I gotta let you go here. And, uh...
Carol Off: Well, can I ask you about public transportation before you go?
Rob Ford: Pardon me? I can't talk to you right now—I'm really, I'm on a really tight schedule, so I hate to be rude, but I gotta let you go, and we can chat another time. Really nice talking to you, all the best, buh-bye.
As the man says, "THAT'S PRETTY WELL IT."
So, he's a little one-note, eh? I feel for you. It's a little scary here in NY State right now as we prepare to elect a new governor. I have an idea. You know how when you go skiing, you get a sticker telling you to ski in control? (Always makes me laugh.) Well, I think before we cast a vote in an election, we should be given a little sticker that reminds us to "vote in control." Voting's gotta be at least as dangerous as skiing.
ReplyDeleteVoting is MORE dangerous than skiing, Mary! When you ski like a moron, at least you only hurt yourself.
ReplyDeleteThere's a map in the paper today - just as in the US there's red and blue, here the inner city core voted 100% for the other guy, and the suburbs voted 100% for the idiot.
Ah well. Nothing to do but laugh. Well ... and cry sometimes, too.