Cross country marvel

7 p.m., the night before the election. I had a pleasant Sunday midday, a neighbour's 50th birthday party and then lunch with my beloved W*yson, followed by an unpleasant afternoon cleaning the basement apartment, into which a new tenant is moving tomorrow. Two hours of vacuuming up someone else's toenail clippings and pubic hairs, scrubbing sinks and toilet, not my idea of fun. But I brought down my radio and listened, of course, to Eleanor interviewing an articulate and moving Spanish writer on Writers and Company. Then Cross Country Checkup came on. Rex Murphy the host is so conservative and combative that I usually can't bear to listen, but this time, on my knees scrubbing the floor, I had no choice.

Well. If before I loved my country and its citizens but despaired of their perspicuity, now I am in awe. One caller after another: smart, thoughtful, fair and honest. And almost every single one said that, even if they were lifelong Tories, they dislike the leadership style of Stephen Harper so much, they're going to vote NDP. Astounding!

And especially the ones, at least 3, who said that they are going to vote for Jack Layton specifically because of the vile smear campaign started against him a few days ago.

What a great country. In the U.S., smear campaigns decide elections. Here, sceptical Canadians look deeper. "We've been lied to continuously by this government," said one former Tory. "Jack listens and is interested in ordinary people," said another.

There were notes of caution, especially the woman who pointed out that the Conservatives and the Bloc have huge support on voting day, actually driving people, one by one, to the polls, which the NDP do not have - that the whole surge may evaporate in the cold light of day. I don't think so, and neither did the program. The majority of people of this country do not like Harper, Quebecers are sick of the Bloc, and the Liberals did not present them with an alternative, so they found someone else - an honest, likeable guy who's been toiling in the boonies for decades, and who suddenly is running ahead of the pack. Extraordinary.

Democracy at its finest.

And for a final bit of joy - watch a cool and hilarious Obama take on Donald Trump, to his face. O happy day.

Obama pwns Trump at White House Correspondents Dinner

www.youtube.com