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

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http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090220/world/us_obama_visit

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

Fri Feb 20, 1:58 AM

By Lee-Anne Goodman, The Canadian Press

WASHINGTON - 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 " le "

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

said at one point during the cable news network's coverage

of Obama's first foreign trip as president.

Later, however, 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 Harper " before correcting his title.

Over at Fox News, anchor Megyn 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 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! "