One of the mysteries of Rob Ford's political popularity is that he seems to be both a pathological liar and have a high degree of personal authenticity.But if authenticity means that someone is who they present themselves to be, can both be true? The answer is yes and Ford shows us why.Let's start with his popular image, which can be summed up in three traits. First, he is an ordinary guy who thinks and talks like other ordinary people.Second, as a politician, Ford governs in ways ordinary people can understand: He shows up at their houses to check on a power failure or calls them on the phone to discuss plans for a new park.Finally, the Mayor never misses a chance to say how he is working to reduce taxes and stand up to the downtown elites who want to line their pockets with taxpayers' money.Ford thus casts himself as a plain-talking guy from the suburbs who just wants ordinary people to be treated fairly and with respect. And if that were the end of it, there would be no issue about his authenticity.But it's not the end. A stream of videos and reports paints a very different picture of the man. In these, he surfaces as a liar, a bully and a bigot, as well as a drunk and possibly an addict.Does that mean the first Rob Ford is inauthentic or a lie? Actually, no—there has always been more to this version of the man than what we read in the caption below the image.Ford has found a way to transform his inner hostility into a remarkable political strength. The secret of his success lies in the art of saying one thing while meaning another.Today, lots of ordinary people in Toronto and elsewhere have growing doubts about liberal values. They believe our public sensitivities around such things as equality, tolerance and respect have gone too far.They worry that our leaders are too accommodating—even deferential—to minorities, immigrants, gays and other “special interest groups.” (Witness the debates in Quebec over “reasonable accommodation” or its Charter of Values.)But the people who hold these views are often reluctant to speak up because they know they are out of step with the mainstream.So they pay lip-service to equality, tolerance and respect, while being privately resentful about where these values are taking their community.Often this reaches beyond frustrations with political correctness and into the more dangerous territory of bigotry, misogyny, racism and homophobia.Thus while gay rights are finally being recognized, we know that homophobia is alive and well in our communities. The same goes for racism and sexism.Indeed, while Canadians may be making real progress on equality, tolerance and respect, scratch the surface and all kinds of tribalism is still going on below.Ford's political style plays into this. What his popular image fails to convey is his skill at incorporating all kinds of signals that legitimate feelings like these—even if this darker side is now clear from the videos and reports.Of course, populists have employed hot-button politics since the beginning, but I think there is something different and new about Ford's case—and it takes us back to the issue of authenticity.Politics today is a world where spin, hypocrisy and even bare-faced lies are widely seen as part of the business. Perhaps they always were, but the public today is increasingly educated about the game. We have learned to expect all forms of deception and to recognize them when we see them.So much so that we often fail even to react to political spin or lies, just as we no longer react to advertisements that tell us a product is “revolutionary” or “a miracle solution.” We simply shrug and discount this as 'noise.'Ford's political genius lies in how he has capitalized on the public's growing sophistication around how spin works and our willingness to live openly with the deceit. This makes it possible to openly engage in a kind of politics he obviously believes in, but could never defend out loud.Basically, it lets him say without ever really saying that it's okay for people to believe many of the offensive things they believe. And for their part, the public is sophisticated enough to get the message.The ordinary people of Ford Nation thus identify with Ford because he has found a public way to acknowledge and legitimize their feelings and loyalties, even though these are at odds with the official culture.Ford is thus a totem for a new kind of political discourse. We might call it the open lie. And it is turning out to be a powerful formula for winning.But to be fair, not much is hidden in the process. If Ford's message remains unspoken, neither is it a secret. Nor is he trying to make it one. Indeed, it's all pretty obvious and, in this sense, transparent.As for Ford, well…essentially, he is pretty much what he presents himself to be. Presumably, that is why even his enemies tend to see him as authentic.Dr. Don Lenihan is Chair of the Ontario Open Government Engagement Team and Senior Associate at Canada's Public Policy Forum in Ottawa. He is an internationally recognized expert on democracy and public engagement, accountability and service delivery. Don's latest book, Rescuing Policy: The Case for Public Engagement is an introduction to the field of public engagement, a blueprint for change, and a sustained argument for the need to rethink the public policy process. The views expressed here are those of the columnist alone. Don can be reached at: [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at: @DonLenihan