Last week I watched Peter Mansbridge’s political panel — Andrew Coyne,  Chantal Hebert, Allan Gregg and Janet MacKinnon — and felt I were living in a different country from them.  They spoke of Elizabeth May in hushed and reverent tones, and implied that because she would be in the debate, everything had changed … forever.

On Sunday, she was on Cross-Country Checkup.  This morning, she was the subject of the first half-hour of The Current: “Who’s afraid of Elizabeth May?”  A headline in The Globe and Mail says: “Dion trailing Layton, May for support in key ridings” — and yet, the results of the poll being reported actually contradict the headline because only two of the six questions support the headline. The other four contradict it.

In fact, none of her polling numbers or her political situation justify the kind of media coverage she’s getting but if she really is going to make the kind of difference that some media imply, perhaps it’s time they started to examine her party so voters at least know what they’re voting for.  I’m pretty sure that most of those people who claimed they’d be changing their votes after the debate debacle have no idea where the Green Party — misleadingly described as a “left-wing” party — stands on most of the issues.

The corporate media have always treated the NDP leaders — not just Jack, but also Alexa and Audrey — as if they’re a nuisance on the campaign trail but somehow, the coming of Elizabeth May has turned reporters, columnists and commentators of all kinds into starry-eyed cheerleaders.

I’m waiting for them to get over their crush and get back to work.