Letterman: Signs You're Hot Top Ten

TOP TEN SIGNS YOU'RE TOO DAMN HOT

10. You were just named People magazine's "sweatiest man alive"

9. For you, business casual means a necktie and underpants

8. You begged Rupert Murdoch to hack into a Dairy Queen

7. You were caught texting photos of your heat rash

6. Your sunburns have sunburns: Kids, remember, Dave says wear sunscreen

5. Your baby daughter's first word: "clammy"

4. Your sweat is sweating -- Kids, remember, Dave says drink plenty of liquids

3. Instead of the maid, you're spending time with the pool boy (Schwarzenegger only)

2. Every now and then your ass sizzles and smells like bacon

1. You sit through a taping of the Late Show just for the air conditioning

Late Show with David Letterman
July 21, 2011

Bono and David Letterman

On Monday's Late Show with David Letterman, U2's Bono gave President George W. Bush credit for helping to save millions of lives in Africa.

Poor Letterman.

That had to hurt, hearing Bono, the great humanitarian, praise President Bush.

Here's video of the full episode.

Transcript, from NewsBusters:

DAVID LETTERMAN: Now, listen, from time to time - not time to time, every darn day - you hear things about Africa, and, sadly, you don’t hear much good about Africa. And, recently, I heard that because of a 20-year drought, the Cape of Africa, like 10 or 15 million people, are gonna be without food here, like they don’t have enough problems in Africa. Tell me about your efforts and how they have affected that continent.

BONO: You know, actually, yes, there is tragedy in Africa, and you will always find it there, and we must take those tragedies seriously, but there is also extraordinary opportunity. And if you see this continent as the continent of the future, it sort of reframes it. I mean, this is, this is a continent that, by 2050, will be the largest continent, the youngest continent in the world. It’s very rich, you know. Under the ground, they have a lot of great minerals. They have some tough stuff to do, and, but they do, they get their fair share of difficulties to overcome, but I will say this: This week, we just hit the five million mark, the United States saving five million lives, people who are suffering from AIDS and now have anti-retroviral drugs because of the United States, because that’s who you are, and you’ve done an amazing thing. And so, when people get organized, get busy, things change, and that is an amazing - five million lives have been saved over the last, in eight years, in eight years.

(AUDIENCE APPLAUSE)

LETTERMAN: And would this have - and it’s impossible for you to acknowledge this one way or the other - but without your efforts, would this have been accomplished, do you think? Would somebody else have stepped up?

BONO: I’d like to believe that the American people have that sort of in them, and, but it was an interesting, it was an unusual combination of people on the left and the right got together, organization’s called One because it’s the one thing people on the left and the right can agree with. And President Bush, you know, whom, you know, you might have arguments with on various levels, he actually led this and he deserves some credit for this.

It wasn't all talk on Monday's show.

Here's Bono and The Edge discussing and performing a little bit of "Stuck In a Moment":

Bristol Palin and Jay Leno (Video)

Bristol Palin was Jay Leno's guest on Thursday's Tonight Show. She was promoting her book, Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far.

Don Rickles was also on the show. He was the first guest and remained during Bristol Palin's segment.

While Leno interviewed Bristol, Rickles was interjecting his comedy/commentary here and there.

The camera frequently caught Rickles mugging and rolling his eyes.

Sometimes, he was mocking Leno. At other times, he was reacting to Bristol.

Here's video:

Part 1: Bristol Palin talks about her new chin and her mom, Sarah Palin, running for President.

Part 2:Bristol Palin talks about new reality show and living with two guys.

It's funny how Palin haters responded to the interview on Twitter. They expressed their pleasure at Bristol being ridiculed by Rickles, as well as voicing their own insults.

Watching the segment, I found Rickles to be relatively restrained. He made fun of Leno's stupid questions. It's not as if he were on a mission to attack her.

In general, Leno treated Bristol with respect, and Rickles was being Rickles.

There was no real cruelty.

Nothing like the sort of stuff that David Letterman does.

Letterman: Michele Bachmann Top Ten

David Letterman honed his harassment skills on Sarah Palin. Now, he's using them on Michele Bachmann.

That was completely predictable.

Death, taxes, and Letterman demeaning conservative women.

TOP TEN SIGNS THERE'S ALREADY TROUBLE AT MICHELE BACHMANN CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS

10. Staff spends 50% of time researching facts, other 50% explaining to Michele she got the facts wrong

9. Supply room is down to its last industrial-sized bucket of mascara

8. All the "Romney 2012" bumper stickers

7. They're putting a lot of emphasis on campaigning in Canada

6. Latest strategy: X-ray Bachmann's ass to prove it's real

5. The place is crawling with raccoons

4. Already filling out application for "Dancing With the Stars"

3. She's insisting the pilgrims came to this country to escape Queen Latifah

2. Everyone's under the impression the election's in 2013

1. Most commonly heard phrase: "Huh?"

Late Show with David Letterman
June 28, 2011

Video.

Letterman and Dr. Phil: Trump Racist

Dr. Phil was David Letterman's guest on The Late Show last night.

They talked about Donald Trump.

Letterman was clearly troubled about the way Trump has been pressuring Obama. He had no qualms about declaring Trump racist and going so far as to say he may not allow Trump to appear on his show unless he apologizes for his behavior.

Video.



Longer clip of their discussion here.

Transcript

DAVID LETTERMAN: But my point is it's all fun, it's all a circus, it's all a rodeo, until it starts to smack of racism; and then it's no longer fun.

DR. PHIL: So, you thought it was racist.

LETTERMAN: Well, yes.

DR. PHIL: Yeah. Because of the implication that he couldn't have gotten into Harvard any other way?

LETTERMAN: I have heard enough really smart people discuss this to convince me that, yes, that is very, very insulting.

DR. PHIL: Yeah, I think some people were offended by that. I mean, I do.

LETTERMAN: So, like I said, it's all fun until you cross that line. So the question is - you know Donald Trump - in fact, do you consider him to be a racist?

DR. PHIL: I do not.

LETTERMAN: Well how can you say things like that if you're not a racist?

DR. PHIL: Well, I don't, I mean, I don't think he always thinks everything through.

LETTERMAN: Oh. (Laughs) Oh. I see.

DR. PHIL: I'm not sure, I'm not sure he sat down and said, 'Let's see how this could be spun.'

LETTERMAN: Yeah, yeah.

DR. PHIL: I think sometimes he's a little from the hip. But I don't think he has a racist bone in his body.

LETTERMAN: Well, it certainly, uh, it's certainly unpleasant to watch. And I would think that if he comes back on this show, and I'm not sure that we want him back on the show under those circumstances, he ought to be prepared...

