Rob Ford at first city meeting since rehab

(Update)

Rob Ford had his first full day back at Toronto city hall since a two-month stint in rehab. Once again, the mayor of Toronto chose to speak to just a few particular news outlets.

Ford laughed and joked through much of his first post-rehab executive council meeting, drinking what appeared to be water from a beer mug in front of him. But security around him was tight as he bustled past reporters to and from the meeting, ignoring questions. why?

Doug Ford is Rob’s brother and campaign manager: “You’ll have to ask security. I’m sure they’ll address it. Maybe they’re scared of the media.”

Rob Ford did consent to some one on one broadcast interviews. It was the first time he consented to answer questions from reporters since returning from rehab.

Ford had a one-on-one interview with CBC during the noon hour; he had another scheduled for later this afternoon and has cancelled another interview that had been scheduled with CTV.

He was asked to describe a now infamous picture.

Rob Ford: “That’s exactly what it is. A crack pipe. What was happening? I was smoking crack.”

He says he did drink at city hall, but the illegal drug use was all on his own time: “(Marijuana, heroin, crack, the gamut?) You name it, I covered it.”

And he kept coming back to the point that he has a disease: “I was born with blond hair, I’m going to die with blond hair. I was born with this disease. Gonna die with this disease.”

Mayoralty candidate John Tory: “We got some answers today, a longer list of drugs for example.”

Mayoral rival John Tory says Ford failed to apologize for the racism and homophobia: “I think these things are either in you or they’re not. They can’t be coaxed out by other people or by alcohol or drugs if they’re not in you to start with.”

“You’re a corrupt lying racist homophobe. Answer the people’s questions. You liar. You racist.” This East York teacher’s tirade during the Canada Day parade has him trending as the shirtless jogger on Twitter. Doug Ford says he’s the bad example for children: “He was a ranting raving lunatic and to have him as a teacher is an embarrassment.”

Rob Ford said his lawyer won’t let him talk to police or answer any questions about criminality — John Tory says if he can’t answer basic questions, he can’t govern and he should resign.