“You heard it here first: a Liberal Majority on October 6, 2011. Hudak, you blew a 10% lead and your party will need a new leader.”  –Tarek Fatah, Newstalk 1010

“McGuinty defended himself solidly under fire.”  – Barry McLoughlin, communications advisor to Conservative ministers

“Experience matters and experience showed tonight.  The Premier spoke at a completely different level… I’m not sure Mr. Hudak once mentioned the world beyond Ontario’s borders… The Premier’s experience was on great display.” – Jim Coyle, Toronto Star

“[I] declare McGuinty the debate winner.” – Ken Gray, Ottawa Citizen

“McGuinty held his own.” – Jeff Ferrier, NDP advisor

“None of [Horwath’s] plans make a lick of sense.” – Kelly McParland, National Post

“McGuinty largely held his ground against attacks from Horwath and Hudak.”  – CBC News

“McGuinty was really strong when defending the HST.” – Steve Ladurantaye, Globe and Mail

“If experience matters, experience showed tonight, and the Premier spoke at a different level than [the others]….He’s one of the elder statesmen of the Canadian federation now.” – Jim Coyle, Toronto Star

“I was kind of disappointed in Horwath.  I had high hopes, but she was kind of disappointing overall.”  – Matt Gurney, National Post

“The big advantage Dalton McGuinty had was the big picture.  He brought up the global economy more times than we could count, brought up Ontario’s relationship with Ottawa, the health accord, the global economy…” – Huffington Post

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“Dalton McGuinty has come a long way since his first debate [in 1999]” – Allan Bonner, media trainer

“Hudak [is] coming across as slick and processed.” – Kady O’Malley, CBC News

“[I] don’t think this debate wins Hudak any more voters.” – David Akin, Sun News

“[There was a] strong attack by McGuinty on Hudak’s “foreign” comments.” – Globe and Mail editorial board

“Hudak wouldn’t say what he’ll cut to save two cents on a dollar outside health and education ministries.” – Paul Bliss, CTV News

“Horwarth and Hudak’s [false] smiles at each other make me uncomfortable.” – Steve Ladurantaye, Globe

“Hudak’s impressive-sounding list of possible cuts yields few actual dollars” – Karim Bardeesy, Globe and Mail

“Horwath, stop interrupting.” – Tabatha Southey, Globe and Mail

“Hudak is repeating himself.” – Mike Crawley, CBC News

“Problem for Horwath and Hudak: Not clear that one or the other is delivering McGuinty knockout.” – David Akin, Sun News

“Hudak would do himself a favour by mentioning more ideas of his own.” – Adam Radwanski, Globe and Mail

“Hudak was awfully quiet in the legislature when his federal party was giving Ontario billions to help bring in HST.” – Paul Bliss, CTV News

“Dalton_McGuinty says he’s with Bill Davis…throws PC icon at Hudak. Ouch.” – Rob Benzie, Toronto Star

“Hudak has still not said how he’s paying for it.” – David Akin, Sun News

“[One] question was about lack of bold ideas in [the election]. McGuinty talked about stuff he’s already done. Hudak talked about McGuinty.” – Adam Radwanski, Globe and Mail

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So, we heard yesterday that radio shock jock Lowell Green, the Ground Zero of Conservative Causes, had gone ape on Tim Hudak.  His words inspired a video, below.

Well, we were listening to that video, and it sounded to us like there was a natural cadence – a rhythm if you will – to Green’s words.  So one of our super-smart young guys here at Ontario Liberal HQ turned into a remix.

Here’s the video version – and here’s where you can get an MP3 to upload to Facebook and Twitter!

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So, let’s see.

Andrea Horwath gets asked about the $100,425 of taxpayer money that went to the NDP’s corporate entity – the Ontario Cornerstone Leadership Corporation.

Here’s what she says to the Sun this morning: “It has nothing to do with me…the corporation is a separate entity…It’s an independent organization…”

That so?  Really?

Here’s a quote that may jog Andrea’s memory.

