Just kidding. He didn’t make one of his Iran-style missteps.

But when a Republican campaigns on an environmental issue, it makes news. To that effect, John McCain signaled a split with both the Bush administration and environmentalists in a major global warming speech today.

The Arizona Senator and presidential nominee declares climate change undeniable and urgent, saying that the U.S. hasn’t acted quickly enough.

George W. Bush famously refused to sign the Kyoto global warming accord. McCain pledges to return America to international negotiations.

In the new campaign ad below, which he will begin airing this week, McCain places himself between what he describes as two warring factions on climate change. He paints it not only as an environmental issue, but a national security problem.

John McCain says he would set limits on greenhouse gases and allow the sale of rights of excess emissions - known as a cap and trade system.

Under John McCain’s plan:

• By 2012, the U.S. will seek a return to 2005 emissions levels.
• By 2020, the U.S. will seek a return to 1990 emissions levels.
• This pattern will continue until we have achieved at least a reduction of sixty percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050.

While it’s always good when any candidate addresses environmental issues, and McCain is most likely sincere, rather than pandering, Democrats should have a field day with his environmental record.

These proposed goals - and in many cases more proactive ones - have long been endorsed by most prominent Democrats, including the two running for president now. At best, John McCain is late to the party.

And, while he will speak at a wind turbine plant in Portland, Ore., today, and says he supports clean energy alternatives, John McCain proposes widespread expansion of nuclear power to reduce carbon emissions.

Not exactly what the environmental community needs, or is looking for.