Critics may be underwhelmed, but the long speech — issues, contrast with Obama, tough talk to the party, inspiration — still worked well enough, its ending moved the crowd there and, I wager, across the country, and it will show in next week’s polls.

McCain’s last minute was worth the entire hour. What I like about him is that he doesn’t care whether he or his experiences are ancient history to the duh/whatever generation. He does things his way and has confidence in yet another generation of Americans who in time will come around as he himself once did so long ago. So the ancient and scarred “my country saved me and I can’t forget it” warhorse and his unlikely new young partner gallop off…and I think a majority in the end will want to follow them out.