NEW YORK (Oct. 17) - John McCain endured a barrage of taunts and insults from David Letterman after the Republican presidential candidate canceled an appearance on 'Late Show' in September to tend to the financial bailout package. He finally made his appearance up, telling a fiery Letterman: "I screwed up."
Not willing to risk the wrath of Letterman again, the Republicanpresidential candidate rented a helicopter to fly to New York aftera weather delay grounded his campaign airplane in Philadelphia. Hehad canceled a Sept. 24 appearance during the brief suspension ofhis campaign because of the economic crisis, and Letterman has beenhammering him ever since.
The band played the Who's "I Can't Explain" as McCain walkedonstage at the Ed Sullivan Theater. After he sat down, Lettermanasked, "Can you stay?"
"Depends on how bad it gets," McCain answered.
Letterman had replaced McCain with the GOP hopeful's persistentcritic, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, on Sept. 24. Olbermann was waitingin the wings Thursday - and McCain had a pained expression when henoticed that.
Although Letterman said he was "willing to put this behindus," he came after McCain hard with questions. He asked whetherPalin was his first choice as vice president.
"Absolutely," McCain answered.
He said he didn't know her well before choosing her, but that hewas impressed by her reputation as a reformer.
Letterman repeatedly pressed McCain on her qualifications,asking if he was confident she could lead the country in a time ofcrisis.
Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., arrives with his wife Cindy in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Oct. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., arrives with his wife Cindy in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Oct. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and his wife Cindy get off their campaign plane in Nashville, Tennessee October 6, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008 (USA)
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U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) speaks at a campaign rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico October 6, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008 (USA)
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U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) greets supporters at a campaign rally Albuquerque, New Mexico October 6, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008 (USA)
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Republican Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin arrives at Palm Beach International Airport on Monday morning, Oct. 6, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Allen Eyestone, Pool)
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Republican Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin arrives at Palm Beach International Airport with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Monday morning, Oct. 6, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Allen Eyestone, Pool)
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Supporters reach out to shake the hand of Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., at a rally in Albuquerque, N.M., Monday, Oct. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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Republican presidential nominee, Arizona Senator John McCain, and his wife Cindy greet supporters October 6, 2008 during a rally at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
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U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) speaks at a campaign rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico October 6, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008 (USA)
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"In all due respect, one of the people I admired most was anobscure governor of a southern state called Arkansas and he turnedout to be a fairly successful president," McCain said,complimenting Bill Clinton. "Ronald Reagan was a cowboy, noexperience in international affairs. I think she has shownleadership."
As Letterman pressed on, McCain asked, "Have we pretty wellexhausted this?"
"No, no," Letterman said. "I'm just getting started."
Letterman questioned him about Palin's claim that Democraticpresidential candidate Barack Obama "palled around withterrorists," and McCain backed her up, saying his opponent need tobetter explain his relationship with former Weather Undergroundactivist William Ayers.
"Did you not have a relationship with Gordon Liddy?" Lettermanasked about Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy.
McCain said he knew him. Then, after a commercial break, McCainsaid, "I know Gordon Liddy. He paid his debt, he went to prison... I'm not in any way embarrassed to know Gordon Liddy."
"You understand the same case could be made of yourrelationship with him as is being made with William Ayers?"Letterman said.
McCain said he has been completely open about his relationshipwith Liddy.
Letterman appeared to ridicule McCain about the implication thatObama and Ayers had a relationship.
"Are they double-dating, are they going to dinner, what arethey doing?" Letterman asked. "Are they driving across country?"
"Maybe going to Denny's," McCain said.
Letterman said that Obama was 8 when Ayers was 29, and McCainappeared exasperated. "There's millions of words said in acampaign. C'mon, Dave," he said.
McCain said he thought Palin would appear on NBC's "SaturdayNight Live," where Tina Fey has been doing a dead-on impersonationof her. "Probably get more of an audience than our debate did,"he said.
Although Letterman had said he felt like an "ugly date" afterMcCain's initial cancellation, representatives for the two mennever stopped talking about a return date.
While McCain risked a rough appearance - "I haven't had so muchfun since my last interrogation," he said - it gave him the chanceto show courage in the face of fire. Letterman reaches about 4million people a night, a number sure to increase with McCain asguest. With clips on the Internet and Friday morning news,countless more people will undoubtedly learn about their encounter.
McCain did offer one campaign promise that he was probably morelikely to keep after he left the stage.
"It's not the time to raise anybody's taxes - except yours,"he said to Letterman. "I guarantee you if I become president, I'lldo it. First executive order."
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