Jack Layton, it seems, is tired. These past few days Layton seems to have lost a little energy. His well-rehearsed stump speeches sometimes sound a little less than well-rehearsed.

James Cudmore

Take today, for instance: Layton was talking (again) about what he calls "gouging." Layton says bank ATM fees are too high, that's gouging. He says the price at the pump is too high, and that's gouging, too.

But today, twice, hours apart, Layton mumbled his line about gas prices. The price of barrel of oil is down to about $88. He says the last time that happened, the price for a litre of gas was $1.06.

"What's the price around the corner at the gas station," today? Layton asked. "$1.26. It's a rip off! Twenty cents being taken from your pockets, per litre, and put to pad the bottom line of the banks."

Yes, that's right, the banks.

And, he said the same thing, twice.

—James Cudmore