WASHINGTON - John McCain should have seen this one coming.
The Republican presidential candidate suspended his campaign and dramatically announced he was going to Washington to help hammer out a $700 billion bailout to save the U.S. economy.
Then he called to cancel with David Letterman. At the last minute. Leaving the wickedly funny late night comic with blank airtime to fill. Probably not the smartest move.
“Senator John McCain, the Republican candidate for president, was supposed to be on the program tonight,” Letterman said in an opening volley. “But had to cancel the show because he’s suspending his campaign because the economy is exploding.”
“You know who John McCain is,” he added to laughter from his live audience. “He’s the running mate of Sarah Palin, you’re aware of that?”
And that was just the start. Letterman wasn’t about to let it go. After heaping praise on McCain as an American hero, it was right back to the cancellation.
“When you call up and you call up at the last minute and you cancel a show, ladies and gentlemen, that’s starting to smell,” Letterman said. “This, this is not the John McCain I know, by God. It makes me believe something’s gone haywire with the campaign.”
“This just doesn’t smell right because this is not the way a tested hero behaves. Somebody’s putting something in his Metamucil,” he said.
A presidential candidate doesn’t just suspend the campaign, Letterman insisted.
“You go back to Washington. You handle what you need to handle. Don’t suspend your campaign. Let your campaign go on, shouldered by your vice presidential nominee, that’s what you do. You don’t quit,” Letterman said, pausing to let his audience mull over the idea of McCain letting the little-experienced Alaska governor take over the campaign.
“Or is that really a good thing to do?” Letterman asked.
The jibes kept coming. McCain’s age — at 72 he’ll be the oldest president to start a first term in office — and Palin’s inexperience.
He reacted with mock astonishment when he discovered McCain had not raced back to Washington but was instead being interviewed for the CBS evening newscast with Katie Couric. Letterman watched a live TV feed from the studio as McCain’s face was patted with makeup.
“Doesn’t seem to be racing to the airport, does he?”
“Hey John, I got a question. You need a ride to the airport?”
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
Photo credit: Reuters/Molly Riley (McCain at U.S. Capitol on Thursday after returning to Washington for talks on U.S. financial crisis)
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No matter how you feel about Dave, or the candidates, or which side you are on, the bottom line is that McCain flat out lied. How many of you want a liar as your next president?
- Posted by TomIf I were McCain I’d never appear on Lettermans show after his snide remarks with the likes of Keith Oberman.
- Posted by Steven WilsonI’d like to know exactly how much time McCain spends in Washington actually working on this crisis… he may be in Washington, but I think he is in R.O.T.C. mode (Run Or Take Cover) Very disappointing because I was going to vote for him. If he’s lie about being on the David Letterman show, what wouldn’t he lie about? Ridiculous…
- Posted by John EldridgeBah, whatever Peter Foxworthy.
Bottom line is: McCain is a damn liar and his administration will be as incompetent as the last one–you can see it already–EASILY!
And you still love him like a foolish,
- Posted by RapidRonMark-
- Posted by JoeIt was McCain himself who said he was “suspending his campaign.”
PF: Republican wacko’s like McCain-Palin shouldn’t be running for the presidency.
- Posted by EverymanMcCain has really turned into a slimy politician. This makes him look like a coward who is too afraid to debate Obama. It’s bad enough that no one in this country is allowed to ask Palin any question. And now people are claiming sexism? You’ve got to be kidding. McCain called Hillary a b*tch, HE was the first to use the “lipstick on a pig” comment about her, AND he made crude jokes about Chelsea Clinton. I cannot believe what a bunch of hypocrites people are. NOW, children are off-limits (oh, except when Palin wants to use them to garner sympathy). The modern definition of a Republican: Wants a free ride, whines incessantly, flip-flops daily, STEALS billions from taxpayers. Shall I go on? Republicans have run this country into the ground more than once. Then the Dems get in and have to pay off their big deficits and clean house. And somehow the Dems get labeled as big government. You must be kidding. It is ridiculous. Wake up, America. Your country is on fire.
- Posted by Dagny“Democrat wacko’s like Letterman are the reason why Obama will lose and McCain will become the next president.
Keep the insults coming my liberal friends, keep’em coming.”
His show announced McCain’s run. And lies trump insults any day of the week. McCain’s lies just don’t stop coming.
- Posted by JohnDon’t you think McCain looks tired?
- Posted by LREKingHehhh,
- Posted by sriSo anyone makes fun of John Mccain, and immediately get labeled a democrat wacko! Peter Foxworthy - get out of your foxhole into the real world.. this time America’s going to reject the republican shenanigans in no mean measure. Good luck, GOP.. you are going down.
Hey Dave!
You were great last night!
Here’s another option sinc ethe tim eis already booked and scheduling another debate may not happen……if McCain can’t make it to the debate on Friday…change it to the VP debate! Biden is ready! Why isn’t what’s her name?
Lily Rose
- Posted by Lily RoseJust whose side is Letterman on? That of the American people, or the self-serving crowd in the media. If McCain isn’t going to take part in the debate, why on earth would he be seen on a late night show, seriously. I believe that the finance issue is too important for either Presidential Candidate to be running around to appear on anything other than news shows.
- Posted by MicheleIt was a pretty big deal for McCain to lie to Letterman, after all it was on the Letterman show that he announced his candidacy. But I think yesterday’s posturing just shows how scared the McCain campaign is of debates. Not the Obama vs McCain debate that McCain tried to postpone, but the Palin vs Biden debate that they tried to get replaced by the Obama/McCain debate. It’s looking increasing likely that Friday’s debate will go as planned so we will see Bidan and Palin next Thursday although hopefully she will do a better job than on Couric.
- Posted by DissillusionedRepublican‘Democrat wackos’? Guess you have been listening to the sane Rush ‘Ditto’ Limbaugh all these years. And how do you know Letterman’s political background? Guess like most Grand OLD Partiers, you have no sense of humor. Then again, your party did pick Sarah Palin.
- Posted by ErikTypical of our lazy, self-indulgent Republican leaders who answer to no one but themselves. Didn’t Woody Allen once say that 95% of life is showing up?
- Posted by FooI’m from Indiana, but like many Hoosiers, but prefer Jay Leno. Political jokes are to be expected from all comedians and hopefully toward candidates on a fair or equal basis, but Letterman has gone way too far, so, sorry Dave, you’re one Hoosier we can live without. CLICK. That was the channel changing. Stan in Shelbyville, Indiana
- Posted by Stanley CobbDemocrat wacko’s like Letterman are the reason why Obama will lose and McCain will become the next president.
- Posted by Peter FoxworthyKeep the insults coming my liberal friends, keep’em coming.
Wow. Just wow. Presidents have to wear a lot of hats and this is not acceptable.
- Posted by rachelCindy McCain did a fundraiser in Washington last night. All of his offices are open. Palin “talked” to the press today at ground zero. He is still running commercials.
Why are you falsely reporting that he “suspended his campaign”?
- Posted by MarkYou don’t tug on Superman’s cape,
You don’t spit into the wind.
You don’t pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
and you don’t mess around with Dave.
-With apologies To Jim Croce
- Posted by Tom Burnett