Instead, I looked for proven impact and no one had it this week like my choice. In a normal week in the US, about thirty thousand people register to vote. This week, moments after the debate, international megastar Taylor Swift put her support behind Kamala Harris and called on her voting-age supporters, “Swifties,” to register to vote. In the first few days after that ask, about half a million did just that. Those are staggering numbers and knowing this election could hinge on a few votes, Swift’s call could have a real impact. Person of the Week? You betcha. 

Okay, now the others. Here in Canada, the man of the week was Mark Carney. 

After years, I’d say at least ten, of the former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor, being touted as a potential prime minister, he finally stepped closer to that office this week. Not running for office, not running for the leadership, but entering the Liberal Party orbit as a kind of economic planning czar. Smart move? That is the question, both for the country and Carney himself.

David Moscrop had this opinion piece in the National Observer on Thursday:

Is Mark Carney the Liberals' saviour — or just more of the same? 🔒

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After breaking a couple of big stories in the last couple of weeks, Althia Raj of the Toronto Star also had something to say about Carney’s new role:

Help the Liberals? Oh, come on — Mark Carney is here for Canada

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Last week in the Buzz, we offered up a fascinating piece from the guy who was doing the real digging into that recent story about how Russia was influencing a select group of media organizations by giving them money and misinformation.

The Toronto Star was so impressed by Luke LeBrun’s work that they asked him for a deeper dive for the Star to print. Here it is:

I cover the far right for a living. This is why I wasn’t surprised to find Canadians embedded in an alleged Russian propaganda scheme

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So, who had the best line in the Harris-Trump debate the other night?

 If not best, then most remembered. “They’re eating dogs” is a hard one to forget. Trump may have to live with that one forever. Harris’s, “You’re not running against Biden, you’re running against me” was pretty good too.

But my favourite came from neither of them. It came from David Muir, the ABC anchor who was moderating the debate alongside ABC’s Linsey Davis.

Muir used the line I liked best at least four times, as he tried to cut off the rambling, always butting in Donald Trump. Muir’s words may have been prescient. Just six of them:

“Your time is up President Trump”.

I know what he meant, but I like the other meaning better. So, what did it all mean, that debate?  Did it make a difference, even a tiny bit? If the experts are right, a tiny bit could make the difference between a win and a loss.

Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes not so much. Every time, though, the pressure is on to sum things up and come up with a conclusion of sorts. Such is the case for journalists after something big like a debate. Clearly, different journalists see things differently when they write their first drafts of history. Looking outside the usual box, I liked this opinion piece from Sarah Baxter in the Standard:

The US presidential debate saw Trump become what he most feared: a laughing stock

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Now, about that dog eating thing.

Here’s the back story to it from Justin Ling’s Substack. Grab a coffee, this one takes some time- but you won’t regret it.

Whom Jupiter Destroys, He First Makes Mad

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Some of you thanked me for the piece on polls last week here in The Buzz.  

Well, here’s another one for those of you who like to follow the polls in the US race. My colleague Bruce Anderson passed it along. The trick here is to keep updating this NY Times piece (which is doable through this link). If you like numbers, you’ll love this and make sure you scroll all the way because there is some really interesting stuff in here, including what to watch out for and how to be careful with polls: 

Election 2024 Polls: Harris vs. Trump

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You may wonder how this next piece ever wound up in The Buzz.  

Let me explain. Our hideaway in Scotland is up north on the Highlands overlooking the North Sea. The strip of land between the sea and me is occupied most of the year by herds of cows (often bulls) and sheep. I cut through the strip to get to the sea for walks almost daily. Maybe not cutting through that strip anymore though. Check this out in the Guardian: 

The hell and horror of cow attacks: ‘I told my husband to leave me to die’

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Speaking of cows, where do you think they make the best burger in the world?  

This will come as a shock to our American friends cause it ain’t in the States. Think Spain, at least that’s the conclusion of this piece in the Telegraph:

America loses its crown as ‘home of the world’s best burger’

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