McCain on Letterman: Dueling Quipsters
posted at 7:32 am on April 2, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Remember when Bob Dole appeared on The Tonight Show shortly after his loss to Bill Clinton and surprised America with his self-deprecating sense of humor? A lot of us lamented the timing; we thought if he had done that before the election, he may have connected better with American voters. John McCain took a lesson from that lost opportunity and had some fun at his own expense last night with David Letterman.
As Letterman notes — maybe a little too funny:
Part III:
Update (AP): The funniest part of the first clip is how ostentatiously self-satisfied McCain is. He reminds me of Norman Fell turning to the camera and laughing after cracking a one-liner in early “Three’s Company” episodes.
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Sorry, but I didn’t watch that show, I slept early.
I can’t comment.
Indy Conservative on April 2, 2008 at 7:44 AM
:-)
Indy Conservative on April 2, 2008 at 7:45 AM
Strong showing. McCain has a great sense of humor; glad to see the campaign putting it to good use.
12thman on April 2, 2008 at 7:46 AM
Who is running for office Letterman or Maverick?
Letterman is an aged comedian, who now claims that the Y USA has lost its humanity. Who does this comic look to for the comparison? Africa, Iran, China, Korea, Russia? The numbers that Clownie so glibly banters about of American lives lost is partially based on fighting a war as carefully as possible and as humanely as possible. All those Iraqi people that have been blown up, tortured, and murdered by the very forces that our military is set to destroy. There’s the humanity and lack of. To use the barbarous acts of that same enemy that created 9/11, and try to pin the lives lost by their actions on this President, Rumsfeld, or the current administration is a lie. Letterman’s a critic with a very blurred vision when it comes to his own country.
Hening on April 2, 2008 at 7:53 AM
Wow I am impressed!
I thought he was fantastic on the show, concise, funny and very articulate.
http://armyaunt.johnmccain.com/
ArmyAunt on April 2, 2008 at 8:09 AM
Never watch his show for this very reason. Just more of McBeth trying to reach out to liberals and independents. You won’t find many conservatives watching this stuff.
Angry Dumbo on April 2, 2008 at 8:15 AM
I have no use for Letterman.
Wade on April 2, 2008 at 8:28 AM
I was very impressed with Johnny Mac last night. He did a great job of making me like him as a person regardless of his positions. I could agree with most of what he said. It seemed that Dave was asking some rather pointed questions and may be trying to trip him up on an answer, or just get him to say something damaging, but John did alright.
In Letterman’s defense he prefaced most of what he said with “I don’t know anything about politics and I prove that every night” If only more of the audience realized that wasn’t a joke.
jdog on April 2, 2008 at 8:32 AM
This was a great move and a good way to get in front of a younger audience who might later be swayed away from the Obama-nation.
We need every vote we can get. McCain can counter the Democrat’s lead in money raising, but using the free media like this.
NoDonkey on April 2, 2008 at 8:35 AM
I think Letterman did a fair job, and Mav was real, real good.
LtE126 on April 2, 2008 at 8:37 AM
McCain was good last night, but after watching Letterman I realized how unfunny letterman can be. Some parts were good, but others were just horrible. McCain seemed to hang in there but a lot of what he said was just stump speech, I guess better safe then sorry.
Complete7 on April 2, 2008 at 8:41 AM
“Are we ever going to be able to get people to respect this country again?”
………..*sigh*
Letterman’s show is not only staggeringly unfunny, it’s brushed through with such David’s own political pandering and ignorant liberal theology, as the above quote proves.
The man is an idiot. Leadership comes by principle and authority rather then bowing to every public opinion poll which says that someone in the world doesn’t like you. It’s a good thing that not one of the three presidential candidates subscribe to such lunac– oh… wait…
Jockolantern on April 2, 2008 at 8:43 AM
There is no smart person who would say it will be like the 30’s …shut the hell up.
tomas on April 2, 2008 at 8:45 AM
Letterman is a yellow hack. He didn’t have the guts to hit McCain with the leftist crap he usually spits out.
Limerick on April 2, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Just when I start thinking I could vote for him he shows what a liberal he truly his. Depressing.
