Mixed message?

The NY Times has a piece on McCain's position on education (there's also one on Obama's plan) that has me puzzled. Remember when McCain told the GOP Convention that education was the civil rights issue of the 21st century? Here's what puzzles me:

The brevity of Mr. McCain’s plan reflects his view that the federal government should play a limited role in public education, and his commitment to holding the line on education spending, said Lisa Graham Keegan, a McCain adviser and former Arizona education commissioner.

“Education is obviously not the issue Senator McCain spends the most time on,” Ms. Keegan said, adding that his plan’s limited scope should not be interpreted as a lack of commitment to education and school reform. “He’s been a quiet and consistent supporter of parents and educators who he thinks are making a difference.”

That seems at odds with what McCain said during his acceptance address. Then again, McCain's record shows he wasn't sure the federal government should have much involvement in the civil rights issue of the 20th century, so maybe he's being consistent.