Extracts from Obama seeks to woo Canadians
By Kevin Connolly
BBC News,
In a few hours from now we will know if the political earthquake that got Barack Obama elected in the
On the one hand, Canadians appear to like Mr Obama rather more than they like their own politicians - he has scored approval ratings here of nearly 90%.
On the other, reasonable, multilateralist, compromise-loving
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is a Conservative who leads a minority government, and it would be fair to say that he has avoided the temptations of charisma in doing so…………..
The contrast with the new American president could hardly be greater……….
Mr Harper's own modest electoral success a month earlier - when he increased his minority government's share of seats in
He does not like giving news conferences, and Canadian reporters say he likes to control what questions they are allowed to ask…………
You might find, by the way, that you do not get much of a chance to judge any of this for yourself since when the two leaders meet the press reporters have been told they are confined to a total of four questions shared between the two leaders (two in English and two in French).
That suggests that the media management is in the hands of the reticent Mr Harper, rather than his more glamorous counterpart.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/americas/7898464.stm
Stumble It!
How about, zero charisma?
Obama, on the other hand, if we are all going to be entirely honest, only has "charisma" to the degree that he is black and is the new boy on the block, and as such still has the girls all gah-gah because he looks and talks good. They/we are yet to discover whether or not he has the capacity to deliver the goods. There's more to the ballgame than looking and talking the talk good.
Even the ladies have been known to change their minds on a good looking, sweet talking man... if he fails to actually deliver, or is proven to be incapable of delivering.
Charisma is an ephemeral thing, that can evaporate as quickly as it appeared.
Far better to have actual substance any day.
Coyote
Coyote
The thing which makes Barack Obama different, is that men as well as women are drawn to him for the best of reasons: hope.
They're not hoping to dance a sweaty tropical Tango or anything remotely like that. People simply want the world to snap out of its loathsome gutter-crawl ... and they think they see the kind of man who personifies that ideal. I think it's the substance they're seeing -- and which gives them such strong hope.
I suppose you could say that people are embracing Obama because he isn't George Bush, or Cheney, or Reagan, or Oliver North, or Nixon ... but that's OK, too. My god, people have suffered enough. It's good to see so many happy faces. Good to see people thinking beyond their own selfish needs as they realize that it's still possible to build a better world. I think they're just hoping this smart, clean, wholesome high-achiever can understand that kind of change. And make a start on it.
I think: yes, he can.
I think: yes, he can. Writes BC Mary.
Optimism is indeed a wonderful thing. And it is pleasing, even for me, to see these smiling, hopeful and adoring faces that gaze upon the new Black Lord made flesh amongst us, no doubt. I have however, as I know have you as well, seen these adoring, hopeful faces before. (They were looking upon the young Kennedy brothers. "Ask not what your country... blah, blah, blah.")
I will wait a bit outside the Church here though, Mary, to see how this new face on an old ruling class regime fares first. Optimism/hope is truly a precious thing. But like I say, having seen the scrubbed face, believing masses prostrate before this alter before,looking not unlike blissed out Hare Krishna, you will have to excuse me if I am less hopeful, even more cynical. (There is just too much in the content of his actions, riding to the rescue of the wealthy, and to beef up the war in Afghanistan, that is Bush reminiscent.)
Prove you to be right, I will be the first to acknowledge it, good woman. And I will never say, "I told you so.", if it is otherwise Your intentions are always too honourable for me to do that to you.
Coyote