Brett Favre's debut with the New York Jets was (quite rightly, says this NFL fan) the big news in The Big Apple today but, there was little Canada, still hanging on to spot on the home page of the online edition of the New York Times at 7 pm: Mr. Harper is not charismatic and often appears irritated, particularly when he is challenged.... Although high oil and commodity prices have so far prevented a significant slowdown, recent economic data suggests that Canada is now being dragged down by the problems of the American economy. [Read the rest] The mighty BBC actually sent out an alert early this morning, letting its subscribers know that Obama vs McCain isn't the only high-profile political fight gripping North American polticos.

I was a National Post "day oner" -- still have the leather jacket we all got when our first paper rolled off the presses on Oct. 26, 1998.... I'm pleased to point out that some or most of what you'll read here is also being cross-posted to the Post's most excellent "Full Comment" section.... That's the online hangout of Jonathan Kay and most of the Post's editorial board as well as stars of the Post's commentariat including David Frum and Conrad Black.

On his first full day of campaigning in 2005, Stephen Harper was at the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City with several of his Quebec City area candidates behind him. Asked to introduce some of his candidates -- which included future cabinet ministers Josée Verner and Maxime Bernier -- Harper told us to get that information from his staff.... But this time, he introduced each candidate, which now includes several MPs from the Quebec City region.

Liberal leader Stéphane Dion made his campaign-opening statement in the House of Commons foyer, the same spot that then-opposition leader Stephen Harper opened the last general election campaign.... Krieber did not say anything but she and Dion grabbed hands and smiled at each other when I asked Dion about the "family man" ads the Conservatives have been airing in the last week. The Conservatives seemed to stress Harper's status as a family man and I asked both men this morning about that: For Harper, why he thought it was important for voters to consider his "family man" status as they cast their votes and, for Dion, if he thought that voters ought to consider that as they cast a ballot.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper paid a visit to his war room after leaving his meeting with Governor General Michaëlle Jean this morning at Rideau Hall and before his arrival at Ottawa's airport for a flight to Quebec City. The Conservative war room -- dubbed the 'fear factory' by some wags in Ottawa -- sprawls across the entire second floor of an office building in an industrial park in Ottawa's east end.... We've been told to expect a lot of bright-and-early pressers from their war room as the Conservatives try to set the day's agenda by being first with the news.

Buckler got her job as the top communications advisor to the prime minister shortly Stephen Harper took office back in 2006.... Buckler's style during that campaign was to refuse to rise to the bait -- often offered up rather aggressively by Liberal Susan Murray -and maintain a pleasant demeanour while focusing like a laser beam on the day's message.... Mulroney, who spent most of the winter campaign at his home in Florida, phoned up the Conservative war room in mid-campaign to personally congratulate Buckler on the job she was doing.