Are Harper and Obama going to be buddies?

[Tyr]

Hmmm. A harvard educated, highly articulate legal mind and a former mail clerk... If they get to be "buddies", it will be due to the extreme sympathy Obama feels for Stevie.

It'd be kinda like that old cartoon "Spike and Chester"



If we ever get a "real" leader, that might change, but at this point the best we can hope for is sympathy

The irony is that Obama's first foreign trip as president is being billed as the political equivalent of a business lunch at Tim Hortons, with nary a bit of the pomp and circumstance that other foreign leaders have been treated with in Ottawa.
Unlike former presidents such as Franklin Roosevelt, Bill Clinton, John F. Kennedy or Dwight Eisenhower, Obama will not be putting his rhetorical skills to use in front of a joint session of Parliament.

Instead, the visit will be an overwhelmingly private affair as Harper and Obama are expected to speak on a few specific issues behind closed doors, notably the economy and Afghanistan.

"I wouldn't expect anything dramatic out of this," CTV's chief political correspondent Craig Oliver says.

The trip is planned to be only about five hours in length.

 

[talloola]

I would think obama won't have time to consider buddyism with any leader, and
the ones important for him to sort out, are on the other side of the world, not us.
We present no threat of any sort to him, he has better fish to fry.

 

[JLM]

I would think obama won't have time to consider buddyism with any leader, and
the ones important for him to sort out, are on the other side of the world, not us.
We present no threat of any sort to him, he has better fish to fry.

I think they'll probably get along alright. Canada and the U.S. have a lot more in common than many countries and good leaders put personal differences aside for the benefit of the country.

 

[Francis2004]

From the CTV press room it seems they are saying Iggy has a better chance at an in at the White House then Harper..

It would seem logical from the point of view that many of Iggy's friends and past history had been at Yale..

But it does not guarantee anyone a fastrack into the White House, that must be earned..

Michael Ignatieff has taken a lot of political grief for spending almost three decades living outside Canada, including five years teaching at Harvard University.



But as he prepares for a brief meeting Thursday with fellow Harvard alumnus President Barack Obama, the Liberal leader stands to reap some dividends from the Ivy League connections he made at one of the world's most prestigious universities.


Ignatieff never crossed paths with Obama, who is 15 years his junior, at the august institution. But he did forge friendships with people who are now among the key movers and shakers in the Obama White House.


Just how important those friendships may be in developing a rapport with the new president remains to be seen.

CTV.ca | Ignatieff has friends in Obama's White House

 

[VanIsle]

Sir Francis:
From the CTV press room it seems they are saying Iggy has a better chance at an in at the White House then Harper..

It would seem logical from the point of view that many of Iggy's friends and past history had been at Yale..

But it does not guarantee anyone a fastrack into the White House, that must be earned..
If any of this is true, the only reason is that Ignatieff is truly an American. You don't live in a country for 30 yrs. of your life and not adopt it as your own. He knows their politics inside out and you guys are so afraid that Harper will sell us out to the Americans. Too funny!

 

[gopher]

Who knows? Perhaps Canada will also become OBAMA NATION!

 

[Francis2004]

Sir Francis:
From the CTV press room it seems they are saying Iggy has a better chance at an in at the White House then Harper..

It would seem logical from the point of view that many of Iggy's friends and past history had been at Yale..

But it does not guarantee anyone a fastrack into the White House, that must be earned..
If any of this is true, the only reason is that Ignatieff is truly an American. You don't live in a country for 30 yrs. of your life and not adopt it as your own. He knows their politics inside out and you guys are so afraid that Harper will sell us out to the Americans. Too funny!

Islandpacific, if you had read the article you would have seen that Iggy did not live that long in the US.. I am no fan of Iggy and would have rather McKenna a more Centre person..

Actually, Ignatieff worked only five years in the U.S., as director of the Carr Centre for Human Rights Policy at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. For most of his almost 30 years abroad, Ignatieff was based in the United Kingdom.

 

[ParsonManning]

Island Pacific seems to be fixated on Iggy living outside of Canada. And continues to put forth the inaccuracy that he lived in the USA for 30 years, when, in fact he lived in the USA for only five years. However he did live in England for over 20 years, after being a lecturer at both the University of Toronto, and the University of BC.


A bit of truth might be beneficial in this discussion, instead of lies from the Reform gang.

 

[ParsonManning]

Harper actually has no buddies whatsoever - but those who know him dislike him intensely.

 

[CanadianLove]

I would think obama won't have time to consider buddyism with any leader, and
the ones important for him to sort out, are on the other side of the world, not us.
We present no threat of any sort to him, he has better fish to fry.

I look at this as meet the neighbors visit. I doubt very much if they get any business done. I think unless they have had extensive phone conversations not much will get done in 5 hours.