(Smattering of applause from audience)

...to apologize. He ought to be prepared to apologize just for that kind of behavior.

DR. PHIL: Well you've been pretty hard on him.

LETTERMAN: Well, that's the fun of a guy like Donald Trump. You can be as hard on him as you want, and, you know, he doesn't... It's hard to land a punch with that hair.

The "really smart people" Letterman listens to are clearly Leftists and Democrat hacks, since they're the ones always relying on the race card whenever Obama is challenged by anyone.

Letterman should ask Trump if his request for Obama to release his school transcripts is racially motivated or based in racism, instead of automatically slandering him and assuming the worst.

It's possible that Letterman, ratings loser to Jay Leno, wants to be part of Trump's "fun" and "circus" and "rodeo." By joining the fray and feuding with Trump, Letterman hopes to boost his sagging ratings. Letterman seems to be baiting Trump.

It's also possible Letterman is serious, another Left-wing hack accusing an Obama critic of being racist.

I think it's both of the above.

Bill Maher, David Letterman - April 25, 2011

I don't watch David Letterman, because more often than not, he's not funny anymore.

Last night, I noticed the insufferable Bill Maher was Letterman's guest. I was curious about how the very liberal Letterman would interact with the ugly Maher. So, I decided to watch Maher's segment.

Maher's appearance was mercifully short and he basically spewed the same vile stuff he spews elsewhere. The segment was predictable, lacked energy, and, most importantly, wasn't remotely entertaining. Maher is getting lazy. He needs to come up with some new material. Even his Sarah Palin insults were rehashed trash. I had pretty much heard it all before.

However, one thing that surprised me about the segment was the decision by CBS to bleep (silence) Maher's use of the term "teabaggers" when he referred to members of the Tea Party.

When Bob Schieffer or his guests say "teabaggers" in the same context, it's aired. I guess the CBS news division has different standards than the entertainment division.

Brent Baker, NewsBusters, has some transcript highlights and video from Maher's Letterman guest stint:

Transcript

DAVID LETTERMAN: What about your Tea Party pals, what do you hear there?

BILL MAHER: Well, the Tea Party, you know, they are sad, unfortunate people because -- well, they are, because they are, you know, corporate America's useful idiots. (Applause) They are they -- I would have more respect for them if they knew a thing, if any fact could get in that tin foil helmet. If they would get out of their chat rooms and have their house tested for lead for just a minute. (Laughter)

LETTERMAN: Is this part of your friendship campaign, Bill? Is this-

MAHER: No, I don't have any respect, no, I don't have any respect for the tea-(baggers) [word silenced] and I do call them the tea-(baggers) [word silenced again] -- even though they hate it. I will stop calling them Tea-(baggers) [word silenced] when they stop calling it Obamacare, that's my deal. (Applause)

But here's the thing. Their whole campaign is based on money. It's all about we have too much debt, the deficit is too high. They are, after all, named after a tax revolt. But you know, there's these things called facts. Where did all this debt come from. Well, the facts will tell us it was mostly ran up under Bush. Two wars that we put on the credit card. (Applause) Prescription drug program that was unpaid for. Tax cuts for the richest one percent, that was unpaid for. Where were the Tea Party then? Crickets. But suddenly, when President Nosferatu took office -- suddenly debt became intolerable.

So there’s just something about him that they don't like. I can't put my finger on what it is. (audience laughter) But there's some way that he’s just not like them. I don't know what. He's skinny that must be it. He's skinny, they're fat and he's skinny.

Video.



This stuff is so stale.

It's Obama's race that fuels opposition to his policies. Sure, that's the reason for his low approval ratings. It's his skin color.

What a load!

It's unacceptable for Maher to state that the Tea Party, when it comes down to it, is a branch of the KKK.

Maher and Letterman ignore the fact that Tea Party activists are just as critical of Republicans for their reckless spending of our tax dollars. The November 2010 election clearly showed that voters cared about the government's fiscal irresponsibility and wanted change.

Here are some inconvenient FACTS for Maher:

From CNSNews:

In the first 19 months of the Obama administration, the federal debt held by the public increased by $2.5260 trillion, which is more than the cumulative total of the national debt held by the public that was amassed by all U.S. presidents from George Washington through Ronald Reagan.

From the Weekly Standard, via NPR:

When President Obama took office two years ago, the national debt stood at $10.626 trillion. It now stands at $14.071 trillion — a staggering increase of $3.445 trillion in just 735 days (about $5 billion a day).

To put that into perspective, when President George W. Bush took office, our national debt was $5.768 trillion. By the time Bush left office, it had nearly doubled, to $10.626 trillion. So Bush's record on deficit spending was not good at all: During his presidency, the national debt rose by an average of $607 billion a year. How does that compare to Obama? During Obama's presidency to date, the national debt has risen by an average of $1.723 trillion a year — or by a jaw-dropping $1.116 trillion more, per year, than it rose even under Bush.

In fairness, however, Obama can't rightly be held accountable for the 2009 budget, which he didn't sign (although he did sign a $410 billion pork-laden omnibus spending bill for that year, which is nevertheless tallied in Bush's column). Rather, Obama's record to date should really be based on actual and projected spending in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (plus the $265 billion portion of the economic "stimulus" package, which he initiated and signed, that was spent in 2009 (Table S-10), while Bush's should be based on 2002-09 (with the exception of that same $265 billion, which was in no way part of the 2009 budgetary process).

How do Bush and Obama compare on closer inspection? Just about like they do on an initial glance. According to the White House's Office of Management and Budget, during his eight fiscal years, Bush ran up a total of $3.283 trillion in deficit spending (p. 22). In his first two fiscal years, Obama will run up a total of $2.826 trillion in deficit spending ($1.294 trillion in 2010, an estimated $1.267 trillion in 2011 (p. 23), and the $265 billion in "stimulus" money that was spent in 2009). Thus, Bush ran up an average of $410 billion in deficit spending per year, while Obama is running up an average of $1.413 trillion in deficit spending per year — or $1.003 trillion a year more than Bush.

Bottom line: Maher is flat-out wrong about so much.

Hillary's Top Ten Reasons

In this image taken from video and supplied by CBS, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., delivers the 'Top Ten Reasons Hillary Clinton Loves America' on 'The Late Show with David Letterman,' Monday, May 5, 2008, in New York. (AP Photo/CBS)

On the eve of the Indiana primary, Indiana boy David Letterman showcased Hillary Clinton on his show.

Hillary had the honor of delivering the Top Ten List.

"Reasons Hillary Clinton Loves America"

10. We have more Dakotas than every other country combined.

9.Canadian bacon: soggy and chewy; American bacon: crisp and delicious!

