Star's advice for mayor on how to get re-elected

Michael Cooke

To hear Star Editor-in-Chief Michael Cooke tell it, his employer just wants to help Rob Ford get re-elected. "If he goes into re-hab, he'll get re-elected," the doughty Mr. Cooke insisted as he rebutted  Stephen LeDrew's questions on CP24. LeDrew wondered how any of Canada's great leaders could have gotten elected if the Toronto Star has been on their case the way the paper has dogged Mr. Ford. Cooke said the paper was just as interested in previous mayors (he mentioned David Miller) but they wouldn't talk, Cooke noted. Mr. Ford's problems were all out in the open, said the Star editor. Overall, the Star's Editor-in-Chief evaded LeDrew's curiosity about its sources. Mr. Cooke insisted that the many anonymous contributors to the front page screamer were the  Mayor's friends. "They love this guy," said Mr, Cooke.  He also said the Star would not be suing the mayor for calling its reporters "pathological liars" despite the mayor's invitation. The mayor, through his brother, has said that Mr. Ford will not be suing the Star for its accusations although as we note below, the things said in the story seem highly actionable and potentially, if they cannot be proved, monetarily quite damaging.   Previous post