“Welcome to the Cornerstone Campaign – a new initiative to purchase a permanent Ontario NDP headquarters, fund our pre-election activities and finance the 2007 election.”

Speaker?  That would be Howard Hampton, Horwath’s predecessor as leader of the selfsame Ontario NDP.

Not enough?  How about this: all eight members of the Ontario Cornerstone Leadership Corporation board of directors are super-duper close BFFs of Andrea Horwath.  All of them.

Still not enough? Here’s a snap taken by someone at the international ploughing match last week.  On the right, a smiling Andrea Horwath.  In the middle, two guys I don’t particularly care about at the moment.

And on the left?  That would be Sandra Clifford, the Ontario NDP’s president.  And, also, president of Cornerstone.

Far left (as it were): Sandra Clifford, Cornerstone prez. Far right: Andrea Horwath.  They totally don’t know each other.

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So here I am, waiting outside a Japanese place near HQ for my bento box, the calm before the storm, etc., etc.  And the Ontario Green Party’s leader drives up and says hi.

Says he wishes he was in the debate. Andrea, not so much – he’s a way better debater than she is, I say.

We shake hands, he drives off in his hybrid. I’m now going in to get my bento box.

Life’s strange, etc.

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In this morning’s Globe:

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s parliamentary secretary has stepped heavily into the Ontario election for the second time, this time commissioning a 1,000-person poll because he felt a local newspaper underplayed the popularity of the local Progressive Conservative candidate…

he provincial Liberals jumped on the poll, saying that Mr. Del Mastro was acting on behalf of the Prime Minister to run interference in the provincial election.

“This is Harper’s hand-picked parliamentary secretary – his go-to attack dog – and it’s the second time that the Prime Minister has set him loose during the Ontario election,” said Greg Sorbara, a candidate in Vaughan and the campaign co-chairman.

“It is another sign that Harper and the Conservatives are increasingly concerned about Hudak’s disorganized campaign and are prepared to intervene.”

The Prime Minister’s Office had no comment.”

Among other things, it reminds everyone about “hat trick,” doesn’t it?

August 2, 2011: Stephen Harper calls for a “hat trick” – for Conservatives to run the country, the GTA and Ontario. Almost every day since: Conservative operatives scramble to suppress any record of Harper’s statement.

Download this video, and share it with others before voting day on October 6!  You can download the file here.

Download also found here.

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The cover and inside of today’s Sun. Ouch!

“O’Reggio wouldn’t comment on the purpose for the second mortgage, or what was done with the money — again, citing shareholder’s privacy. When asked if the money had been used to help finance Ontario NDP campaign expenses, O’Reggio denied it had, and said the OCLC has nothing to do with the party’s expenses.”

Two things. One, there’s no “privacy” when it comes to taxpayer’s money, O’Reggio. And, two, all of us will be amazed – amazed – if some of that money didn’t end up in an Ontario NDP campaign or two.

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Got any idea who your NDP Member of Parliament is? Me neither.

For those of us who are forced to endure the scourge and ignominy of New Democrat representation — there are 103 such ridings in the House of Commons — innumerable mysteries abound. Such as the name of our MP, what he/she has done, and kind of important stuff like that.

Take a minute and ask yourself: “Who is my MP, anyway?”

If it’s one of those shiny new New Democrat MPs, the chances are excellent that you don’t know the answer.  Since the May 2 election, they’ve been as invisible as air, mostly.

The Toronto riding where I live, for instance, was represented by a Liberal MP for many years. I used to hear from her all the time — leaflets in the mailbox, householder pamphlets, columns in the community paper, appearances at local events. She seemed to work pretty hard at letting constituents know what was going on up in Ottawa, and what her position was on the issues of the day.

But the NDP guy who beat her a few months ago? I don’t know his name, and I can tell you that none of my neighbours or friends do, either. They — like me, and I’m allegedly one of those folks who lives and breathes politics — think he has been as elusive as a Yeti riding a unicorn.

So I set out to find him.

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It means we work harder, relentlessly, like we are way, way behind.

But you knew that already.

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