Just when you thought Jeb Bush couldn’t get any sadder as a presidential candidate…

In a town hall event Wednesday in Hanover, N. H., Jeb attempted to speak forcefully on his commitment to national security.

“So here’s my pledge to you. I will be a Commander-in-Chief that will have the back of the military. I won’t trash talk. I won’t be a Divider-in-Chief, or an Agitator-in-Chief,” he declared.

“I won’t be out there blow-hardin’, talkin’ a big game without backing it up,” he continued, inconsistently dropping his G’s. “I think the next president needs to be a lot quieter, but send a signal that we’re prepared to act in the national security interests of this country — to get back in the business of creating a more peaceful world.”

He then paused, and said in a sunken voice: “Please clap.”

As the crowd applauded, he smiled with what seemed to be a sense of relief.