As far as other countries go, Obama has too many relationships he has to try and mend from the previous administration. He is going to be apologizing for George for the next 2 years before he can get anything done, unless the leader of the other country is new, also. regardless of how the country acted with the States, there is a good chance they were strong armed in some way. "George had issues" as I like to say.


But who knows, maybe Obama has issues too. Really we're just getting to know the man.

 

[mit]

I wonder how Steve is going to like waiting in his office while Obama ducks outside for a smoke.

 

[JLM]

I wonder how Steve is going to like waiting in his office while Obama ducks outside for a smoke.

In the great scheme of things that's probably third or fourth on their list of problems. :lol::lol::lol:

 

[missile]

A former Mail Clerk? Small wonder I voted for him then[it's the old Postal Code at work here]:smile:

 

[Tyr]

Who knows? Perhaps Canada will also become OBAMA NATION!

Canada desperately needs a leader of substance and with most democratic leaders around the world are looking emulate the success of Obama, we are sorely lacking.

The closest we have is Ignatieff and even he is eons away from the leadership abilities that the Americans have finally elected in Obama.

Harper is no more than some confused neophyte who is still learning on the job (after 3 yrs8O)

 

[Tyr]

Islandpacific, if you had read the article you would have seen that Iggy did not live that long in the US.. I am no fan of Iggy and would have rather McKenna a more Centre person..

...or John Manley. But for sheer presence, at least McKenna would get us in the same league as Obama

 

[FunGuy]

...or John Manley. But for sheer presence, at least McKenna would get us in the same league as Obama

what league is that?..the league of media hype?

Obama will get a free ride into the next term no matter how badly he fails. Liberals in Canada will still blame Harper for the world economic crisis.

 

[EagleSmack]

Who knows? Perhaps Canada will also become OBAMA NATION!

It already is for the most part.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Ideologically, an American Democrat is much more closely aligned to
a Canadian Conservative than to any of the far Left leaning Canadian
Parties. Canada & the USA share the longest undefended (more or less)
border on the planet. We're each others largest trade partners. Canada &
the USA have an extensively integrated manufacturing sector, and are both
trying to throw monstrous piles of cash at trying to keep their economies
from tanking. Canada is one of America's very few truly secure sources of
energy (not just oil, but uranium and hydro-electric).

Yeah, why would Obama bother to come to Canada and meet with Harper
before Politic'n his way around the planet? The Pomp & Circumstance can
be saved for someone who needs their ego's stroked. Obama and Harper
have work to do with each other as closely aligned allies. No mystery there.
Oh wait...we're suppose to be bashing Harper here, aren't we? In that case,
then yeah, they'll have nothing in common to even talk about. Yeah, that's
right...nothing to talk about...nothing in common...bigger fish to fry...etc...

 

[Tyr]

Ideologically, an American Democrat is much more closely aligned to
a Canadian Conservative than to any of the far Left leaning Canadian
Parties. Canada & the USA share the longest undefended (more or less)
border on the planet. We're each others largest trade partners. Canada &
the USA have an extensively integrated manufacturing sector, and are both
trying to throw monstrous piles of cash at trying to keep their economies
from tanking. Canada is one of America's very few truly secure sources of
energy (not just oil, but uranium and hydro-electric).

Yeah, why would Obama bother to come to Canada and meet with Harper
before Politic'n his way around the planet? The Pomp & Circumstance can
be saved for someone who needs their ego's stroked. Obama and Harper
have work to do with each other as closely aligned allies. No mystery there.
Oh wait...we're suppose to be bashing Harper here, aren't we? In that case,
then yeah, they'll have nothing in common to even talk about. Yeah, that's
right...nothing to talk about...nothing in common...bigger fish to fry...etc...

Ideologically, an American Democrat is much more closely aligned to
a Canadian Conservative than to any of the far Left leaning Canadian
Parties.

Conversely, there is nobody with a political leaning that is anywhere approaching the far right fringe Republicans in the US or even the moderate Republicans (save for a few Reform throwbacks)

Are you saying Canada's politics are not as extreme as the US?

 

[Ron in Regina]

I think you've answered your own question. The Republicans in
the USA are way off to the Right, and the Coalition pile in
Canada is way off to the Left...That leaves the Parties lead by
Harper & Obama much closer to the center, and each other...
I was pointing out the similarities, and not the extremes of the
Right and Left. :lol:

Twenty years ago, this may not have been true, and twenty years
from now this may not be true, but we're talking about a meeting
next week, and the relationship that'll lead to over the next handful
of years...unless this is strictly a Harper bashing thread and I missed
that in the title...then I apologize and feel free to carry on. 8O