U.S. media struggles through coverage of Obama's Canada visit

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Canadian Press

One CNN anchor had apparently never seen the Mounties before, and those who recognized one of Canada's most iconic national symbols noted the absence of their horses.

Others seemed enthralled by how wintry Ottawa was, while some on-air personalities struggled mightily to pronounce "Michaelle Jean" and "charge d'affaires."

American news channels, bloggers and others who watched live on Thursday as President Barack Obama visited Ottawa were largely complimentary and admiring of Canada, even if they were somewhat unfamiliar with what they seemed to consider their quaint neighbour to the north.

"We love those Canadians; they're good people," CNN anchor Kyra Phillips said at one point during the cable news network's coverage of Obama's first foreign trip as president.

Later, however, Phillips said: "All eyes are on Ottawa right now - you don't hear that every day."

Her colleague, Fredricka Whitfield, was stumped earlier in the day when Air Force One first landed in Ottawa and a line of Mounties - clad in their traditional red serge jackets and Stetsons - marched out to greet the president on the airport tarmac.

Pausing as she attempted to describe the scene to viewers, Whitfield apparently took a wild guess and referred to them as "troops."

The Associated Press, meantime, briefly referred to the prime minister as "Premier Stephen Harper" before correcting his title.

Over at Fox News, anchor Megyn Kelly gamely tried to pronounce "charge d'affaires," explaining to viewers: "It's French." Later, as Obama and Harper held court during a Parliament Hill news conference, the channel flashed fact boxes at the bottom of the screen - nuggets that are pretty much common knowledge in Canada.

Among them: "Canada is the U.S.'s largest, most secure supplier of oil," and "Canada is the U.S.'s largest trading partner."

White House blogger Jason Djang travelled ahead of Air Force One and wrote about what he saw upon his arrival in Ottawa.

"Ottawa is white, and the snow's still coming down ... police are on snowmobiles," Djang wrote. "Canal Rideau is frozen over, and there are people ice skating on it."

But lest Canadians feel smug and superior in the wake of American wonderment about their country, some U.S. observers also poked some good-natured fun Thursday at the breathless nature of Canada's coverage of Obama's visit.

The deliciously snarky Wonkette.com, the blog that dishes on D.C., directed its barbs at Macleans magazine's "liveblogging" of the event - particularly its author's preoccupation with Obama's lack of warm winter headgear as he emerged from Air Force One.

Under the headline: "Cute Canadian Liveblog of Historic Obama Visit," Wonkette wrote: "Get the blow-by-blow of the most exciting thing to ever happen in Canada in the history of history. Sample: '10:34:43 AM. Why is the president not wearing his hat? Or a hat, at least?"

The Macleans blog, written by Kady O'Malley, was described as "hilarious" by a fellow American blogger, who pointed to her 10:26 a.m. entry: "He's here! He's here! Well, the plane is here, or so it appears from the Newsworld feed. It's big and impressive and just like in the movies."

Meantime, Jay Leno threw a line in his "Tonight Show" monologue about Obama's meeting with Harper.

"President Obama took his first foreign trip as president today up to Canada," Leno said as several, presumably Canadian members of the audience cheered. "He met with the prime minister to discuss one of the greatest threats facing our nation today - Canadian geese!"
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Well chances are that the intellegent answers were edited out.

But that doesn't excuse those who thought the Australian mainland was North Korea and Tasmania was South Korea. ;-)
 
Just to let you know, I'm glad I'm not any of these people. It's obvious these examples are school dropouts.

But that doesn't excuse those who thought the Australian mainland was North Korea and Tasmania was South Korea.
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Now that's really pushing it.
 
So Huckabee believed in the igloo hmm? :lol:

ROFL we had a television show here called 'CNNN' and one of the guys from there dressed up as then Prime Minister John Howard (looked nothing like him) and went around with all the yanks thinking he was the real deal.
 
Well, it's not as if we ever expect to get attacked by Canada... so why pay attention to them over other 3rd world countries?

Besides, since when do siblings show respect to each other?
[lulz]
 
bell02+ said:
Well, it's not as if we ever expect to get attacked by Canada...
[lulz]
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But that's the thing, you pay so little attention to us that you have no idea what we have in store for you >=]

Seriously though, you'd think news anchors would atleast try to do a little research beforehand so they don't make complete idiots of themselves. This statement ticks me off a bit though "All eyes are on Ottawa right now - you don't hear that every day."
 
*HeadDesk*

Ugh...Is American Media THIS STUPID! Remember these are the same guys "informing" the American People on current events!

Maybe it's a good thing that I love history, current events, and politics!

My teachers didn't even know that Canada was having a Parliamentary Election in October just before us here in the US. (I would have supported the Liberals, but I had to go with the Conservatives after the Economic Crisis of 2008 hit us. I mean Carbon Taxes are great....but not now. =D)

It seriously pains me to see how my fellow Americans can rightly be ridiculed by the rest of the industrialized nations. I can't believe it. Americans should be more motivated to study, and at least the Obama Administration should do something about education. =/

LOL at the conspiracy theory. I mean Canada has little defense spending you know. And you guys just developed a Budget Deficit after that $40 Billion economic stimulus plan. =P
 
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