America needs friends, even if they are Canadian

Words matter!

We’re reading Peggy Noonan’s fun and fond remembrance of her days in the Reagan White House, What I Saw at the Revolution; a political life in the Reagan era.” Published 35 years ago, Peggy’s effervescent writing has lost none of its intoxicating fizz.

Peggy wrote Reagan’s immortal “Boys of Point d’Hoc” speech at Normandy. The astronauts in the Challenger shuttle explosion “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God” through Peggy’s pen. She illuminated George H.W. Bush’s “Thousands Points of Light.”

Wish the Head Groundskeeper had read her book before he started writing speeches for Tommy Thompson. It’s a different form of writing than the short essays more in our wheelhouse.

The woman wrote verse and it played like music. We read her religiously in the weekend Wall Street Journal. Peggy is on our disordered mind because Canada is voting today.

Justin Trudeau had so screwed up our northern neighbors that his own Liberal party forced him to step down. The Conservative candidate was favored to win until Donald Trump decided to make unnecessary enemies. We’ve never understood that strategy. Hellz bellz, it’s not a strategy, it’s a character flaw.

 For what purpose?

Polls say even francophone Quebec is voting for the Liberal bureaucrat; Mark Carney is about as colorful as a library card (we watched their debate on C-Span!) and speaks française not much better than the average American tourist. Normally, Quebec votes its own separatist party. At one point, Conservative Pierre Poilievre (you know he speaks French) was a shoo-in.

Until our President insulted Canada and, thereby, 41 million Canadians, as “the 51st State.” Another North Dakota, in his view. Insult to injury are his off-again, on-again tariffs. (What day is it today?) Like Canada is picking at the bones of the American carcass! We hear no reports of Canadians terrorizing apartment complexes with hockey sticks.

Trump somehow got away with demeaning many of his political foes. “Little Marco” is now working for him. But how many would fall on their sword for him? Republicans — grass roots and cabinet level — adored Ronald Reagan. (One of his best friends was Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney.) Reagan was no pushover; he trusted but verified, too.

Trump slandered Senator John McCain’s war record — perhaps because he himself had none. Implied that the late Senator was a traitor. Perhaps in retribution, McCain turned thumbs down on the bid to overturn Obamacare. Maybe McCain needed thicker skin but, seriously, when you’re trolling for fish, Mr. President, do you bait the hook with a hammer?

Teddy Roosevelt spoke softly but carried a big stick. He won the Nobel Peace Prize and made America a world power.

 Remember the word ‘allies’?

Another book in the Dan Quayle Memorial Library is Jon Meacham’s Franklin and Winston: an intimate portrait of an epic friendship. Winston even bunked with FDR in the White House. (“You can see the prime minister has nothing to hide from the American people,” Churchill exclaimed when the President happened upon the stark nekkid Brit.)

Just starting out at the White House, Ms. Noonan’s supervisor counseled that their President would never say he was “worried,” only that he was “concerned.” 

Blaska’s Bottom Line: Words mattered then, they matter now. Friends come and go; enemies accumulate. Lyin’ Ted may have needed to kowtow, Canadians don’t and won’t.

How concerned are you?