Welcome to the weekend and welcome to the latest edition of The Buzz.
The end result was pretty much as expected and as the polls had predicted. Britain’s Conservatives were wiped out and Labour is now firmly ensconced in Number Ten. But that hasn’t stopped the political analysts all over London from picking through the entrails of what happened and trying to make sense of it all.
From what I’ve read in the last 36 hours, this piece from the UK’s Trafalgar Strategy Group nails it with insight and humour.
(FYI – a key figure in London at Trafalgar is former Stephen Harper Director of Communications, Andrew McDougall).
A Tory loss, more than a Labour win
Last week, The Buzz started with the twin peaks of North American leadership unhappiness – the verbal sniping targeting Justin Trudeau and Joe Biden.
Why change our focus now? This story still has legs and may for a while yet. But let’s flip the order this week and start with Biden.
Nobody who watched the debate will ever forget it. Biden came off, at best, befuddled and bewildered. It was a disastrous night for Democrats, and it hasn’t got any better in the ten days since. Whether Biden can survive is looking increasingly unlikely but not impossible.
But let’s go back to debate night for a second. There’s perhaps another way of looking at that night and, it’s not looking at it. Instead, it’s listening, or better still, reading.
If you’ve read two of my books, Extraordinary Canadians or How Canada Works, then you know who Mark Bulgutch is. We wrote those two bestsellers together. He also writes a regular weekly column for the Toronto Star. I love this one he wrote after the debate:
Think Donald Trump won the debate? Read the transcript
Read >
Couple of great pieces on the political turmoil this side of the border as the week comes to a close.
William Watson writes occasional pieces for the Financial Post that often focus on politics. I don’t always agree with his take, but his pieces are always well-written and thought-provoking. I really like this one that tries to plot a path for Pierre Poilievre through all the troubles Justin Trudeau is having these days:
William Watson: What does the St. Paul’s byelection result mean for the Conservatives?
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So, who are the big potential losers, aside from Biden and Trudeau, in the chaos surrounding leadership in both countries?
In the Globe this week, Lawrence Martin makes an argument that progressives on both sides of the border are seeing their hopes and dreams in real jeopardy:
For progressives, the Trudeau by-election and Biden debate disaster were blessings in disguise🔒
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Okay, how to tie the knot on all this Canada-U.S. stuff?
It appears that some people, in the States no less, think there’s more chaos on their side of the border than on ours.
Check out this tweet from a former Illinois legislator. The tweet might be a few years old, but seems to ring just as true today as it did in 2020.
Does the name Steve Brill ring a bell? Maybe not, but he’s an interesting guy.
He started American Lawyer magazine way back, then Court TV in the 80’s. He’s always been trying to get to the real story, pushing against misinformation and disinformation. Still does.
The Washington Post sent Laura Wagner out to talk to him about where things now stand on trying to get the real story out to those who want it:
A lifelong media maven grapples with the misinformation crisis🔒
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I was sitting with Chris Hadfield on a flight over New York State the other day when we hit some turbulence.
It didn’t last long, maybe a couple of seconds at most, but it was more pronounced than your average turbulence. Was I worried? Not at all. It’s amazing how brave you are when you’re sitting with a one-time fighter pilot, astronaut and commander of the International Space Station. I mean, if he’s not running for the exits why should I be concerned?
Later, Chris checked with the pilots about what that bumpiness was all about. Jet streams colliding or something was what I heard.
Of course, turbulence, and we’re talking about the kind that lasts more than a few seconds, is on travellers minds these days so for the benefit of those who are a little more responsible in their concerns than me, let’s give it some serious thought.
Time magazine did and came up with this:
What to Know About Severe Turbulence That’s Wreaking Havoc on Flights Around the World
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When I was a kid, I used to love the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable.
I especially liked the part about Arthur, Merlin, Excalibur and the Lady of the Lake. But here’s why I think it’s interesting today. Two reasons actually.
One relates to what’s at the core of the Excalibur story. It can actually apply to the Trump and Trudeau stories. According to Google (all hail Google), the core is this: “Excalibur is about leadership, responsibility and the ethical use of power. The sword, as a symbol of power, comes with a responsibility to wield it justly and wisely.” Are you listening JT, PP, JB, DJT?
Okay, the second reason. France has a sword, also known by some as Excalibur. It’s stuck in a stone wall and many people believe it has mythical qualities. There’s only one problem, it’s missing. Patrick Reilly tells the story:
French ‘Excalibur’ sword vanishes after 1,300 years as the sword in the stone — literally
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One last thing before signing off. When Rishi Sunak lost he was quick to concede defeat and very publicly and gracefully congratulate Keir Starmer. When Starmer stood outside Number 10 for the first time as prime minister his starting words were to thank Sunak, with equal grace and sincerity, for his public service to the people and to the country. It was what one strives for in a true democracy – the peaceful transition of power.
That’s it for this week’s Buzz... hope you enjoyed it!
We’ll be back in seven days. Who’ll be President then? Who’ll be Prime Minister then? The bookies say 62 percent for Biden dropping out. Can’t find any betting houses offering odds on Trudeau.
Onward into the excitement of another week.
The Buzz is a weekly publication from National Newswatch that shares insights and commentary on the week’s developments in politics, news and current affairs.