Ford

December 17, 2013; National Post

Being in love means never having to say you’re sorry, unless you happen be Brenda Lee singing those words. Earlier this week, controversial Toronto mayor Rob Ford made a crack about the Toronto City Council’s alleged corruption, an off-the-cuff, heat-of-the-moment statement that he sort of regretted the next day. However, unlike Brenda Lee, Ford is a little less graceful in issuing apologies.

But you make the judgment. For your review, here are the apologies of Brenda Lee and Rob Ford:

Brenda Lee’s “I’m Sorry”

I’m sorry, so sorry
That I was such a fool
I didn’t know
Love could be so cruel
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-yes

You tell me mistakes
Are part of being young
But that don’t right
The wrong that’s been done

(I’m sorry) I’m sorry
(So sorry) So sorry
Please accept my apology
But love is blind
And I was too blind to see

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-yes

You tell me mistakes
Are part of being young
But that don’t right
The wrong that’s been done
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-yes

I’m sorry, so sorry
Please accept my apology
But love was blind
And I was too blind to see

Mayor Rob Ford’s Apology

Ford: “I can’t remember exactly what it was that was said…. I said I withdraw the comments that I made to say if there were any corrupt councilors…I’m not quite sure what I said, but it that’s something like that, so I withdraw that.”

Council President Frances Nunziata: “You need to say ‘I apologize.’”

Ford: “How about ‘I am so sorry?’ Is that as good as, ‘I apologize?’”

Ford: “Which one do you want, Madam Speaker? Like super, super, super, super, super, super, super, sorry?”

Ford: “Do you want me to withdraw it, do you want me to say ‘I’m sorry,’ do you to say ‘I apologize,’ do you want me to dance around?”

Something tells us that Ford’s juvenile response wasn’t wholly sincere.

What does this have to do with nonprofits? We’re not really sure, but the crack-smoking mayor of Toronto is a goldmine for Canadian journalists, and we’re very jealous.—Rick Cohen