Scott Thompson: If Doug Ford wants to be transparent, he’s off to a shaky start

The Ontario PC Party’s Doug Ford campaign has decided not to have a media bus follow him around on the campaign trail this election.

Normally each candidate for the premiership has a bus for various media outlet members which makes coverage of the campaign more efficient and economical.

0:50 PC Leader Doug Ford won’t have a media bus for his campaign

WATCH ABOVE: Doug Ford won’t have a media bus for his campaign

The Ford camp says a bus is not needed now. Technology allows the party to stream everything live right to any news desk.

However, a media bus that follows a campaign from town to town sees all sides of the candidate, not just those the party wants you to see.

Whatever the reason is, it’s bad optics and something the PCs need to correct if they want to be seen as truly transparent and different from the status quo.

Ford alluded on my show that his family has been scrutinized like no other (and they have) and isn’t afraid to show the warts all families have.

Great, so why the closed party now?

Pundits say it’s because Ford is liable to go off script, and the fear is, be misinterpreted in the media.

1:45 Doug Ford puts the brakes on media bus for reporters covering election campaign

WATCH ABOVE: Doug Ford puts the brakes on media bus for reporters covering election campaign

Isn’t it that “common man” approach that has got him this far? Why change now?

Here’s a better question, why do anything out of the ordinary other than promote your campaign and vision for Ontario?

This is exactly the sort of sideshow that got John Tory and Tim Hudak in trouble, and more importantly, it is not needed.

What the PCs are doing to protect Ford from the media may be worse than what has attracted so many to him.

Scott Thompson hosts The Scott Thompson Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.