So … I was in the middle of a sentence writing this blog, when I realized that I had a funeral to attend that started in 20 minutes. I jumped up from the computer and had to rush across town … Giving you a half completed post. Here’s the update:
It’s always interesting when we have both a Canadian and an American election in the same year (heck, how about a month apart?). I am amazed at the difference in both how the campaigns are run, and how the media (and people) take in the campaigns.
The past two weeks, the American media has been focused on the two conventions. First, Barack Obama
accepted his nomination for the presidency, then John McCain
accepted his. Both men have qualities I like, and both have a few I question.
Over the next few months, the American media will speak of nothing but this campaign. The focus will be on everything from their stand on policy to their personal lives.
In Canada, we will struggle to care about our election. We’ll paint broad strokes about all candidates and will listen to groups like the Green Party and the Marijuana Party complain that they don’t get equal time in the media. For the most part, it will be a three pony show, with no candidate offering the charisma anywhere close to our American counterparts.
I wish we did our conventions like the Americans. I wish we cared a little more about who leads our country. But we don’t. I don’t. I’ll be more focused on the Sens pre-season — who will make up the six starting defencemen? Will they keep Alfie, Spezza and Heatly together? How will we fair in nets?
It is in times like this that we really do see the differences between our two countries.
