Why isn't Jack helping Paul more? Asks the CBC.

I heard an almost unbelievable news piece on CBC2 today. They were talking about Jack Layton and how he's attacking the Prime Minister (current) and not the Prime Minister (future). The story was he was having some effect taking away Liberal votes by going hard after Paul Martin. Then they said (paraphrasing) It is unclear how this tactic will stop the bleeding of Liberal votes to the Conservatives.

Now it's Jack Layton's job to save Paul Martin's campaign? Surely Layton thinks, if the rats abandoning the good ship Liberal are going Conservative, they were never going to vote NDP. Similarly, Liberals who switch to the NDP would probably never vote Conservative. Why should Jack Layton care about ex-Liberals running to the Conservatives.

Then again, maybe Layton saw this poll: (note, updated at Ekos research web site for Jan 14th PDF file)

39 per cent of respondents said they would vote for the Conservatives, compared to 27 per cent for the Liberals.

The Ekos poll found support for the NDP sits at 16 per cent, and 12 per cent for the Bloc Quebecois.

While the Mainstreamers worry about if the Liberals can catch the Conservatives, they are in truth closer to the NDP. If PMPM really believes he can still catch PMSH (future), then it is no less incredible to believe the NDP can catch the Liberals.

And with the Gilles Duceppe eye balling Stornoway, could Paul Martin be the fourth place finisher?. Probably not, I must admit, but with a free-falling campaign, the daily scandal pile-on and nasty Jack Layton not helping to staunch the flow, anything is possible.

Cross Posted to the At Home in Hespeler.