After a shaky debate performance and new controversy over the war in Iraq, President Bush is stepping up his criticism of Sen. John Kerry on national security and the economy.

Bush, in a speech Wednesday in the swing state of Pennsylvania, was to contrast his record with his Democratic rival's, declaring that Kerry spent a Senate career voting against measures to protect the nation and that his economic policies would derail recovery....

--AP

That's going to be the big momentum-changing speech we were told about yesterday? The "significant speech"? "I'm right, he's wrong, I've made you safer, he'll get you killed, I've brought prosperity, he'll kill it"? In other words, the "significant speech" is the same speech Bush always gives, only louder?

This is a good sign -- I think Bush is rattled and it's bringing out his petulance and childishness. Kerry really did give a major speech at NYU a couple of weeks ago; his talk about foreign policy has been sharper ever since, and his poll numbers are improving. Now it seems Bush is stamping his feet like a brat and saying, "Oh yeah? Well, now I'm going to give a major speech!" That means that on Friday night Bush might just be the same jerk he was in last week's debate.

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UPDATE: Same old same old -- just nastier.