Buzz backs the Bloc, again

Harper keeps hammering, and Buzz keeps digging:

Harper, who the polls suggest is the frontrunner in the federal race, said the statements by Hargrove should be condemned and corrected by Liberal Leader Paul Martin. "You cannot have in the senior ranks of your campaign, and you cannot allow someone to say in your presence without being corrected that they should encourage people to vote for a separatist party." Hargrove, the president of the Canadian Auto Workers union, did not back down today on his statements -- made Wednesday while campaigning with Martin in Strathroy, Ont. "I have great respect to the people of Quebec, and that respect extends to respecting their decisions to how they're going to vote to stop Harper, but I would hope that they would vote to stop Harper,'' he said on CTV

I'm guessing Layton's not missing Buzz's "support" much these days. UPDATE: Bernard Lord weighs in:

New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord says labour leader Buzz Hargrove has gone too far. The Premier says it is ridiculous for Hargrove to encourage Quebeckers to vote for the Bloc Québécois in a bid to siphon support from the Conservatives. Mr. Lord said the comments were uncalled for, and show how desperate the Liberals have become in the final days of the federal election campaign.

And Paul Martin? What's in the Separatist Fighter's DNA these days?

... in answer to further questioning from reporters, he said: "Mr. Hargrove said clearly that in his opinion, the progressive forces, NDP, should vote Liberal. I agree with him on that. As far as Quebec is concerned, I think it's not a question of voting Bloc, I am there to ask people to vote Liberal." But he stopped short of saying one should never vote for a separatist party as a means of defeating the Conservatives who are, at this point, leading in public opinion polls.

I'd say Martin has hit bottom - that this is the single most craven moment in a long and storied career of ducking fights and ditching principles. But you just never know where the bottom is with this guy.