Should John McCain do the Letterman show?

@spalladino (17891)
United States
October 5, 2008 10:48am CST
We all know that Dave is seriously irritated that McCain blew off a shceduled appearance on his show, claiming that he was flying off to Washington immediately to deal with the economic crisis, only to be busted by Dave, still in New York and giving a television interview during the taping of his show. Since then both McCain and Palin have been the butt of Letterman's jokes and comedy skits. Dave also seems to be escalating his attacks as time passes. On the show this past Friday night the attacks were focused mainly on Palin, starting with the opening monologue and continuing with three digitally altered clips of her during the debate designed to make her look like a complete idiot. These were followed by Palin's top ten voice mail messages where Dave took shots at both Palin and McCain. Dave's first guest, Brian Williams of the NBC Nightly News who has also been shunned by the McCain camp, spent the entire segment making fun of the ticket...mostly Palin. Dave said on his show Friday night that the road to the White House goes through him and, while this certainly isn't true, these nightly slaps in the face of the McCain camp can't be helping. Should McCain win the election he's set himself up for the same kind of treatment Bush has had to endure with the Great Moments In Presidential Speeches bit done nightly. So, what do you think? Should John McCain appear on the Letterman show with an olive branch of peace, hoping to stop the attack, or just let the media chips fall where they may?
3 responses
• United States
5 Oct 08
Let the media chips fall where they may. Letterman is a has been. Letterman would take McCain's appearance as a victory and still be rude. People who watch Letterman are very unlikely to vote for McCain anyway.
1 person likes this
• United States
6 Oct 08
The days when I could stay awake until 11:30 pm are long gone, so I'd have to check the tv guide to find out!
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
6 Oct 08
Now red, what else are folks supposed to watch at 11:30pm when they should be asleep?
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
5 Oct 08
Well I don't watch Letterman so I don't really know the content of his attacks on Palin. Should he be making grossly inappropriate attacks on her, I'd say no. Initially before seeing your mention of his attacks on Palin my answer was going to be an unadulterated yes. I'm not saying he should go on because he stood Letterman up the first time, but because I think it's important to show that playful jokes aren't taken too seriously. He should go on the show, take every hit Letterman gives him, and make several jokes about why he dumped him for Couric including jokes about David being an "ugly date". Again though, if his jokes about Palin crossed the line, I'd just write him off.
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
6 Oct 08
I don't always stay up late enough to watch Letterman but I wouldn't classify the jokes I've seen as crossing the line. You've got a good idea about McCain going on the show and giving as good as he got...that might just shut him up. Too bad he doesn't read Mylot boards.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
5 Oct 08
I think it has been said by McCain and Palin, as well as a number of the spokespeople in their campaign, that they intend to run their own campaign and not allow the media to run it for them. I totally agree with this approach and think too much emphasis is put on pleasing people like David Letterman. He is a comedian - he makes money making fun of people and putting people down - if he doesn't have someone to make fun of or criticize, he doesn't have material for his show. Too many people don't understand that a lot of what most comedians say is not true, has no factual basis, and that the clips shown on their show are often altered.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
6 Oct 08
Thanks for responding newtondak. I'm sure most folks know that Letterman's material isn't factual and that the clips are altered. I am just curious about what folks think about it.