The temptation to defeat the government will be overwhelming. They know that when this issue fades, their fortunes fade with it, so sooner is better than later.

The debilitating effect of the cabinet appointment fiasco is clearly nowhere as large as the cognoscenti would suggest.

People are voting for Conservatives in greater numbers, but it's not translating into Conservative seats.

This much change in this period of time -- especially given how little we've seen previously -- suggests there have probably been a lot of conversations over Christmas dinner. Something is going on: some form of intellectualizing or rumination.

They're not hysterical about this at all.

If I was Harper right now, I'd go right into Quebec and hold big rallies. Big balloons and marching bands and just feel-good stuff.