Clad in a neon pink blazer for all the "pinkos out there that ride bicycles," Don Cherry used his opening remarks at Mayor Rob Ford's inauguration Tuesday to blast the "left-wing media."
The Hockey Night In Canada personality upstaged Toronto's new mayor with a rant about his treatment at the hands of the media since it was announced last week that he would be Mr. Ford's special guest at council's ceremonial first meeting.
"I am befuddled because I just thought I was doing a good thing coming down with Ron, Rob and I thought it was going to be nice and the whole deal. I've been being ripped to shreds by the left-wing pinko newspapers out there. It's unbelievable," Mr. Cherry said.
He said some articles attacked the fact that he attends church, while others called him, "maudlin for the troops."
"[This is] what you're going to be facing Rob with these left-wing pinkos. They scrape the bottom of the barrel," Mr. Cherry said.
His sign off: "He's going to be the greatest mayor this city has ever, ever seen as far I'm concerned. Put that in your pipes you left-wing kooks."
Mr. Cherry's speech was at odds with the light and friendly tone of the rest of the ceremony, which featured a rendition of the national anthem and each of Toronto's 44 councillors taking a picture with a beaming Mayor Ford.
Some of the mayor's likely council foes playfully punched him in the arm and kissed him on the cheek.
Mr. Ford went on to deliver a speech praising the taxpayers and comparing himself to Toronto's first mayor, William Lyon Mackenzie. "He fought against privilege and for the little guy. My plan is to be more successful than he was," Mr. Ford said.
Kelly Grant