Swinehound on April 2, 2008 at 9:00 AM
The world was a much better place with Norman Fell in it.
awake on April 2, 2008 at 9:00 AM
I see McCain still believes in Gore-mania and in closing Guantanamo. But then, the Mav is not my cup of tea, merely the least of 3 evils.
Bigfoot on April 2, 2008 at 9:02 AM
I thought he did a bang-up job…BUT:
He said we have to help people who may lose their homes…some are having to get a second job, dip into their savings,….“.
They might have to dip into their savings?! What?! I
guess those savings were for the trip to Disneyland, so the rest of us should step up and help pay the mortgage?!!!
That’s the part of McCain that drives me crazy.
______________________________
How do you insert paragraphs here? I tried “hat P reverse hat” but that didn’t work.
jeanneb on April 2, 2008 at 9:11 AM
Never mind….I see the paragraphs work in posting, just not in previewing.
jeanneb on April 2, 2008 at 9:12 AM
His self-avowed economic ignorance showed, when he scolded the former CEO of Bears Stearns for cashing out and getting $60m. Although on the face of it, it seems outrageous, the truth is that one week earlier, that stock was worth 10x that amount, and one year earlier, 35x! It means that he had a LOT of shares in his company, isn’t that what we want in our CEOs, a personal stake? He made a fatal mistake and suffered the greatest single LOSS of capital in Wall Street history. I also think he’s fundamentally wrong about his approach to the real-estate crisis. Although it shows his concern for honest people who are being squeezed, how in heck to you tell the difference from
Also, he played a little into the meme of Iraqi loss of life. Honest studies of the situation have pegged the number at around 60,000. Although tragic, it’s nowhere near the 250k, 500k, 650k, or even over a MILLION I keep hearing about. He kept it at a more reasonable “hundreds of thousands”, but wouldn’t HE be armed with all the facts, since Iraq is the lynch-pin of his candidacy?
Otherwise, like it or not, he spoke the the fears and uncertainties of most Americans, which is what he HAS to do. I don’t have to agree to all his positions to know he’s the best candidate this year, and probably the one I’ve had the LEAST number of reservations about in my voting history (since ‘88).
Exit question, what are we going to do with Gitmo when we close it? It’s the newest, nicest, and most secure prison facility anywhere.
JeffWeimer on April 2, 2008 at 9:13 AM
As much as it pains me that he’s our best choice, he did a nice job scoring points with the folks he’s going to need to get him elected. He’s a moderate voice that plays well to the moderate Democrats, half of which will be thoroughly ticked off when their guy/gal does not get the nomination.
Sigh, he’s our best hope.
sheesh on April 2, 2008 at 9:21 AM
For God’s sake Maverick, get Mitt or somebody to “learn you up” on economics pronto. I’m at my most nervous when he starts regurgitating the nonsense he no doubt reads in the NY Times. (I frankly think he was more worried about keeping Letterman pacified than anything.) And what the fuh? Close Guantanamo? Dude, that didn’t even get a cheer. Most Americans know that Club Gitmo serves an incredibly vital purpose. If I’m going to be a McCain guy, I’m going to have to do what I know most Dems do when they hear Barrack speak nonsense. I’ll put my fingers in my ears and pretend he’s making sense. Heaven help us.
Sugar Land on April 2, 2008 at 9:29 AM
Whoops, I missed finishing a sentence there – too many thoughts at the same time.
Here goes. How do you tell the difference between a speculator with three properties that is just going to flip them and an honest person who owns multiple rental properties and is now being squeezed out of his livelihood? How can you prove a lending institution has been dishonest with all the paperwork a buyer has to sign in regards to understanding the contract to which they’ve agreed. I think this is a Gordian Knot that will just have to unravel itself. The market is the most efficient mechanism for resolving this with the least amount of pain. Will many be hurt? Yes. Is it because of their choices? YES.
JeffWeimer on April 2, 2008 at 9:30 AM
So if McCain is Norman Fell, does that make Obama Jack Tripper and Hillary Mrs. Roper? (Lord knows Hillary’s not Crissy or even Janet)
jon1979 on April 2, 2008 at 9:31 AM
‘are we ever going to get to the point where America is respected again?’
