Pretty much, yup. I'm in the lucky (?) position of having wanted the further-left-than-his party to win, which was actually pretty possible as of a couple weeks before the election. So my instinct towards "anybody but Harper" is tempered a little in that I already expect Trudeau to be less awesome than I want. Which wasn't an...emotional buffer I had with Obama, even though intellectually I was prepared for it. If that makes any sense.

I remember being vaguely aware of Layton for years, but only started paying attention during that last campaign before he died. And then kicked myself a lot. Best prime minister we never had, as they say.