Pyat actually sort of likes America, you know?

President-Elect Obama’s acceptance speech is terribly good, particularly once he gets past the business of thanking various people. It has been a long time since I felt a contemporary politician had any kind of charisma, or any power to move me through mere eloquence.

I admit that the last time was actually Bush’s State of the Union address following 9/11. He is a terrible extempore speaker, but earnest enough to be eloquent.

Obama is both evidently earnest and casually eloquent, and his message is not one you can disagree with. Just… excellent, really. His policies are more conservative than mine, and from some perspectives, to me, there would have been little difference between him and McCain. McCain is neither evil nor incompetent, and certainly a better man than George W. Bush in almost every way.

But that Obama will make a better leader, a better diplomat, a better person to inspire the citizens of his nation, and navigate the United States through the international stage, is undeniable. Or, at the very least, it is plain to me.

"Obama displayed a steadiness. Showed intellectual vigor. He has a definitive way of doing business that will do us well.” Colin Powell said that after the election. And that’s really what it comes down to.

Following on my post yesterday, I want to talk a bit about the other side of the coin when it comes to Canadian perceptions of the United States. While we, taken as an aggregate, tend to be cynical about America, we also recognize it as a world leader in a number of areas, not least of which being your support and leadership in defense of ideals that we hold dear.

The grudge is shallow. The admiration is the product of reflection.

What I Did At Lunch

commanderteddog took advantage of the sunny warm weather (the sun always shines on Obamaday!) to explore some nooks and crannies downtown, and photograph them.


Our primary destination was the old Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building. It is a huge old structure, festooned with carved heads and idols, representing progress and industry and empire. It was the tallest skyscraper in the world, outside of Manhattan and Chicago. Once, there was a big public viewing area on the 32nd floor. We wanted to get to it...

( More photos below )