It’s hard for me to describe the exact mix of emotions I was hearing from the two Canadian guys sitting next to me in the bar, as they laid out what they see of the blood sport of American politics.
Part of it, certainly, is amused head shaking from the sidelines.
This was a replica British pub we were in just outside Niagara Falls, Canada, and at least one of the guys had a British background.
For older societies like England both ruled by a Queen and once run by a lady name Thatcher (you remember, the one who had no qualms sending an armada to South America?), the hand wringing from a young nation over the possible "historic" electing of a woman as president seems a touching naiveté.
And yet behind it, a hard reality.
What happens in Vegas may stay there, but what happens in Washington can be felt in most corners of the world.
As with many in that world, these guys feel that President Bush has used up what American sympathy existed abroad from the nightmare of 9-11 in the dusty battlefields of Iraq.
They blame America for what is happening there now, and even whatever arm twisting it took to bring Tony Blair to the President’s side.
On pocketbook issues they also fear the effects of the Bush administration proposal to require all Americans to carry passports when traveling to another country, even our friends to the north.
These guys believe, and I agree, that the initiative will cost border towns millions of tourist and business dollars, at a time when a strong Canadian dollar is helping to lure our northern neighbors south.
In fact, as we were spending a weekend in Canada playing golf, a group of Niagara Falls police officers were planning to do the same thing in Western Pennsylvania.
That strikes me as anecdotal proof that opportunities exist on both sides of the border if diligent security is properly mixed with common sense.
There was also the ease which with these guys were willing to talk about politics, like the weather or a football team, and their genuine interest in the subject kept it from coming across as rude or crass as it might in other circles.
"Do you think the Republicans will find a suitable challenger?"
"Do you think America is ready for a woman president?"
"Can a black candidate win in the South?"
"Will the Democrats throw away a golden opportunity trying too hard to make history?"
I couldn’t help but think that more conversations along those lines within America’s borders might do her a world of good in a time of 20 percent turnouts.
As we go about our lives this year we should remember that what happens at the polls next year is going to matter.
It’s going to matter to all Americans.
And it’s going to matter to a lot of people who aren’t Americans, too.
There are those who know that.
And they’ll be watching.
HEY! Why are people in other countries more interested in our politics than we are? Let me know, and we'll post your thoughts after mine!