Don't count James out of the race yet. Here is long time political observer and thetyee.ca star commentator Rafe Mair on Carole's chances:"The NDP is in the process of devouring each other but then it's always been a nest of adders that rarely sheath their fangs. Even at the testimonial to Dave Barrett last Saturday you could sense the unsettled conditions. The question in the NDP, in case you've been on Mars for the past couple of years, is whether or not Carole James can win. It never seems to dawn on them that she might lose because they can't get their act together.
The Carole James I saw in her press conference last week when she took the best the media could throw at her and batted pitch after pitch out of the park, showed toughness not much seen before. It was the same at the tribute for Barrett - she didn't beat about the bush and made it clear that she was in the fight to stay.
If she can maintain that steely determination and get her venomous adders targeted on Liberals rather than themselves, she could be tough to beat."
Exactly, and thanks for the article...
* bolding mine