prepared to go buy oxycontin. >> reporter: even she was stunned when after every gaffe and scandal, his poll numbers went up. >> people in the city were tired of a tax and spend liberal mayor. the suburbs wanted in and that is rob ford. >> he is the guy you want to have a beer with? >> or a few. >> reporter: and while mayor mccrack turned city hall into a global punch line, just imagine what it is like to be rob ford's runner up. >> that was at the highest moment of the tea party. >> reporter: his name was george smitherman, and in 2010, he was known as the openly gay premier, who presided over the botched roll out of e health, a plan to modernize the health care system. yeah, they even used one of the same contractors, cgi that brought us healthcare.gov. >> the right wing will probably tell you there is a conspiracy and a billion dollars went missing. none of that is true. >> reporter: now, here is the ironic part, when smitherman admitted to a drug addiction to