A riding profile, based on field reporting I did on Sunday.

A news story setting the stage for today's vote, largely featuring an interview with political veteran Andrew Steele.

My guess is the Liberals will hold it, but strange things can happen in byelections.

U.S. President Barack Obama may have won a majority in the 2009 presidential vote, and his Democratic party may enjoy majorities in both houses of the U.S. Congress, but they are getting outshouted, says the NYT's David Carr.

   more »

I tweeted the following on Tuesday:

Check out the following cartoon from This Modern World -- What if ... Democrats behaved more like Republicans?, posted on Salon the very same day!

H/T to @joshvisser for pointing out the cartoon.

Veteran U.S. Rep. Barney Franks (D., Mass.) on a woman who compares U.S. President Barack Obama to Hitler for his proposed health care reforms:

Addendum

Gawker had the following on Wednesday:

Crazy woman repeating Republican talking point was not technically a Republican

Fox News's guide to winning an argument: Recut the tape

Addendum 2

You might also want to see this Gawker item from Tuesday: Town hall crazies go through the ideological rabbit hole

Barack Obama built a huge army of volunteers who flocked to his message of hope and change, propelling him into the White House. But where are they during this current frenzied attack on health reform?

   more »

Sarah "Will Ya Stop Makin' Things Up?" Palin seemed to be the first to get the 'death panel' ball rolling in the bizarrely ferocious U.S. health care debate.

But did she? This NYT article says the groundwork was laid long before.

   more »

John Ibbitson, the Globe and Mail's Washington bureau chief, had a few thoughts on American political culture that I'll excerpt here:

... Americans love to argue, and much of what they yell at each other is crazy talk. ...

Americans argue so furiously because there is much to argue about: the health-care and immigration systems are utterly dysfunctional, and the administration and Congress are racking up trillion-dollar deficits with no clear understanding of how to bring them down.

They argue because U.S. society is cleaved by region, race and class more deeply than in Canada. But they also argue because they care. They believe their federal government matters and they have strong opinions about how that government should act.

Canada always struggled to define itself as a nation, and in recent years appears to have given up that struggle, retreating into regional isolation. What Canadian federal politician has a clear sense of what this country should look like in the 21st century?

Politics in America is loud, rude, messy and sometimes deeply weird. But at least the U.S. matters to its citizens.

Do we keep quiet because of our famous politeness? Or is it that we just don't care?

Now with that, here's a little taste of American crazy. Hear U.S. President Barack Obama described as a "long-legged, half-breed, usurper, illegal alien" -- by a black preacher ... who then goes on to predict that white people are gonna rise up with guns!

From former Alaska Gov. Sarah "You won't have me to kick around anymore" Palin's swan song on July 26:

Starts at 3:15 min. in this MSNBC clip:

... First, some straight talk for some, just some in the media, because another right protected for all of us is freedom of the press.

And you have such important jobs. Reporting facts. And informing the electorate. And exerting power to in-flu-ence.

You represent what could and should be a respected, honest profession that could and should be a cornerstone of our democracy. Democracy depends on you. Our troops are willing to die for you.

So how about in honour of the American soldier, ya quit makin' things up?

And don't underestimate the wisdom of the people and one other thing, our new governor (Sean Parnell) has a very nice family so leave his kids alone.

Good to see she doesn't harbour any bitterness after her time in the national spotlight. It's always nice to hear from someone who practices what they preach.

   more »