McCain playing it safe

RCP linked to a great piece by Rocky Mountain News this morning on McCain's speech.  Here's the best parts:

I've known for a while that I missed the real John McCain - the one who didn't care what anyone else thought - but I didn't know we'd get the John McCain who would, on the night he accepted the long-sought nomination of his party, not seem to care if anyone thought at all.

[T]there he was - standing where he must have thought he'd never be standing - and basically telling everyone to calm down.

[T]here were no new ideas. There wasn't even a theme, unless it was that McCain favored victory in Iraq. (You can start the USA chant anytime.)

This is one thing you never thought you'd say about McCain, but in this speech, it was as if he simply wanted to make the case that he was the safe vote. And in this campaign season in which nothing seems safe, where nothing is typical, where nothing is foretold and little is even foreseen, it's hard to see how playing it safe (see, for example: Obama's pick of Joe Biden) is the best strategy.

I disagree with disparaging the Biden pick, but agree with everything else.  I've been trying to put my finger exactly on what was so wrong about the speech last night.  McCain was playing it safe--this is the best description.  But he can't!  That's why Palin was a good pick, or at least seems so at this point.  McCain can't play it safe and win.  He has to go out on a limb.  Instead, he played it safe, and looked really old doing so.  

There should have been more red meat.  He should have told people why Obama would be dangerous.  He should have drawn sharp contrasts.  Most importantly, he should have led with his bio but then connected it with what that means for the future.  I just thought he looked way too much like Bob Dole.