8. Thanks to the Internet, I can order new pantsuits 24/7 – there’s your pantsuit joke, Dave. Are you happy now?

7. 232 years and not one cookie shortage.

6. TiVo

5. Did I mention the soup? Mmm, soup.

4. Did you know former President Teddy Roosevelt was an American?

3. Where else can you get a car painted for $29.95?

2. Is this the part where I say, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”?

1. Apparently anyone can get a talk show.

Brett Favre and David Letterman

Last night, Brett Favre was a guest on Late Show with David Letterman.

I think his appearance had something to do with the promotion of the new Madden '09 Xbox 360 game. Favre is on the cover.

Letterman and Favre talked about the NFC Championship game. It was weird. It seemed like ancient history.

Of course, it was retirement talk that generated more questions than answers about Favre's future.

From the Wausau Daily Herald:

Brett Favre repeated today that he has retired from pro football but admitted to TV host David Letterman that as the Packers’ training camp gets close, “something’s bound to happen.”

Dressed in jeans, a button-down shirt and a tan blazer for a taping of CBS' "Late Show" to be broadcast tonight, Favre was evasive when Letterman asked what he meant by the comment.

“I don’t know,” Favre said. “Did I just say that?”

“You just said ‘something’s bound to happen,’ so this makes me think you’re not retired,” Letterman said.

“Butterflies, so – I don’t know, something’s bound to happen,” Favre said.

When Favre said he wouldn’t miss minicamps, Letterman asked him if he would be interested in playing if adjustments could be made for his summer training schedule.

“Can you get that worked (out)?” Favre asked.

“Yes, yes, I can. I can take care of that,” Letterman replied, and the audience laughed and applauded.

But the conversation then focused on Favre’s successor Aaron Rodgers (“I think he’ll do well:” Favre) and the impact of Favre’s retirement on Green Bay.

“But you, you’re not only the heart and soul of football, but my God, what have you, you’ve turned that town upside down,” Letterman said. “What is Green Bay doing? I heard they’re shutting down the town. I heard they’re closing up and they’re moving to Michigan.”

Letterman asked Favre about signing the retirement form.

Favre said he still hadn't signed it. He said he believed the only reason to sign it is so he gets a severance check.

Although he was a bit wishy washy in his remarks, Favre definitely said he is retired.

At this point, if he plays in the NFL, he'll have to come out of retirement.

Then again, technically, I guess he's not officially retired because he hasn't signed the form.

I really don't get why he hasn't done that.
_______________

CBS video is available here.
_______________

Packers Blog has video and the interview transcript.

Top Ten Eliot Spitzer Excuses

From Late Show with David Letterman:

"Top Ten Eliot Spitzer Excuses"

10. Oh come on, like you were never involved in a prostitution ring

9. Hookers is fun

8. Just trying to help the economy

7. Have you ever been to Albany?

6. It's part of my new MTV prank show "Spitz'd"

5. Haven't been myself since Roy Schieder died

4. Uh, tainted beef?

3. Whether it's a hooker or your wife, you're always paying for it -- you married fellas know what I'm talking about

2. Wanted to be known as the Charlie Sheen of politics

1. I thought Bill Clinton legalized this years ago

80th Annual Academy Awards

One word:

BORING

I suppose that's because I really don't care.

It's not that I don't love movies. I do.

I don't enjoy these awards shows anymore.

Red carpet, red shmarpet.

Most of the women were wearing black or red dresses. So many of the dresses were strapless that it's as if there was a "no straps" dress code in place. The men were wearing bow ties instead of straight. So what? I don't care what the stars wear.

Jon Stewart did a good job, I guess. Nothing special.

About ten years ago, I grew tired of seeing Jack Nicholson wearing those sunglasses, smirking, and sitting in the front row for no good reason.

Many of the winners, both in the acting and technical awards, weren't Americans. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just an observation.

At about 9:15 CT, after returning from a commercial break, Jon Stewart was playing Wii tennis. Not quite as bad as David Letterman doing a Stupid Pet Tricks segment on the Oscars, but close.

At 10:10 CT, Tom Hanks introduced a group of soldiers currently serving in Iraq. From Baghdad, they announced the nominees and awarded the Oscar for best documentary short subject. The winner: Freeheld

Was that supposed to show that Hollywood supports the troops?

Back to Tom Hanks to announce the nominees for best documentary feature--

Three of the documentary nominees dealt with war and torture.

Thank God Michael Moore and SiCKO didn't win. That's the highlight of the night for me.

The winner was Taxi to the Dark Side, the torture documentary. In his acceptance speech, Alex Gibney was the first of the night to get overtly political, mentioning Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.

He said, "Let's hope we can turn this country around. Move away from the dark side."

Riiiight.

At three hours, the awards for best actor, director, and picture were still to come.

I was happy that Daniel Day-Lewis won. He gave a nice acceptance speech, thanking his grandfather, father, and his three sons.

I want to thank the Academy for not giving George Clooney the Oscar and sparing the audience his self-important drivel.

None of the acting awards went to an American. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

As last year's winner for The Departed, Martin Scorsese awarded the best director Oscar. Joel and Ethan Coen won for No Country for Old Men.

No Country for Old Men also won best picture.

OK.

I began to be turned off by the Oscars when Kevin Costner won best director for Dances with Wolves and Martin Scorsese wasn't recognized for GoodFellas. It was bad enough when Scorsese didn't win an Oscar for Raging Bull, losing out to Robert Redford. The Costner thing was too much.

Clearly, the best don't always win.

My favorite part of this year's show was the clips of past Oscar broadcasts.

I enjoyed watching the few seconds of Bette Davis awarding the best actor Oscar to Marlon Brando for On the Waterfront more than any of the show's live moments.

The show ended at 10:47. Three hours and seventeen minutes was relatively short but it seemed like one of the longest shows ever.

Dull, dull, dull.

That said, as always, I expect to be watching next year.

David Letterman and Dick Cheney

The Writers Guild of America strike has now lasted 12 weeks and 5 days.

Late night TV talk shows are suffering because of it. The only guests Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien have had are NBC news personalities, politicians, and animals.

David Letterman and his Worldwide Pants, however, were able to cut a deal and bring the writers back to work.


This is what Letterman's writers produced to entertain America:

From the January 31 Late Show with David Letterman, inspired by Vice President Dick Cheney's 67th birthday on Wednesday, the "Top Ten Things Overheard at Dick Cheney's Birthday Party."

10. "Medic!"

9. "That's nice -- a card from Osama"

8. "He must be happy -- he's sneering from ear to ear"

7. "MMMMM! chocolate cake with Lipitor frosting"

6. "Clear!"

