Speech nerds (i.e. reporters) covering the Stephen Harper campaign couldn't help but notice a new word has popped into his stump speech lexicon: Green — with a capital G, as in "party."

Indeed, for the first eight days of the campaign, you'd not know such an organization existed if you listened only to Harper speaking at his evening rallies.

Then last night, and again Tuesday night, there it was. Suddenly Harper is now specifically lumping Elizabeth May & Co. along with Liberals, New Democrats and the Bloc as, the way Harper would have it, tunnel-visioned tax-and-spenders.

What a difference the debate over the debate seems to have made.

As someone once put it — as long as they spell your name right.

—Paul Hunter