It took the TV leaders' debate to get the full front page treatment for the Ontario election campaign. Even then, in Toronto, only the editors of the Toronto Sun and Toronto Star opted to go with a big picture and bold headline.

The Sun wins best headline with "The Great Deflate." The sub-line is not going to help rev up Sun readers to get into this campaign, "Leaders debate sucks wind out of campaign." Not sure that is enough incentive to drive me to the full coverage starting on page 4.

Over at the Star, it's ‘Accusations and insults' with the sub-line "McGuinty, Hudak get personal as tight race enters home stretch." Full front page coverage but on page 6 Thomas Walkom's column is another reminder of how all the leaders are avoiding the "economic crisis like the plague."

The National Post puts the debate below the fold deciding that "Obfuscation the only clear winner" and the Globe and Mail finds a bit of front page space to declare, "Combative leaders seek to recast their images in spirited debate."

One Tory made the comment to me that all the parties are having trouble getting media attention. If the TV debate can't get the attention of editors then we just might watch Ontarians sleep walk to the polls next Thursday. Everyone says it will take a couple of days to see what Ontarians made of the whole affair. Perhaps, as opinion firms up, a clear winner will emerge.

For me the debate was a predictable exercise in party messaging. The well-rehearsed leaders trotted out their sometimes well-rehearsed lines to predictable questions. The moderator, Steve Paikin, did try a couple of times to get the leaders to answer the question but, by and large, that request was ignored in favour of sticking with each leader's scripted message.

Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty had the toughest assignment. He had to defend the record of a government that has weathered a recession. It is worth remembering that the recession was toughest on the manufacturing sector and that meant the brunt of the impact in Canada was here in Ontario. McGuinty did remind voters a couple of times about the "instability" in the economy. His moment of attack came when he reminded us about Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak using the word "foreigner" in referring to new Canadians.

Hudak in turn was on the attack for much of the debate. He didn't spend much time focusing on his party's plan. Instead he used the debate to stick to his campaign message about the Liberal government's "tax grab" and the job losses in Ontario during the McGuinty years. His toughest line, and the one that just might stick with voters weighing their options, came about a third of the way into the session when Hudak turned on McGuinty and said "Nobody believes you anymore."

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath tried to appeal to voters by promising tax breaks for creating jobs for Ontarians instead of writing "blank cheques" for corporations. As expected, she was personable and found her moment to point out the negative "tenor" in the back and forth barbs thrown by McGuinty and Hudak.

When asked, Ontarians say they want a change in government -- not a good thing if you are a Liberal. But when voters are asked if the answer is the Tories or the NDP the answer is, not so much.

As always, I come back to turnout. Remember only 53% voted in 2007. That means that the next week might turn out to be focused on making sure that each party's core support is solid and energized – at least energized enough to take the walk to the polling station.

The other thing to watch is where the campaigns send the leaders in these last days of campaigning.

The Liberals will be trying to shore up ridings where incumbents could use some help to hold support and those ridings across the province where Liberal MPPs retired. The Tories and NDP will be looking to focus on the ridings where their internal polling suggests there are opportunities to pick up seats.

The election is a week tomorrow. There is only one bet I am willing to make. No, it's not a bet on the result but I'll go out on the limb and predict all the Toronto papers will put the winner on page 1 on October 7.