Since the election call I've watched coverage of NDP, Liberal and Conservative rallies and at this early stage of the campaign one can point objectively to positives in the performances of all three party leaders. Clearly as the front men in several national campaigns, Layton and Harper have learned and improved from the experience.

But after watching Ignatieff at work in Campaign 2011 his performance thus far, first day aside, has left me the most impressed. Truth be told I'm almost stunned over the dramatic improvement in his ability to make a connection with Canadians.

Yesterday at a rally in Ontario Michael Ignatieff spoke passionately and believably and strummed a number of heart-string chords that I think will resonate with voters if they get the chance to see him speak. In addition he answered the important question "why do you want to be PM" in a way that will work for many Canadians.

Unlike the awkwardly professorial picture we've largely been treated to thus far, Michael Ignatieff on the campaign trail seems far more comfortable in his skin now than he ever has as a politician and far more comfortable at the job than Stephen Harper was in his first few campaigns or even now. Iggy's pitch seems suddenly more approachable, more natural, more believable, and, to me at least, somehow more Canadian.

Conservatives who take an objective look at Ignatieff's performance in the early days of his very first national campaign will probably view him as a serious threat to their aspirations. They've sunk millions into trying to define Michael Ignatieff for two years now yet the Ignatieff on the campaign trail I'm seeing shows that he has what it takes to bust through those Conservative attempts to pre-define him. If Ignatieff is successful at this, much of the Conservative narrative starts to fall apart.

While Iggy's work remains cut out for him, I'm now of the view that he's a real threat to Stephen Harper's Conservatives and that's the first time I've said that about any Liberal leader Harper has faced, including Paul Martin.

I've been an objective observer on the sidelines ever since Stephen Harper forged his immoral "coalition" with David "I'll be Stephen Harper's worst enemy" Emerson back in 2006. Privately in my riding I give my vote and support to the candidate who best deserves it. Publicly, I've preferred to be an objective commentator even though it's been a fairly boring pastime given there's been no serious challenger to Stephen Harper in all these years. My sense in these admittedly early days is that this time the race will be a little more exciting.

Thanks to a surprisingly good early effort by Ignatieff, this campaign just got interesting.