5. "Dick, you don't look a day over 93"

4. "Hey, his daughter is making out with Condoleeza"

3. "Instead of a pinata, we're gonna beat a Gitmo inmate"

2. "How about a rousing chorus of 'For He's a Miserable, Old Prick!"

1. "Duck!"

If this is the best work that Letterman's writers can do, I wish they were still on strike.

I became aware of this Top Ten List via the Media Research Center.

After reading it, I did go to the CBS website and watched the clip of Letterman delivering it. It was painful.

I used to be a regular viewer of Letterman's NBC show. (Remember when the home office was located in Milwaukee?) I continued watching when he moved to CBS. Eventually, I only tuned in to Letterman when I was interested in seeing a guest. I'd grown so tired of his mannerisms and smirks that I found myself too annoyed to enjoy the show. It was at the end of the campaign for Election 2000 that I pretty much said goodbye to Letterman for good. In addition to being bugged by his worn-out shtick, I wasn't interested in dealing with his clearly liberal political bias.

The Top Ten List above reminds me why Letterman is no longer a part of my nightly TV viewing.

To be fair, Letterman certainly isn't the only comedian to make fun of Dick Cheney, his health, and his hunting accident.

But what strikes me about this list is the fact that Letterman himself has had serious heart problems and bypass surgery. Numbers 10, 7, 6, and 5 could be applied to Letterman.

The audience laughed and applauded, but I don't think it's funny.

Moreover, I think it's particularly offensive for Letterman to mock Mary Cheney, the Vice President's daughter.

It's a double standard. Lib Letterman can joke about Mary Cheney being a lesbian and make insinuations about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Do you think that a conservative could get away with making fun of a liberal's sexual orientation, without being slammed as a bigot?

I don't.

I think Number 2 on the Top Ten List above would be perfect for Letterman.

Late Night Returns

It's been two months without the late night shows.

Since most of my TV viewing is post-prime time, you'd think I would be thrilled with the return of the shows. I wasn't.

If the writers' strike teaches me anything, it's that I can take or leave TV.

Still, I was interested in the return of late night TV on Wednesday.

A quick summary:

Hillary Clinton's appearance on David Letterman's show was just a cameo measured in seconds. She wasn't a guest, as had been rumored.

Letterman was sporting a really gross beard. What was the point? To show the audience what happens to him after a two month absence from his hair and makeup people?


Host David Letterman appears on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' on the CBS Television Network in New York January 2, 2008. The January 2 episode is the first original show taping since the start of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. (John Paul Filo/CBS ©2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved/Reuters)

Conan O'Brien also had a beard. It wasn't as bad as Letterman's, but it wasn't good.

In this photo provided by 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien', a bearded Conan O'Brien returns to the late night show on Wednesday Jan. 2, 2008, after a two month hiatus due to the Writers Guild strike.(AP Photo/ Dana Edelson/NBC)

Although he was back at work, O'Brien made it very clear that he supports the striking writers. Without his writers, he looked for ways to burn some seconds off the clock. At least twice he resorted to spinning his wedding ring on his desk, timing it, and trying to beat his record.

It seemed like what TV would be like if a natural or manmade disaster wiped out half of humanity.

Jay Leno seemed less awkward without his writers. Like O'Brien, he stressed that he supports the striking writers.

Leno had the advantage of hosting a big guest, Mike Huckabee.


Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (L) is interviewed by talk show host Jay Leno during a taping of the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in Burbank, California January 2, 2008. REUTERS/Paul Drinkwater/NBC/Handout (UNITED STATES).



In this photo released by NBC, presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee plays his bass guitar with Kevin Eubanks, music director of the 'The Tonight Show' band during a taping of the 'The Tonight Show' on Wednesday Jan. 2, 2008 in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/NBC, Paul Drinkwater)


His appearance was rather boring.

The most interesting/entertaining part was when Leno showed a clip of a brief segment Huckabee did with him years ago when he was significantly heavier.

Read more here.

Huckabee's stint on The Tonight Show was complicated by the picketing.

Striking writers attempted to capitalize on the fact that presidential candidate Huckabee crossed the picket line.



Striking Writers Guild of America members carry picket signs, including one protesting U.S. presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, in front of NBC studios in Burbank, California, January 2, 2008. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is scheduled to resume taping at the studio today without its writers and with a scheduled appearance by Huckabee.(Phil McCarten/Reuters)


Pickets including TV movie writer Anna Sandor, lower left, march outside a scheduled appearance by Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee on the 'Tonight Show With Jay Leno,' which was to tape its first show without making a deal with striking Writers Guild of America writers, at NBC studios in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008.(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)


People march outside a scheduled appearance by Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee on the 'Tonight Show With Jay Leno,' which was to tape its first show without making a deal with striking Writers Guild of America writers, at NBC studios in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008.(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Normally, an appearance on network TV show would be a plus for a candidate, especially, until recently, a second tier candidate like Huckabee.

The scab thing might be a problem for him.

The Nation -- Mike Huckabee's foray onto secular television -- via an Iowa-caucus eve appearance with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" -- seemed like a smart political move. Iowa Republicans who are leaning toward backing the former governor of Arkansas Thursday want to know that they are not going too far out onto a limb, so an appearance on a top national talk show on the night it returns to the air provides some necessary reassurance for folks who like Huckabee but want to be sure they are backing a winner.

Unfortunately for Huckabee, who has worked hard to position himself as a Republican who actually respects unions and their members, he had to cross a picket line to make the appearance.

Huckabee, the one Republican contender who has regularly appeared at national union conventions and forums and who actually won an endorsement from the Machinists union, says he's 100 percent behind the Writers Guild of America members who have gone on strike in an effort to secure a fair share of the money reaped by the producers of the programs they create.

"I support the writers, by the way, unequivocally, absolutely," chirped Huckabee. "They're dead right on this one. And they ought to get royalties off the residuals and the long-term contracts."

But right does not trump political opportunity for the man who claims to embrace higher moral standards than his foes.

The bottom line:

I don't like this much drama mixed with my comedy.

Hillary with Letterman Tonight

UPDATE: Hillary wasn't actually a guest. She did a taped intro for David Letterman.

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has also jumped into the late night game, appearing via satellite from Iowa to introduce Letterman's Late Show in a "cold opening" presented before the initial credits and Letterman's monologue.

"Dave has been off the air for eight long weeks because of the writers strike," Ms Clinton said, standing in front of campaign posters.

"Tonight he's back. Oh well, all good things must come to an end."

Of course, Hillary was joking, but I share those feelings completely.

I don't watch Letterman anymore. Too annoyingly lib for me.

And Letterman should lose the beard. It makes him look ten years older than he is.

