Accordion City’s mayoral election is on October 25th, which makes mayoral candidate Adam Giambrone’s admission to an “inappropriate relationship” incredibly premature. This is the sort of thing we wanted to hear about in the summer!
I have to hand it to the Toronto Star for the photo that accompanies their article on Giambrone’s announcement. It’s wonderfully constructed, with its sly suggestions of both “Giambrone sandwich” and the Madonna-whore complex:
The local media already have already had a wild ride in reporting Giambrone’s attachment status. They’ve already erroneously reported that he was gay, and then married, rather than “long-time-partnered”. After this revelation, that final report might have to be corrected as well.
The Toronto Star’s article is an amusing read, full of fun facts, including:
- The “other woman” is a little on the young side. He’s 32, she’s 20. Giggity!
- He managed to keep both women unaware of the other. Adam, I did this too. But I was nineteen at the time. You’re old enough to know better.
- Heeding the words of Kissinger — “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac” – Adam decided to impress the other woman by giving her important state secrets. Alas, municipal politics is pretty small potatoes, so he had to settle for telling her about the transit fare hike. Laaaame.
- Worshipping false idols: “David Miller is like a god to Adam.”
- “You’re great baby, but you’d kill my chances for election” text messages: “You know I will be announcing I have a partner. It is someone named Sarah, who I’ve been involved with in the past. It is important for the campaign.”
- Saucy text messages: "I still think of you when I need … um … stimulation."
- Relationship-killing text messages: “I am NOT marrying [my girlfriend with whom I live].”
I agree with Dr. Nelson Wiseman, political science prof at the University of Toronto quoted in Posted Toronto’s piece on the subject: this scandal will affect Adam’s personal life more than his campaign. As chair of the Toronto Transit Commission, the cold war between the rapid transit system’s workers and its passengers is far more likely to cost him votes.
9 replies on “No, Adam Giambrone! Too Soon!”
Frankly it’s an incredibly happy accident of timing.
The affair business has changed the focus from “look at what a lousy job you’re doing managing municipal services” to “look what a lousy job you’re doing juggling two relationships”.
Anything that keeps the spotlight off ATU 113’s nascent war with TTC patrons can only help him. The electorate will forgive sexual peccadilloes; it won’t forgive the appearance of being in bed with a union that’s actively hostile to the general public.
I disagree; this will hurt his campaign. This man has so many distractions in his life, it’s no wonder the TTC is providing such terrible service with Adam in charge. Now that the scandal is public he has yet another distraction. His campaign has taken a big hit.
“She was 19 when it started folks! We’ve just pulled into Yonge station.”
As a followup to my last comment, anybody who publicly says that David Miller is like a god has torpedoed their campaign.
It’s unfortunate that in the photo that the Star is using, Sarah resembles Sarah Palin. We’re supposed to support her, not be fixated on the resemblance.
Thoughts:
I’m wondering why the affair had to be leaked in the first place.
I’m also wondering if “Have affair with woman younger than your wife or girlfriend” is in a copy of “The Idiots Guide to Becoming a Politician”, found in both the “self help” and “politics” sections of your local bookstore. I agree (in jest) that the affair was premature; not because it’s too far in advance of the election, but because city politics is too low for such an affair. Dude, wait until your in provincial office or better yet, a member of Parliament!
Neither Giambrone nor Lucas are telling complete truth. They both have asses to cover. Only they know what really happened.
Oh Adam.
I just want someone, anyone, to come forward who cares about quality of life, and building intelligent greening policies, in the City of Toronto more than their own needs.
Adam is the penultimate in self-involvement. Anyone who has had the misfortune to be in his Ward, Ward 18, knows his history as the most self-serving, unpleasant, and two-faced politician imaginable, and it is better this came out sooner than later. I feel sorry for his girlfriend- she deserves much better, which will not be hard to find.
If Adam is penultimate, who is the ultimate?
Harper.
If Torontonians had the brains to stop blocking a Harper majority or to elect someone like Harper as mayor we wouldn’t have to deal with half the crises which we currently face.
What frighting judgment Ex-patriot has – s/he must also think of David Miller as a god.
Well, it hurt him all right—Giambrone withdrew his candidacy for mayor today. But Miller is fighting for him to keep his job as TTC chairman.
I would rather Giambrone keep his mayoral candidacy and relinquish the TTC chairmanship.