Harper Rolls Out the Welcome Mat to Obama

I don’t know whether I am sad or just plain miffed. No. I am not angry.

Let’s start with miffed … yes, you could say I am. President Obama and his entourage flew into my nation’s capital to meet with our Prime Minister, Steven Harper. This was Obama’s first trip outside the United States and I hope that our hospitality was worthy of our esteemed guest. It was a quick visit as visits go, a scant six hours, but that’s enough time for a sit down, perhaps a bite or two, a bon mot here and there, and some serious stuff to put on the table. Our media was all over the event … air waves crackling across the country reporting on this visit. Soooo…. I checked, what was the coverage like in the President’s home country? Hmmmm… I wonder, do the Americans even know that their President is out of the country? Does anyone care?

Here are some items that were considered to be more newsworthy by the media in the United States:

- Tiger Woods is going to play again … well of course that will make a difference to the state of affairs in the US
- George Clooney had something to say on Darfur … who better to quote on a poignant political issue than a movie star?
- Mortgage plan won’t help all … lets all get on the pity train for the victims of this economic fallout
- Pill could help you forget bad memories …. Whaaaaaa???? Oh yes, there was a book or something written about this being A Prozac Nation.

MSNBC made mention of “Obama, Harper Talk Economy”.

Canada is the United States’ largest trade partner. We are the next door neighbor. We share the world’s longest border. But a visit by the US President is not worth more than a cursory nod by their media.

And that makes me sad, not for Canada but for the US. How can a country so big and so powerful be so insular. I love Americans and often feel like a lone voice crying out in the wilderness defending them. I think that the US gets a bums rap. But you know, I have to say, when I travel in the US I don’t see much coverage of things outside of the US. Yes, there is CNN but its always the same old, same old. Unless the United States is somehow involved in something, rarely is there any coverage of matters of importance happening in other parts of the world.

I remember being in the US during one of the summer Olympics. Even though this was a holiday we took time to watch the events on TV. It soon became clear that the only events that were being covered were those in which the American athletes had a better than middling chance of standing on the podium. There was no mention of how other countries were doing --- and I don’t mean the small countries which may have copped only a medal or two, although that would have been a good thing to cover in the spirit of the games --- I mean the bigger ones that took home enough hardware to sink a yacht or two.

I think the American public deserves better. I think that their media should show a bit more of the world to their people … I mean I do love their national pride, but I think there would be innumerable good done if their interest of the world spilled over to other borders, and, oh hey! I think George Clooney is a hunk but he ain’t no Prime Minister and he ain’t no President and he does not represent his country in any official capacity.

Hmmm….maybe there might be some coverage on the evening news? Da ya think? Maybe?

8.58 PM... Postscript ... Finally!!!! Cooper Anderson on 360. YES!

Harper, Obama video