Speaking of looking old, Hillary did not look good. And I wasn't watching on HD. She had some serious bags under her eyes. She must be exhausted.
______________

Hillary Clinton snaps her fingers and David Letterman obliges, giving her a previously unplanned guest spot on his show, the eve of the showdown in Iowa.

Some predictions:

She'll laugh and Letterman will laugh. Both will cackle annoyingly.

She'll smile and try to be likable. Letterman won't bother trying.

She'll probably say that she wouldn't cross a picket line like Mike Huckabee is doing to appear with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show.

She'll wear pants and so will Letterman.

Huckabee's "Authenticity"

Mike Huckabee is intoxicated.

He's strutting around with a sleazy confidence reminiscent of fellow Arkansas governor and boy from Hope Bill Clinton. Huckabee is Clinton without the saxophone. Instead, his instrument of choice is a guitar.


Enough is enough, Huckabee.

I can picture him in an Elvis-style jumpsuit.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- As former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee entered the Elks Lodge in this city in Eastern Iowa, loudspeakers were playing the song "Holy is the Lord."

But after Huckabee took to the stage, to the strains of "How Great is Our God," the music took a shift. He grabbed a guitar and joined a local band that had come for the event -- and together they played "Blue Suede Shoes" to the applause of a crowd of more than 200.

For the guitar-playing Baptist minister, it was all part of a campaign that was unconventional even before the headline-making press conference where he announced he would not air a negative ad against his top rival Mitt Romney -- while showing it to more several dozen reporters, virtually guaranteeing it would be played for free. Two days before the caucuses, as the cash-strapped candidate began flying around the state, he not only took the stage with his guitar, but waited for more than 40 minutes on his campaign bus between his events to watch the bowlgame of the University of Arkansas, inviting groups of reporters on board to film him watching the game with his wife and three dogs.

Huckabee has decided to stick with his decision to stop bashing Romney, not using his opponent's name or calling him "dishonest" on the stump. The candidate admitted he was "pleasantly surprised" by a Des Moines Register poll released last night that showed him still leading the race here, as his campaign had openly worried ads Romney was running against Huckabee were working. That concerned inspired the production of the new negative ad in the first place.

"I'll tell you what, I just decided that, if that's what it takes to get elected, that's a lousy way to run the country...If a man gains the whole world and loses his own soul, what does it profit him," he told a crowd in Sergeant Bluffs this morning, showing his preaching roots, "And I decided even the presidency, as important as it is, if I can't do it with self-respect and can't do it with decency, it isn't worth doing if it's not worth doing right."

This is BS, staged crap.

Posturing as the principled man, rejecting the negative ad he made about Mitt Romney, is so sleazy.

From a Mike Huckabee e-mail to supporters, dated January 1:

I am very grateful for the avalanche of comments we received on our blog about the negative attack ad we decided not to run. I can tell you here in Sergeant Bluff almost every person I meet wants to thank me for making that decision. Iowa wants to hear about our ideas. They want to see conviction. They are tired of the negative attacks.

What a guy!

He makes an attack ad, then he wants a medal for pulling it.

From an e-mail he sent out on December 31:

Yesterday, I flew to Little Rock to cut three new television ads with our campaign team. The first "Our Values" will air in Iowa and discusses my unwavering commitment towards a Human Life Amendment. The second ad which will air exclusively in New Hampshire called "Tax Cuts Matter" discusses the first broad based tax cut that I passed in Arkansas' history. You can view both ads here.

The third ad was a negative attack against Governor Romney. We prepared it, sent the ad to the television stations here in Iowa, and it was supposed to start running at noon today. This morning, I ordered my staff to pull the ad; I told them I do not want it to be run. If it was run at all, it would be until the stations pulled it off their schedules. And we are now committed, from now through the rest of the caucuses, that we will run only the ads that talk about why I should be president, and not why Mitt Romney should not.

In other words, Huckabee was for airing the ad before he was against it.

It was a slimy stunt.

It should cost him, but it doesn't seem to be slowing Huckabee's momentum.

From the New York Times:

About three weeks ago, Mike Huckabee received an unexpected e-mail message from the veteran political consultant and television commentator Ed Rollins offering help with his unexpectedly surging dark-horse Republican primary campaign. Fifteen minutes later, Mr. Huckabee had signed him up, Mr. Rollins recently recalled.

They were an unlikely match from the start: Mr. Huckabee was a Southern Baptist pastor before he became governor of Arkansas, Mr. Rollins is a cheerfully profane operative who once said he had bribed African-American ministers to surpress black voting. (He later said he misspoke.)

Now, just days before the Iowa caucuses, Mr. Huckabee’s reliance on — and then rejection of — Mr. Rollins’s advice to go after his opponent has threatened to throw his campaign into a tailspin, potentially jeopardizing the image of unvarnished “authenticity” that Mr. Huckabee is now making the centerpiece of his closing appeal to Iowa voters.

Mr. Huckabee had pledged for months not to stoop to negative politics or attack advertisements. He drew an obvious contrast with his better-financed rival Mitt Romney, who battered Mr. Huckabee with critical commercials and mail.

Mr. Rollins, however, was impatient with Mr. Huckabee’s nice-guy approach, telling a reporter just the day after Christmas that if Mr. Romney’s attacks continued the Huckabee campaign would soon throw some punches of its own. “I’m an old boxer,” he said.

Finally, over the weekend, Mr. Huckabee acceded to his new adviser’s counsel, using a stump speech to begin an escalating series of attacks on Mr. Romney’s credibility and calling his tactics “dishonest.” On Sunday, Mr. Huckabee flew to Little Rock and spent some of his scarce campaign dollars filming a new commercial driving home his attacks on Mr. Romney.

The next day, Mr. Huckabee overruled Mr. Rollins by renouncing his four-day-old attack strategy. He pledged at a news conference that he would stop going after Mr. Romney, but — to the incredulous guffaws of a roomful of reporters, convinced Mr. Huckabee wanted it both ways — he nonetheless screened the attack commercial before live television cameras to prove that it existed. “If you gain the whole world but lose your own soul, what does it profit you?” he said, quoting the Bible to explain his last-minute decision to reverse himself again.

He took full responsibility for the commercial and its cancellation. But he also tossed a gentle jab at Mr. Rollins. Asked if he had fired anyone for advocating the attacks, Mr. Huckabee said no. “Ed is awfully happy about that,” he added, glancing toward his new adviser in the corner of the room.

...“The pundits think I am crazy, and they may be right,” he told an enthusiastic crowd of about 200 in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, urging them “to prove the pundits wrong” and send a message about “the influence of money and the spirit and the tone of presidential politics.”

