DC

Monday May 7, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Monday May 7, 2012

Rob Ford versus the Toronto Star

The great thing about Toronto is how sophisticated it is. A World Class, big league city, as it continually reminds itself, right up there with New York, London and Paris. Major league. So-o-o-o-o cosmopolitan. Hip and cool. Celebrities come here all the time.

So here’s what’s going on in the New Paris right now: The mayor and the city’s biggest newspaper are having a feud. It actually started well before the mayor, Rob Ford, won the last election, when The Toronto Star did everything it could to defeat him, based on their contention that he’s an ignoramus. Ford won anyway and The Star, sulking, has spent much of its time since then lampooning his weight. Yes, the newspaper that’s all about human dignity and respect for the individual can’t shut up about the fact the mayor weighs 300 pounds.

Ford, figuring The Star’s never going to give him a fair hearing anyway, refuses to talk to them. Everything gets very childish, with The Star constantly moaning about being shut out of the communications loop. It’s all about freedom of the press and the mayor’s responsibility to represent all voters, not just those he likes, or the ones who voted for him. They take every opportunity to belittle him, and he gives them lots of material to work with, making a big show of refusing to attend the annual gay pride parade, and treating council like a rubber stamp until its members get fed up and rebel against him, shooting down his cherished plan to expand the subway system.

The Star isn’t satisfied with attacking the mayor’s political record, though. They want to go at him personally. They send a reporter up to snoop around his cottage, because he said he’d prefer to be there rather than at the gay pride parade. When he applies to buy some park land near his house so he can build a security fence, they send a reporter to sniff around the neighbourhood and take pictures.(Source: National Post) 

 

Wednesday March 7, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday March 7, 2012

Super Tuesday voters have their say in GOP race

Mitt Romney is angling to solidify his front-runner status and Rick Santorum to keep it a two-man race as voters in 10 states put Super Tuesday’s imprint on the Republican presidential contest. Newt Gingrich just hopes to keep his struggling campaign alive with a strong showing in Georgia.

With Ohio looming large in the Super Tuesday lineup, textbook editor Heather Froelich outside Columbus gave her vote to Romney, saying: “He understands the economy.”

Enthusiasm was in short supply among some of those casting ballots.

Mr. Gingrich got a reluctant vote from Tricia Tetrault, in Edmond, Okla., where she explained her decision this way: “Ronald Reagan wasn’t available any more. What can I say?”

Mr. Santorum got the support of contractor Matt Howells in suburban Cleveland, but Mr. Howells didn’t expect his ballot would count for much.

With 419 delegates at stake around the country, Tuesday’s voting represents a sizable slice of the 1,144 needed to nail down the GOP nomination.

Mr. Romney, who turned back Mr. Santorum in a close contest in Michigan last week, hoped to continue his winning trend. He has won four consecutive contests, including Saturday’s Washington caucuses.

The GOP front-runner, trying to keep his focus on President Barack Obama, used a speech Tuesday before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee to argue he’d be more effective at containing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Mr. Santorum and Mr. Gingrich, too, addressed the committee and faulted the president’s record on Iran and the Mideast. (Source: Globe & Mail)