Rob Ford’s PR stunts getting lamer

Rob Ford continues to embark on a mayoral campaign that goes against all conventional public relations wisdom. The latest move took place late in the day yesterday when he held an impromptu press conference outside his office to announce that Ben Johnson and a Trailer Park boy have joined his campaign team. This may be the lamest of moves yet.

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Ford did not clearly explain what Johnson's role would be or why he is joining the team. It is also reported that Ford's office refused comment and did not return media inquiries about the announcement.

Johnson is well known for being stripped of his Olympic Gold medal in the 1988 Seoul Olympics after he tested positive for a banned substance.

This is just another publicity stunt that leaves mere mortals scratching their heads wondering what could Ford possibly gain by linking himself to a disgraced sprinter who went on to be a spokesperson for "Cheetah" sports drinks.

But wait, Ford also has links to drug dealers, convicted criminals, crack houses and is OK being a mayor who talks publicly about being in a drunken stupor. Compared to these antics, hiring Ben Johnson is a bit of a yawner. It's not even shocking. It is more lame optics. Sure Ford is getting lots of twitter traction. The jokes and guffaws are lighting up the news feed. But it really is more annoying than interesting. The video from the press conference is completely boring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq-hSNrQQTU

Stunts like this may even tip the ever loyal Ford Nation over the edge to a saner and safer world. Perhaps the Ford camp is running out of tricks. They continue to transcend a strategic, traditional election campaign model. Rob Ford's PR moves have been so lame, so easy to criticize, that we all have to wonder what his next move will be. Maybe that is what it is all about ... the anticipation of what he will stoop to next.