Later, in Cedar Rapids, he decried the “Wall Street to Washington axis of power” and likened his shoestring campaign to hard-pressed working Iowans. “Well, I know I have been outspent in this state 20 to 1,” he said, adding, “Just like some of you understand that your whole life you feel like you have been outspent 20 to 1 in about everything you have ever tried to do.”

While Mr. Romney has a small army of operatives to help turn his supporters out to caucus, Mr. Huckabee has just about 20 paid staff in Iowa, with organized phone banks of about 75 volunteers in Des Moines and about 75 more around the state making calls on his behalf. He is counting on the pre-existing networks of home-schooling parents, gun club members, and conservative Christian churchgoers to help turn out his vote.

In closing, he urged voters to pick a candidate with “authenticity,” whose values and honesty they could trust in office. He appeared to be alluding to Mr. Romney, who has changed his position on abortion rights and his tone on other social issues over the years. But Mr. Huckabee asked a rhetorical question that may have been at odds with his recent changes in strategy as well. “If I am saying and doing something today different than I was doing or saying before, how do you have any confidence about what I will do in the future?”

Still, when reporters pressed him about the attack commercial he screened while renouncing it, Mr. Huckabee said Iowa voters applauded his decision to pull back from such attacks.

Mr. Rollins, for his part, shrugged. “Sometimes the candidate makes the decision,” he added. “And that is a good thing.”

Huckabee isn't exactly Mr. Clean.

He doesn't strike me as the underdog suddenly taking over the role of front-runner, trying to find his footing. He seems to be very sure of himself. His moves are calculated, not haphazard. He chose Ed Rollins and his negative knockdown political choreography.

Huckabee guy is shrewd, but not quite shrewd enough; like Bill Clinton.

It's not good when a day before the caucus he reveals how inauthentic his supposed authenticity is.

Huckabee is as authentic as an Elvis impersonator.
___________________

When Jay Leno returns with a new show tonight after a two month absence due to the Writers' strike, Mike Huckabee will be his guest.

That's sort of a sticky situation. Huckabee will be crossing a picket line.

Jan. 2 (Bloomberg) -- David Letterman's ``Late Show'' returns to CBS television tonight with fresh material and his team of comedy writers, as rival Jay Leno likely faces picketers outside the NBC studio for his unscripted performance.

...Letterman, a guild member for more than 30 years, will be able to use scripted monologues and his customary ``Top Ten'' lists. His first guest will be actor Robin Williams.

The writers will target NBC Studios and the ``Tonight Show'' taping for their first picketing of the new year today.

``It's time for NBC Universal to step up to the plate and negotiate a companywide deal that will put Jay Leno, who has supported our cause from the beginning, back on the air with his writers,'' the Writers Guild said in a statement.

Leno, whose show airs at the same time as Letterman's, won't be able to write or perform any work that would normally be done by writers, leaving the guild member to improvise and interview guests willing to cross picket lines.

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is scheduled to appear on Leno's ``Tonight Show,'' according to his campaign Web site.

Watch Huckabee comment on crossing the picket line here.

He's a bit confused.

Conan O'Brien's Stalker

What is it about late night talk show hosts that brings out the stalkers?

For years, David Letterman was stalked by Margaret Mary Ray.

Ray battled mental illness and led a tortured life before she chose to end it in 1998.

Letterman also was tormented by Kelly A. Frank.

Frank was arrested in 2005 on allegations he was plotting to kidnap Letterman's young son and nanny from his Montana home. However, kidnapping-related charges were eventually dropped, and Frank was sentenced to 10 years for theft for overcharging Letterman for painting work.

Now, Conan O'Brien is dealing with a stalker of his own.

It's not an ill woman or a man with a long rap sheet.

O'Brien's stalker is a priest.

NEW YORK -- A priest has been arrested on charges of stalking late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien by writing him threatening notes on parish letterhead, contacting his parents and showing up at his studio, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The Rev. David Ajemian, a priest in the Archdiocese of Boston, was arrested last week while trying to enter a taping session of NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" at New York's Rockefeller Plaza, said Barbara Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Manhattan prosecutor's office.

Ajemian referred to himself as "your priest stalker" in one note and complained of not being allowed in to see an earlier taping of the O'Brien show, court papers say.

"Is this the way you treat your most dangerous fans?" the note said.

The letters and e-mails, which started coming in September 2006, continued even after Ajemian was asked to stop and were "intended to cause annoyance and alarm," Thompson said.

"I want a public confession before I ever consider giving you absolution — or a spot on your couch," wrote Ajemian, who signed the notes "Padre," Thompson said.

Ajemian also has been in contact with O'Brien's parents, Thompson said.

A telephone message left Wednesday night at St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena Church in Boston, which Ajemian gave as his address, was not immediately returned.

...The Boston Archdiocese said in a statement that Ajemian had been placed on leave and was no longer allowed to minister publicly. O'Brien has participated in fundraising activities for the archdiocese.

The priest and the late-night host may have attended Harvard University at the same time. O'Brien graduated in 1985, and Ajemian graduated from high school in 1979 before attending the Ivy League school, according to an alumni magazine published by his high school.

The priest could face up to a year in prison if convicted of aggravated harassment and stalking.

That is really bizarre.

Late Night with Conan O'Brien certainly does its share of anti-Catholic humor. Some is really quite offensive. It always surprises me because O'Brien speaks openly of being Catholic, and, as the article states, he's been active in fundraising for the archdiocese of Boston.

Who knows what's motivating Ajemian to harass O'Brien?


I doubt that it has anything to do with the anti-Catholic jokes. Whatever the reason, Ajemian won't stop annoying O'Brien. Contacting his parents is such a strange move.

It's really odd, a priest referring to himself as one of O'Brien's most dangerous fans. Really creepy.

Fame comes at a high price. Too high.

Writers' Strike

"These are the times that try men's souls."

No Jay Leno?

No David Letterman?

No Conan O'Brien?

It's important not to panic.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Hollywood writers will strike after last-ditch talks called by a federal mediator failed.
Writers and studios broke off talks late Sunday after East Coast members of the writers union declared they were officially on strike, the group representing producers said.

Last-ditch negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers ended after about 11 hours.

...The first casualty of the strike would be late-night talk shows, which are dependent on current events to fuel monologues and other entertainment. Daytime TV, including live talk shows such as "The View" and soap operas, which typically tape about a week's worth of shows in advance, would be next to feel the impact.

The strike would not immediately impact production of movies or prime-time TV programs. Most studios have stockpiled dozens of movie scripts, and TV shows have enough scripts or completed shows in hand to last until early next year.

I know it will be tough, but I'm going to try to eke out a meaningful existence without late-night talk shows.

I think I can do it.

I think my life can still have value without Hollywood writers.

