[skippy the wonder dog]

Aw..whatching that makes me feel bad for him.....

But he handled it fairly well, overcame the initial confusion and mugged for the camera.

This kinda points to a difference between US and Canadian politics. In Canada, politicians are expected to have a sense of humour and to make fun of themselves. All the party leaders go on 22 Minutes or the Rick Mercer report to be mocked. It is expected.

And when 22 Minutes used to ambush them, the political kiss of death would be showing that you're unable to laugh at yourself.

Can you see an American president doing that? Can you see Bush being interviewed in a Daily Show faux news segment? Can you see a 22 Minutes style ambush that didn't end with a bleeding comedian and smoking Secret Service pistols?

Think back to Chrétien: were he in Bush's place, he would have responded to that door gaffe by making a joke during his next speech about the failure of his exit strategy. Mulroney would have done the same.

Those guys were popular (until they shat the bed) because they had the touch.

Down south ... no sense of humour.