Is this another one of your fantasies or can you elaborate on what exactly "lukewarm negative imaging" is and who exactly is putting it out. (Let me guess "well there is one person who posts on babble who supports the NDP who thinks Pantalone is not very charismatic - ergo the entire party is letting down his campaign"). I hope you can do better than that.
It is Pantalone's job to make New Democrats and other progressives enthusiastic about his campaign and willing to climb mountains for him. He's had almost a year to do that. If they aren't volunteering its his fault and his fault alone. No one else has the power to wave a magic wand and make thousands of volunteers magically appear.