Time will tell.

The Emmys and Al Gore and Other Libs

Former U.S. vice president Al Gore accepts the award for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Television during the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California September 16, 2007. REUTERS/ Mike Blake (UNITED STATES)


Former Vice President Al Gore and Jole Hyatt accepts the outstanding interactive television award at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Al Gore won an Emmy for his Current TV, a dud cable network that he launched two years ago.

Gore already has an Oscar and an Emmy. A Grammy and a Tony can't be far behind.

Al Gore: The Musical -- Andrew Lloyd Webber is probably working on it right now.

Rather than the traditional set normally used in awards show, the 2007 Emmys were staged in-the-round.

That's not a forum that's kind to those with less than perfect bodies, such as the bloated Gore. Though, I must admit, he did seem like he may have lost a pound or two.

No, I take that back. He's looks as big as ever.

Al Gore received a standing ovation from the Shrine Auditorium audience as his Current TV channel, which features viewer-created videos, was honored for achievement in interactive television.

"We are trying to open up the television medium so that viewers can help to make television, and join the conversation of democracy, and reclaim American democracy by talking about the choices we have to make," said Gore, whose global-warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" received an Oscar earlier this year.

Here's Emmy coverage from AP.

Some other Emmy notes:

---It was barely a few minutes into the show when a Ray Romano joke was too much for the censors.

The Emmys are being broadcast on FOX this year, so that's saying a lot.

The usually staid awards needed attention from the censors from the start, with first presenter Ray Romano. He joked about his former "Everybody Loves Raymond" wife, Patricia Heaton, sleeping with her new "Back to You" co-star Kelsey Grammer.

But he used a stronger word, which prompted Fox to black out the show for a few seconds.

I had no idea what had happened at first. I thought it was a technical glitch. All of a sudden the sound went out and there was a shot of the ceiling.

After a few seconds, it was back to Romano and there was Patricia Heaton. Romano was talking about Kelsey Grammer and Heaton having babies. It was then that I realized it was no glitch, but something too inappropriate to be broadcast.

The camera caught Heaton's reaction. She was smiling and chuckling, but looked a little embarrassed.

---Another sudden camera diversion was needed when Katherine Heigl of Grey's Anatomy was announced the winner of a supporting actress Emmy.

When the camera was on her to capture her initial reaction, she clearly said, "Oh, shit."

Of course, it was inaudible. She wasn't near a microphone. I didn't see the purpose of going back to the Ray Romano ceiling shot again. It drew more attention to it and really was awkward.

---Sally Field, winner for best actress in a drama, Brothers and Sisters, was also censored and the audience was treated to more dead air and another ceiling shot.

She was giving one of her trademark stupid acceptance speeches. "You like me, you really like me!"Field was babbling nonsensically. I wouldn't say that she seemed drunk. I would call it a bit tipsy. If alcohol wasn't a factor in her behavior, then she's just a natural ditz.

Toward the end of her incohorent ramble, she began talking about war. She said something to the effect that "if women ruled the world, there would be no goddamned war."

She was cut off before completing the sentence. She clearly said, "If women ruled the world, there would be no godda...."

When the sound was restored, the audience was roaring its approval.


Sally Field accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her work on 'Brothers & Sisters' at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The Associated Press ignored that incident completely. It was Field who rocked the boat, but the AP doesn't mention her anti-war rant at all. That's bad reporting. Plain and simple.

Sally Field was honored as best actress in a drama for "Brothers & Sisters."

"How can that be? These wonderful actors," she said. A clearly flustered Field lost her train of thought at one point, shouting at the audience to stop applauding while she struggled to finish her acceptance speech.

Here's more.

When asked if she minded that her comments may have been cut off, she said, “Oh well.”

“I've been there before,” she addd. “If [mothers] ruled the world we wouldn't be sending our children off to be slaughtered. I shouldn’t have said the ‘god’ before the damn.”

---Late Night with Conan O'Brien won a writing award for variety, music or comedy series.

As in past years to announce the nominees, there were taped comedy pieces submitted by the nominated shows to take the boredom out of the reading of the lengthy lists of names making up the writing teams.

Bill Maher's crew did a rather funny but too graphic Larry Craig bathroom spoof.

At least that showed a little more creativity than what David Letterman did. His segment was "our favorite George Bush moments." The writers names were read as clips of embarrassing George Bush moments rolled.

Yes, Dave, we know you're a flaming lib and hate Bush.

---Boston Legal actor James Spader won for best actor in a drama series.

He had a funny line about having a really bad seat, worse than at any concert he's ever attended. An in-the-round awards show is not a good idea.

---30 Rock won for best comedy.

---The Sopranos won for best drama.

Playing off of Sally Field's earlier comments, in his acceptance speech, executive producer and writer David Chase said, "Let's face it, if the world and this nation were run by gangsters.... Who knows? Maybe it is."

"In essence, this is a story about a gangster," said "The Sopranos" creator David Chase. "And gangsters are out there taking their kids to college, and taking their kids to school, and putting food on their table.

"And, hell, let's face it, if the world and this nation was run by gangsters" — Chase paused and shrugged, as everyone laughed — "maybe it is."

Hollywood, Hollywood, Hollywood.

Maybe I should have watched football.

Hillary, David; David, Hillary

Helping David Letterman celebrate his 14 years on the air at CBS was none other than New York's distinguished senator, former first lady, and Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Hillary dominated the show, getting three segments.

As Hillary came on stage, the band played Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run.

Kind of stupid.

Naturally, she was wearing a pantsuit. She looked sort of tired and bloated. Personally, I prefer to see baggy eyes than an immobilized Botoxed face.

After saying that she had been a guest on the show seven times, Hillary read jokes that Letterman had made about her pantsuits.

It seemed like a set-up. Remember the pop quiz Letterman gave Hillary during the 2000 campaign?

Hillary said she's a good campaigner, her best quality being stamina. God knows, staying married to Bill takes stamina.

Letterman asked her if she has any weaknesses as a campaigner.

After a pause, Hillary said, "Sure." Nothing more.

Big laugh.

Letterman mentioned that she's raised $6o million+ for her campaign.

Hillary admitted that it's an astronomical amount of money for a campaign.

She explained that the Supreme Court decided that political contributions are part of free speech.

She said, "As a senator, and hopefully as president, I will work to change that."

She wants a system of public financing.

Of course, there was no mention of Norman Hsu.


Letterman wanted to know if it's fun campaigning with Bill.

He asked, "Does he ever forget that he's not running?"

Hillary quipped, "Let me say, if the Constitution had not been amended to make it two terms, he might be running."

She went on to invite Letterman on the campaign trail. "It's fun. You should come with us sometime."

