Evening Blue Lemons Report - Newman Duffy - Oct 12

The excitement is palpable. With Manley maybe pulling a Wajid Khan. Claims he still a Liberal.
This is big time pro politics - beyond any strategic move on the hill in my time as an observer.
Big Time Support for Harper!!! 12 Point Lead over Grits. 40% benchmark hit (except in Maritimes). 60% on right track. "Blue" Ribbon Panel, okay with Dion so long as the panel doesn't actually do anything.
Layton calls Dion a wimp. As if he should be called anything but...

Bob Rae on Newman. NDPer helps out Grits, Liberal helps out Tories, Dogs clean cats' litter box.

Rae who did such a good job screwing up Ontario he subsequently got a chance to screw up Iran, the Red Cross, and the Air India explosion now getting a chance to help screw up the Grits more than they already are.

Rae claims that PM's panel is bypassing Parliament. Does he forget when Chretien hired fellow incompetent NDP premier Roy Romanow to do health care report? Maybe he wasn't paying attention. He wants more debate in Parliament to decide it - Dion has already announced they they will vote against any military role beyond 2009.
Says that no one on the panel has any experience in foreign affairs. Manley? Burney (Former Ambassador)? Wallin (Former Consul General)?
Early onset Altzheimers.
I guess Bobby's just disappointed that he didn't get asked, then he wouldn't need to suck up to Dion.
Notes that Coderre just back from Afghanistan, though I don't know what good it would do Canadians to get a recent status reports on mess tents and latrines. Also explains how he has been there himself.
Hmm, funny. Everyone seems to have gotten an Afstan Riviera Holiday except Dion...
Refers to the group as a "little panel". Oops. His boss says "I have a strong regard for many of the members of this panel, especially the president of the panel," Dion said.
Looks like Rae's neck and neck with Iggy to be the spash Don with some seltzer.
Newman wonders how Rae can criticize the panel for not being elected when HE hasn't been elected. But Bobby's ultimate flop was when he criticized Harper for not quickly calling a byelection.
Bob wasn't exactly very anxious himself to do so when a dummass Ontario population made the mistake of electing him premier. He always waited until the last day.
Layton says, Panel is a delay tactic and partisan - Manley was in cabinet with Dion when mission was started. Says only elected people should be on panel. Wants only elected people. Jack smoking too many cigars - Got his Barry White voice. Looks like Bloc will have sub-amendment. Will Jack vote with the Bloc? Will it be embarrassing? Jack says he has no confidence in government. Fantastic.

Then he has to vote against the SFTT, Steffi's benches will need to look emptier and emptier to avoid an election under 45 Grits can show up and vote against to avoid same - means 61 empty chairs. Legionnaire Flu Outbreak called for.

Bill Casey: What will EDA do? Blames government for causing split. Roddy Macdonald's PC party gonna work for whoever runs against Casey. Roddy stabbing Bill in the back? Well, yeah. It's politics not bingo at the Amherst Lions Club.

Jack calling Dion a wimp. Better vote against throne speech.

Rajotte, Dewar and McGuinty.
McGuinty says waiting to see what the throne speech will say when he's already said that he's gonna vote against it. McGuinty Too says Canadians dont want tough politicians they want politicians who breaks promises.

Dewar comb your hair. Oh, forgot, he's a dipper, they dont believe in combs.

POLL:
CPC - 40
Lib - 28
NDP - 16
Green - 7
On Right Track - 60%

Dalton as the next Grit Leader? Please.

Scotty and Timmy - expect fireworks
Scotty no longer raccoonish not rakish but a lot less Hyish.
Duff says Tory workers dispirited due to JT loss no energy for another election race - Tim says what race? Reid admits Harper the smartest guy in the room. Tim says Scott belittling Manley and panel members with Bush memes. Scott says PMSH is a Carbon Copy of George Bush but says Panel a good idea - oops - contradicts Rae.
All the Grit advisors know that they're on the wrong side on Kyoto. Brison and McGuinty and Goldenberg have all admitted that Kyoto won't work.
Newman's Press Panel.
National Post's Don Martin - an actual non-Grit-Sycophant on Newman's Panel - could knock me over with a feather.
Delacourt notes how interesting it is that Manley agreed with to serve on panel for Harper but not as Ambassador for Martin. Manley's a closet conservative. Susan gives Harper a lot of credit for Panel idea and for showing real well lately. The more people see him the more they don't want to hide in a storm cellar. Needs to rein in his tendency to look a little mean (ie Casey Affair).
Don Martin - Majority territory - Harper trying to figger out how do I do it and Dion how do I avoid it.
28 is below traditional Grit basement. Will be interesting to see if CPC can maintain that poll level.
Suggests that polls do influence public opinion.
Looks like runway is clear. Afstan issue dealt with, Atlantic Accord half dealt with. Only Danny the Clown left.
No upside for Grits in QC - have to focus in Ontario. Already campaigning - Tax cuts, harbours in Nunavut. Party of nostalgia - only have old Trudeau liberals.
Grits theme going to be "dream team" and "national interest" but need to clean up mess in Quebec and Ontario before allowing trip to the polls.
New poll a disaster for Dion. How do they stand up while sitting down? Throne Speech is set up to make Grits look like wimps.
Very content rich two hours of bafflegab.
Looks like PMSH is on his way to a majority and Dion to the Sorbonne.
7/10