Journalistic smackdown! Yeah!

This exchange is priceless. John Duffy tries to spin his way out of a legitimate question on the "soldiers in the streets" ad, and Mike Duffy rips him a new one. Nice. It's so refreshing to see a journalist stand up to a politican's spin. I've always argued that that was one of the strengths of our press corps in Canada - a willingness to go after politicians and not accept their bull.

Sadly, down here in the US, it's not the same. The deference that journalists give to the President, their unwillingness to hound him, is depressing, and keeps the truth from coming out. Of course, the fact that George Bush never gives unscripted press conferences makes it all the more difficult.

I wonder what it would be like if Bush et al. had to endure a daily scrum like Canadian politicans do. For our American readers, a scrum is where journalists mob politicians as they exit the Commons Chamber ever day. No scripts, no moderation, just the politican and a bunch of microphones and recorders stuffed in his face and journalists asking questions.

Of course I'm sure His Highness Bush would avoid them anyway - national security.