Yeah, right.

After the break, they talked a little about Chelsea.

Then Letterman asked, "What's the deal with Sen. Craig?"

The audience laughed but Hillary took the high road. Actually, given Bill's past indiscretions, it was the only road she could take.

She said, "I think it's very sad. I think it's a very sad story. I'm wishing the best for him and his family."

She said the voters of Idaho will have to handle the Craig matter, though I doubt Craig will ever be on a ballot again.

Next topic -- a woman as president.

Are we ready? Can we do it?

Hillary said, "We'll never know whether we can until we try."

She talked about the little girls that want to meet her, as if she's such an inspiring figure. She spoke of all the women in their 90s that want her to be president.

"I know this is a big deal that I might be the first woman president," Hillary said with all the gravitas that she could muster, which wasn't much.

Hillary said that being president is a tough job and being the first woman president would hold a special responsibility.

She said that it will be especially hard following President Bush and Vice President Cheney and rolled her eyes and nodded. Blah, blah, blah.

Letterman talked about Hillary being a Republican, that dark, scary past.

She talked about growing up in the Midwest, like Letterman. It sounded to me like she was courting flyover country bigtime.

In the third and final segment, the discussion was Iraq. Things got very serious.

Hillary said:

"There are no good options."

"But I think we need to begin to withdraw our troops now. Bring them home. Make it clear they're not going to continue to referee a civil war."

"There is no military solution."

She said that the troops performed heroically.

They were asked to bring Saddam Hussein to justice and they did. They made free elections happen. Hillary said we should be proud of the military.

Hillary was really in campaign stump speech mode.

Her carefully orchestrated visit with Letterman concluded on a lighter, albeit lame, note. She read her own top ten list.

My top ten campaign promises:

10. Bring civility and long term security to The View.

9. Each year on my birthday every American gets a cupcake.

8. You will have the option of rolling dice against the IRS for double or nothing on your taxes.

7. If you're having trouble getting a flight and Air Force One is available, it's yours.

6. My vice president will never shoot anybody in the face.

5. Turn Gitmo into a Dairy Queen as soon as possible.

4. You know for over a century there have been only two Dakotas; I plan to double that.

3. We will finally have a president who doesn't mind pulling over and asking for directions. (Hillary added, "Am I right, ladies?")

2. I will appoint a committee to find out what the heck is happening on Lost.

1. One more pantsuit joke and Letterman disappears.

Those are all better ideas than her plan to socialize medicine.
____________________

Read more.
____________________

Watch.

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Joe Biden and David Letterman

On Tuesday, Joe Biden was a guest on Late Night with David Letterman.

He was the second guest and was given just one short segment.

He seemed to be there more to plug his new book rather than as a presidential candidate. (I know. I forget that he's running for president, too.)

Serious presidential contenders don't get put in the second spot.

The book, Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics, is a whopping 400 pages. That doesn't compare with Bill Clinton's 1008-page My Life, but Biden has less explaining to do.

It was sort of strange when Biden talked about his first days as a U.S. senator. He spoke of the deaths of his wife and daughter in an accident just after he was elected.

He said he started off his time in Washington "in a bad mood."

"Bad mood" was a bad choice of words.

When Letterman asked how he managed to go on, he spoke about his experience at length, relatively speaking given the confines of his short time allotment. It was a very heavy topic.

They switched gears very suddenly, probably because the segment was so brief. Letterman brought up the plagiarism charge. Biden brushed it off as a mistake. (I hope he used lots of footnotes in his massive new book. )

Needless to say, this was not a light-hearted interview.

Then, Biden referred to his cranial aneurysms and that his odds of survival weren't good.

Shockingly, Biden actually said that he thought his odds of becoming president were good.

He should have just said, "I am clinically delusional."

John McCain and David Letterman

McCain's "casual" announcement

Wednesday night, I did something I rarely do. I watched David Letterman.

If not for reading about John McCain's Late Show appearance on Drudge, I would never have known that the senator was a guest.

(If Letterman's ratings jump, he can thank Drudge.)

The big news was that John McCain announced his intention to run for the presidency on Letterman's show.

There was no ghost of Abraham Lincoln watching over him like Barack Obama had when he made his announcement standing outside Illinois' Old State Capitol.

Perhaps McCain thought it would be effective to conger up the ghost of Ed Sullivan.

Using a late night talk show forum to throw one's hat in the ring has been done before. McCain followed in the tradition of Arnold Schwarzenegger when he used an appearance on the Tonight show to announce that he was running for governor in California's recall election.

I think it's weird. The lines between news and entertainment are so blurred as it is.


Still, I admit that I was interested in seeing McCain's performance. I wanted to see super lib Letterman react. I wanted to hear the audience's reaction as well.

So, I avoided Letterman's always god-awful monologue and flipped back and forth until it was time for McCain's segment.

NEW YORK -- Republican Sen. John McCain will officially enter the presidential race — his second run after a bitter loss to George W. Bush in 2000 — with a formal announcement in early April after a trip to Iraq.

The Arizona senator discussed the timing of the long-expected announcement with reporters at an awards reception Wednesday evening a few hours after taping an appearance on CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman."

McCain told Letterman: "The last time we were on this program, I'm sure you remember everything very clearly that we say, but you asked me if I would come back on this show if I was going to announce. ... I am announcing that I will be a candidate for president of the United States."

McCain said he would make a formal announcement in early April. He later told reporters that he would visit Iraq first and that his campaign would be about "whether I have the vision, experience and knowledge to lead the nation."

The audience was more than just politely receptive to McCain's announcement.

Lib Letterman was unusually civil and refrained from giving McCain his trademark smart ass treatment during the interview.

It's possible that Letterman felt the former POW deserved respect even though he is a Republican.

I don't know why McCain announced his candidacy but then sort of took it back by saying it wasn't his "formal announcement."

Does that sound like "straight talk" to you?

He says that he's a candidate, but he will formally announce later, in April.

What is that? The cat's out of the bag. The genie's out of the bottle. The toothpaste is out of the tube.

McCain's pre-formal announcement on Letterman smacked of desperation. I think he wanted some attention. He was correct in assuming that the Letterman stunt would distract the media long enough for them to take their adoring gaze off of Obama for a moment.

McCain was courting all those independents, the ones without any depth of political and policy understanding.

It was like he was hoping to sway the clueless. "Vote for me! As seen on TV."

It was ridiculous for McCain to say, "I am announcing that I will be a candidate for president of the United States," while telling viewers to stay tuned for his real announcement, coming soon.


I thought that Paul Shaffer had the best line of the night when he chimed in, "He's doing the formal announcement on Leno."

_____________________________

Bad news for McCain.