Spoken Softly, With A Big Stick

This is a close American election now. The battleground states that matter are few - it may come down to Ohio, for instance. Anyone who wants to write off John S. McCain as some kind of Bush Mark II or III are being simplistic. McCain is a maverick, and he does represent fundamental change. It is different in kind from Obama's, but it ain't gonna be business as usual. Take his speech of last night. Some are saying it was weak, or muted. No, it was soft-spoken, but underlined with steel.

At the end, when McCain, in his last 50 seconds, repeated, growing in speed, "fight with me, fight with me", I saw an outcome where they do fight with him, and the Republicans win. Few Americans can call on their fellow citizens to fight, without it seeming silly or sinister - but McCain said it, and it sounded both moving, and modest. "Nothing is inevitable" he said. I'd bet on that. Obama has to fight harder in the next 55 days. Let's hope he does.