Politics / John McCain McCain's Image as Lackluster Speaker Intact Pundits view speech as workmanlike, maybe even boring By Gabriel Winant, Newser Staff Posted Sep 5, 2008 11:25 AM CDT Copied Republican presidential nominee John McCain waves near the end of his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds) Last night was John McCain’s big moment at the Republican National Convention. Oratory hasn’t been his strong suit in the past. How were the reactions to his speech? McCain bored Michael Tomasky at the UK Guardian, who wonders if he was baiting negative reviews to rile up his base: “I now suspect that the speech was intentionally awful.” Time’s Mark Halperin saw a classic McCain performance—steady, if not thrilling: “All in all, he came across as calm, honorable, and dedicated rather than fired up and ready to go.” At Politico, Jonathan Martin wonders if McCain was overshadowed by his own VP pick: “I think it's safe to say that after McCain's speech tonight, the talk of the delegates here and among most voters at home will still be about Sarah Palin.” (More John McCain stories.) Report an error