I have confidence in leaders based on actions, policies, principles, and whether or not they cave on those principles when the polls turn on them.

A perceptual mentality pays attention to manner of speech, looks, skin color, and whether or not someone wears cowboy boots. This kind of thinking--or lack of it--is not confined to one party by any means, and politicians take great advantage of this.

You have to listen to John Kerry's rolling diction for a while before you realize he isn't actually saying anything. The man suffered badly in transcript form. Bush might trip over his tongue once in a while, but people know exactly what he's trying to say, and it doesn't change with the wind.

I readily admit am not familiar with Martin in any detail, and have seen nothing to indicate that he is anything but a good leader for Canada. His party has run Canada pretty much forever, and no one seems to mind.

I just don't think he's done anything spectacularly difficult in managing Canada's economy.