Evening Lemons Report Newman and Duff - March 23

NEW POLL RESULTS IN HERE
Duff reveals Harper on cusp of Majority and that another poll shows Harper doing even better!
Quebec outlook for Charest is a little glim - three way tie. Almost certain Liberal minority.
Duff and Bill Johnston, Ian Macdonald and a prof on Fed/Prov relations in QC. Johnston reports that this campaign is the first in 37 years in QC that is not about separatism - is about more autonomy - in other words - Provincial Rights - which plays very well with PMSH strategy. Federals are riding at 2/3 of the vote - biggest since Rene L worked at CBC.
As a Cdn Nationalism major way back when (even met and was slightly scared by Levesque), this is an astounding change in QC.
Spin I'm looking for is where Fed Tories fit in with this trend. I gotta see it as the Liberal's iceberg - if a full third of the population has moved from the PQ to the ADQ for more autonomy but with laissez faire federalism this gotta be good for Harper.
Newman on Iranians capturing Brit sailors. We will see how this will roll out - will the Brits reinforce their Iraq commitment or pull a Spain? This could heat up in a hurry. Cannot be a bad thing, frankly. 80% of Iranians barely notice that Ahmedinejad even exists.
Peter Donolo (who works for my old buddy Al Gregg but worked for years for JJ Chretien after working for Barb Hall) is about to comment on the CPC dominant poll on Duff.
Pete says positive momentum and that Harp is in election territory. That budget pressed a lot of buttons.
Effective at growing base of support - every age group, everything but big cities but good movement there too. Still behind in women and immigrants. Says that ADQ strength is a good sign for CPC. Ontario - tied with Grits strength outside of 416/905 will see if this can be sustained.
Helena Gorgeous on message on poll as always, which means boring. Alexa agrees that bluenosers pissed off, but frankly they're ALWAYS pissed off, just as Alexa is ALWAYS self righteously outraged at the Tories. Remind me, how many NDP seats were there when she was NDP leader? 9 or something?
Zimbabwe / Mugabe?? Where the hell did this come from?
Ruby Dhalla is also on doing her best Angelina - talking fast, dressed nice - must be heading to a fundraiser. Alexa tries to beat up Helena on Canada not taking a leader role - gets slapped by Helena that Canada cannot do so - not in security council. Alexa was at one time an attractive leader - where'd she go bad.
Newman's all star print panel on budget. Prov Reps given airtime - all look like greedy idiots. Russo says he surprised more at lack of apoplexy by Premiers. Restreaming of FedFunds to Quebec tax break criticized as gratuitous by Delacourt. So?
Travers gets the primo opening relating budget to poll - he says need to wait to mean anything. So?
Travers - simplistic solutions to complex problems? Get real... Is his nose getting bigger? Click.
Reid and Powers go at it.
First on Stock Day paying off a guy who stepped down so he could run - of course with the Libs they used to just get a senate, judge, ambassador job to step down so a acolyte could run in a safe seat. Reform might have had to pay somebody cash. So?
Tim properly goes after Holland who is an absolute stunning idiot.
Reid looks clean and sober tonite - he's a smart guy and tough when he's on his way to Hy's not from Hy's.
I go back to my comment yesterday - why is it not political for the Grits to get the RCMP to investigate this case, but political for the NDP to go after Ralphie Hedgehog over the Income Trust mess? Huh?
New Poll promised.
Is Bertrand Bigras of the BQ a chicken that can talk? Bad hair Bertie...
NEW POLL - Ipsos Reid - 40% CPC -29% LPOC - More surge being seen. Get out the comfy shoes people.
Craig - we DID expect it. More seats in QC on the horizon.
Gloria thought the LPOC thought they had a good week. ooops. Could this be because Gloria sleeps with a Grit organizer?
Suggests Steffi be more active and vocal. (Best possible scenario for CPC I think). PMSH's dream is to have Steffi more active and vocal.
SK, NS and NL are anti CPC. So? What's the delta of them being pissed off - four seats?? They always tend to vote for the people in their least best interest anyway.
Gloria forgets the $1 Bill to farmers - think Sask farmers won't like this, Glo?
NS to sue feds?? Constitutional Right for equalization? So?
Craig SLAPS Paul Martin on deals with NS, SK and NL - says horrendous mistake.
FANTASTIC NIGHT ON DUFF and NEWMAN.
Lotsa huge stuff here.
It's a less stinky fishwrap tonight.