It’s been another tumultuous start to the week for embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. Between a city council vote that stripped Ford of even more mayoral powers and a series of interviews with various media outlets, the Ford saga continues to gain international attention.
Here are some of the most remarkable quotes from Rob Ford this week:
Admitting to CNN that he has made mistakes in the past:
“I made mistakes, I drank too much, I smoked some crack some time. What can I say? I made a mistake, I’m human.”
Defending himself in an interview with CNN’s Bill Weir:
“I’m not an addict! Why would I go and say I’m an addict when I’m not an addict. I’m not an alcoholic, I’m not a drug addict.”
Answering questions about his denials when first confronted with accusations of crack use earlier this year:
“I didn’t lie. I don’t smoke crack, I haven’t smoked crack in over a year.”
Answering Today’s Matt Lauer about whether the ‘drunken stupor’ excuse should make people feel better about the crack cocaine admission:
“No, not at all. But show me the video …”
Matt Lauer, interrupting: “Why does the video matter?”
“Because I want to see it. I can’t even barely remember it. I was very, very inebriated.”
Comparing city council vote that stripped him of more powers to Saddam Hussein attacking Kuwait:
“This folks, reminds me of when Saddam attacked Kuwait and President Bush said ‘I warn you, I warn you, I warn you, do not.’ Well folks, if you think American-style politics is nasty, you guys have just attacked Kuwait.”
Promising a tough election battle next year:
“Mark my words my friends, this is going to be outright war in the next election and I’m going to do everything in my power, everything in my power to beat you guys.”
Telling AM640 why he thinks city councillors are determined to kick him out of office:
“They don’t like me saving money, that’s the bottom line.”
Speaking to ABC's Linsey Davis after Monday's contentious vote:
“All they did was stab me in the back over issues ... (the) same issues that I’ve admitted to, that they do, but nobody knows about it.”
Calling for a snap election, confident that he would win if the decision was put to the people of Toronto:
“Let’s have an election right now. If they want me out, let’s call a snap election.”
Telling AM640 he's considering legal action against city councillors who voted to strip him of his mayoral powers:
"I'm going to have to take these guys to court. What am I supposed to do, sit here and let these guys pound me for saving money and try to embarrass me? That's all it comes down to."
Responding to Today's Matt Lauer of if he’d be capable of handling a crisis situation in Toronto if it occurred when he was on a drinking binge:
“I’m very fortunate that that hasn’t happened. It’s very few isolated incidents that it’s happened. … But that could happen with anybody at any time. Say you’ve gone out drinking, or you’re ever drunk, and say something happened to your family…"
Matt Lauer, interrupting: "The lives of a million people aren’t relying on my decisions."
“Hold on … Say your son or daughter has just gotten killed in a car accident and you’re plastered out of your mind at 3 a.m. Are you going to be able to handle that?
Lauer: "I take personal responsibility for my family. You’ve got taxpayers and residents of this city depending on you."
"And I take personal responsibility for them, too."
Telling CNN’s Bill Weir why he decided to come clean about his past crack use:
“I’m not going to run around and be phony and lie, and I’m not going to have someone try to blackmail me and say they have a video of this over my head.”
Answering CNN’s Bill Weir when asked if it is appropriate for a mayor of a city to be smoking crack:
“I don’t look at myself as the mayor, I look at myself as just a normal, regular person.”
Telling Today's Matt Lauer about what specific treatment he’s receiving:
“No, I’m not in any alcohol treatment program, I’m not in any drug treatment program. I have a weight issues. I’ve been training every day.”
Answering ABC’s Linsey Davis about running again for office, and possibly even for Prime Minister:
“I’m dealing with healthcare professionals on a number of issues. Just leave it at that. Talk is cheap. Come back in five months and if you don’t see a difference … You can say, ‘Rob, I don’t believe you. Go take a drug test or a urine test or an alcohol test.’ No problem.”
Telling councillors that their motion to limit his powers as mayor is undemocratic:
“This is nothing more than a coup d’état. And if you don’t know what a coup d’état means, it means that you’re overruling the government.”
Accusing CNN and other media outlets of dishonesty and spinning the truth:
“It’s typical media: you guys are the same, you’re all cut from the same cloth, you guys can spin it any way you want.”
