Layton goes on attack in leadership debate, gets under Martin's skin

[Minstrel Boy]

OTTAWA (CP) - Jack Layton left behind little dead air in Tuesday's leadership debate as he elbowed his way into the centre of waspish exchanges with his Liberal and Conservative counterparts.

The NDP leader took a far more aggressive approach than he did the night before in the French debate, interrupting other leaders and filling pauses during free exchanges. Layton eventually got under the skin of Liberal Leader Paul Martin. "Mr. Layton, did your handlers tell you to talk all the time?" Martin said with a chuckle as Layton hounded him over relations with the United States and Canadian participation in missile defence.

...

Layton gave Harper equal grief on his social policy and military spending plans. He mused that Harper wants to make Canada the 51st state.

As he heads west for the rest of this week, Layton has gambled on a two-front attack, hoping to steal seats from the Conservatives in western Canada and from the Liberals in the big cities.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/CanadaVotes/2004/06/15/500813-cp.html