What kind of question is that? America is respected more outside of America than inside America. America is respected BECAUSE OF Iraq and the fact that we are willing to use our power. America is disrespected because of how we are treating Iran.
People don’t hate the USA because of anything we have done. We were attacked before the Iraq war, and we’ll be attacked after the Iraq war is over.
The bottom line is we should not give a rats behind what other countries think of us. Do you think Rome cared about anyone else in the world? Rome thought they WERE the world. I’m not saying that the US rules like Rome, But the USA is certainly more powerful than Rome ever dreamed to be. . . and the rest of the world absolutely respects that.
They all want to be American. That’s all the respect I need. . . and no Obama, I don’t want to ‘change’ that.
ThackerAgency on April 2, 2008 at 9:31 AM
The late MIke Royko once considered a move to Norway because he wondered about living in a country that thought David Letterman was funny.
mymanpotsandpans on April 2, 2008 at 9:33 AM
3rd clip=McCain pandering POS led by the nose by Pres. Letterman. Disgraceful.
JiangxiDad on April 2, 2008 at 9:44 AM
He done good! He probably won some votes last night. Hope he shows up a lot on the late night shows.
He’s such a good man, and so likable. How I wish he weren’t so leftish on some really important things.
petefrt on April 2, 2008 at 9:49 AM
I think he meant emptying their 401(K)s
Think_b4_speaking on April 2, 2008 at 9:56 AM
Lucianne.com says the repartee was scripted, which was also the case with Dole and Hillary.
pocomoco on April 2, 2008 at 10:15 AM
I find it quite interesting that the very first topic that Letterman started off with is the one topic that McCain admits is his weakest: the economy. Letterman has railed against Bush and the war, yet he leads with the economy. Why? Because he’s trying to catch McCain on something while talking about his weakest topic.
So transparent. Letterman jumped the shark years ago.
cannonball on April 2, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Could Letterman be pro-McCain?
bnelson44 on April 2, 2008 at 10:31 AM
What an unfunny hack. Letterman’s bad too.
VolMagic on April 2, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Sen. McCain apparently thinks he has to pander to the left by reiterating their mantras: Iraq was a disaster, caused by “Rumsfeld—and others”; carbon dioxide is causing ‘climate change’; Gitmo has to be closed; ‘torture’ is bad; etc., etc.
In other words, hes going into a national campaign basically echoing what the other side is saying. Worse, he probably believes it.
Which means he’s going to get eaten alive, because if people want that crap, they’re going to buy the real thing, not a watered-down Republican version of it.
Do I smell a disaster in the making?
MrLynn on April 2, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Yeah, I thought that was weird when McCain was asked about Iraq, he quickly changed the subject to climate change.
terryannonline on April 2, 2008 at 11:06 AM
IOW, he thinks the government should take over the housing industry but only for “deserving” people. That will help!
PattyJ on April 2, 2008 at 11:23 AM
I liked how he “did Letterman” after a joke. He put his hands in his pockets and did the rocking back and forth. Good for him.
Mallard T. Drake on April 2, 2008 at 11:32 AM
What a despicable piece-of-s#%t! That goes for Letterman, too. Why not talk about amnesty, also?
cjs1943 on April 2, 2008 at 11:34 AM
I want to puke!!!
Tinian on April 2, 2008 at 11:58 AM
I thought so, too.
mikeyboss on April 2, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Not Presidential.
McCain has a serious superiority complex and is known for making fun of, mocking and or cussing out people who do not bow down to his greatness.
Ask John Cornyn.
EJDolbow on April 2, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Not Presidential.
McCain has a serious superiority complex and is known for making fun of, mocking and or cussing out people who do not bow down to his greatness.
Ask John Cornyn.
EJDolbow on April 2, 2008 at 12:39 PM
I don’t see any difference between McCain and the average loony Democrat.
Maxx on April 2, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Letterman is an unfunny a$$-bag. Really, I can’t remember if he’s ever said anything even remotely amusing. Guess I just don’t get it.
*YAWN*
Claypigeon on April 2, 2008 at 3:45 PM
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