CBC needs to Rethink - Decisions Questionable

Did anybody catch the political panel on CBC Here and Now tonight?

If you did you were probably scratching your head.

First question - did CBC choose the panelists?

PC representative - Ross Reid Current Campaign Chair Forever Tory
NDP representative - Lana Payne active with current and ongoing ties to the NDP
Liberal representative - Bill Matthews the Liberal/PC with no obvious current ties to the Liberals

This was an obvious problem from the get go. First Matthews has not always been Liberal - rather for a significant period of his political career he was Tory. Second - he has not been obviously involved with the Party during this election or over the past number of years. Third - he seemed disconnected with what's current in the Libs organization and campaign.

This contrasts completely with the other two individuals who are stalwarts of their respective parties and are obviously current and involved.

The first question revolved around the ongoing battle in St. John's Centre and the battle between Gerry Rogers NDP and the incumbent Shawn Skinner PC. Really there was nothing left to do but agree for Bill.

Then we got into the polls and the expectation of seats. Ross Reid just had to sit back and let Bill Matthews do the hacking for him. Lana predicted 5 for the NDP and then predicted 4-5 for the Liberals. Ross just sat there smug as Bill agreed with Lana and was unable to talk about any seats outside the overpass. Ross sat there again letting them split 7 or 8 seats.

Regardless of the types of polls done - accurate or inaccurate - when you remove the greater St. John's areas and a few strong Tory seats in other areas of the province - the numbers for a significant number of rural seats would probably show a very close split between the Liberals and Tories.

Let's look at this:

Yvonne Jones - does anybody believe she is at 16%?
Andrew Parsons?
Eddie Joyce?
Dwight Ball?
Kevin Aylward?
Neil Ward?
Joanna Guy Ryan?
Danny Dumderesque?
Wayne Morris?
Eric Skinner?
Merv Wiseman?
Chris Montague?
Randy Edmunds?
Todd Squires?
Leanne Hussey?
Jim Bennett?
Marshall Dean?
Barry Snow?
Ryan Lane?

I could carry on. Anybody like to take a crack at the popular vote in these districts before the election?

Despite the continued attack on the Liberals by certain anti-liberal media it will be interesting to check these polls on election day.

I have to say CBC - the panel on tonight was the worst demonstration of balance I have ever seen. That is unless the Liberal party sent Matthews. If that's the case - something worse is on the go.