Crisis Communication Response and Political Communities: The Unusual Case of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford

Abstract

Researchers have examined the efficacy of crisis response strategies, which are intended to maintain or gain legitimacy after a serious incident. However, the video allegedly showing Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack provides an interesting case that reveals a blind spot in political crisis response theory: the factor of partisan community. This article suggests that crises should be seen not as types but as breaks in the discourses of communities. Ford’s response was not an example of poor crisis communication response because he acted in ways that were acceptable within his partisan community. The article suggests that crisis communication researchers and practitioners must first understand the norms and values of the political community in question before selecting crisis response strategies.