SO I’M WATCHING MCCAIN’S SPEECH and his delivery isn’t great. He’s stumbled over some words, and at one point flashed a badly timed smile that reminded me of Joe Biden. But on substance, well, he’s being pretty substantive. He’s laying out the differences between himself and Obama quite thoroughly and plainly. “I don’t seek the Presidency on the presumption I am blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save my country in its hour of need. . . . My country saved me.”

Plus, this: “If I am elected President, the era of the permanent campaign of the last sixteen years will end.” Not quite a one-term pledge, but . . . .

UPDATE: Here’s the text. It reads better than it sounded.