This is great, I was just thinking that I couldn't wait to see Letterman tonight...

Those poll numbers are shocking to me. I mean, I thought it was a stupid gambit, but I expected more than 10-14% of Americans to fall for it. Does the McCain camp not do any kind of testing the waters before making a major campaign decision like this?

@1 - And the 10-14% who think it's a good idea are probably Republican faithful who would say it's a good idea to piss on a spark plug if McCain said it was a good idea.

Wow, that was great. I am definitely watching the whole thing tonight... I'm a little surprised that he was so overtly political. All joking aside, he took McCain to task about suspending the campaign and not having Palin act as a standin.

This election is turning me into an alcoholic. Thanks a fucking lot. Who'll pay for my rehab after this thing is over? Can somebody shove that into the bailout plan? Everything else but the fucking kitchen sink is in there now. I think it would be fairly easy to add in rehab treatment for all Americans driven to drink by this election and impending financial doom.

Perhaps insert it right after the bit about covering car loans and right before the bit about student loans and credit card debt...

Wow, Dave essentially filled all the time he would have spent interviewing McCain ridiculing him.

Johnathon thanks for the pat on the back.

I have been reading the SLOG and throwing my two cents worth in when I can. I once decided that if I ever move to the USA (and I wouldn't if she gets anywhere near 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as other than a guest) that I would only live in San Francisco.

As a result of you guys at the Stranger I think that I could look past the Starbucks infection you gave the world and live in Seattle as well.

Not that I would seriously leave Sydney.

This is the actual view from my office: http://cache.virtualtourist.com/686255-Sydney_Harbour-Sydney.jpg

But seriously I keep waiting for the Republicans to turn around and announce that the Pailin thing was all a big joke. I keep expecting them to say they are sorry they let it go on as long as they did and put it all down to a combination of eight years under Bush Jnr (aka Shrub) McCain's age/senility, and the boredom of an unending campaign.

I mean she is a joke right? This is all a big dumb frat boy gag isn't it?

There is not a political system in the world (other than yours it would seem) in which someone as stupid as she is could ever be seriously touted as the second in charge of the nation.

We have another expression that works in this situation "As thick a plank".

I wonder how the veal picatta turned out....hopefully it had capers.

Oops I spelled your name wrong and I made a typo in the insult.

Your name is Jonathan and the expression to describe Sarah Palin is, "As thick as a plank".

Of course McCain went over to Rachel Ray's to make Veal Piccata (last line of the clip). Having spent four years in a dark cell in Vietcong torture camp, he feels a particular affinity with veal.

"You all look like happy campers to me. Happy campers you are, happy campers you have been, and, as far as I am concerned, happy campers you will always be." - Sarah Palin channeling Dan Quayle

Save us, Dave, save us...

46% bad for America? What woulld that look like?

Obama finally sways the fiscally conservative, social liberated (NOT liberal) over to his side, or at least not a vote for McC'alin good vs. bad for america?

Or McSame not being able to focus, which is on America's need for leadership over the next four years and not micromanaging Washington right now, good vs. bad for america?

McCain has realized what only the slow and the dense have not: Republicans have this election sewn up from top to bottom.

"Having spent four years in a dark cell in Vietcong torture camp, he feels a particular affinity with veal."

At least he had the "luxury" of surviving in a POW camp. If you were a grunt and captured, you were usually tied up and lead out to a quiet and secure location where you were either tortured and killed or, if fortunate, killed outright. It wasn't pretty. People laud McCain as a hero, but the real heroes were those who didn't make it back. It is unfortunate that McCain and campaign continually cite his POW status without ever acknowledging at the same time those whose consequences upon capture were far, far worse. Sorry folks, but I think its just wrong.

I just watched the first 30 minutes of Letterman here in the fly-over part of Illinois and Letterman really ripped McCain a new asshole. He continued to ask why Palin couldn't take over the campaign since she is not a senator but a govenor. It was the kind of sad only the Germans can describe.

"Letterman really ripped McCain a new asshole"

An asshole that would be seen only by an ever dwindling circle of viewers.

McCain showed the kind of bravery Obama the Marxist homosexual could onlyh dream about. He would rather lose the election than his country.

And he would be up by 15 points if the leftist media reported the truth about Obama.

Beware: armed insurrection will break out if that Communist is elected!

I watch a LOT of Letterman. After I drink my bottle of wine, it's about the only thing left before it's passing out time. I sure as hell know that John won't be in to "bother" me. He's either on that dammed computer with you fuckers, or rolling around in that urine soaked bed of his.

Anyway, I thought Letterman was damn funny. DAMN funny!!! A real man, not like tinkle toes. Not like Johnny mop. Why couldn't I have met me a letterman instead of a Bailo?

Jesus. I just keep repeating "Maybe tommorow, he'll be dead. Maybe tomorrow I'll be dead"....

Holy crap, that was excellent and well deserved.

What possible benefit could come from McCain's presence in DC? The Slinky is already out of the can - it ain't goin' back in. I revel in the thought of Obama debating himself in some sort of waiting for Godot scenario. And then there's the priceless comment by the pastor in Palmer, Alaska who said of Palin: "She's Jerry Falwell with a pretty face.

I almost pity McCain the way I almost pity people like Bailo - you've got to have a special kind of cognitive dissonance to be a Republican at this moment. They're so scared by change that they're desperate to maintain the status quo, and yet it's prima facie impossible to believe that the Republicans have any measure of fiscal responsibility, have the slightest grip on world affairs, or can even make the most elementary political decisions. Just look at the polls - the whole country is realizing how completely bankrupt their ideas are. That's why my pity doesn't last long - after the shit they've subjected us to, it's a real treat watching Republican heads explode.

I am sure the Blacks and the Jews will vote for him but there is no way the Marxist Obama could or should get elected.

When we all look back, the Letterman rant might well have been the "boom" preceding McCain's implosion.

Even Drudge -- who has been more of a tool for McCain than he typically is for the GOP -- ran the Letterman rant in red letters above the masthead.

My first reaction to McCain's stunt was shock, but I spend too much time following the election. I can only hope that this episode smacks of lameness to those supposed armies of undecideds in places like Letterman's Indiana.

Losing Letterman probably cost Comrade McCain the election.

And being caught taping a show just a block away sure didn't help him either.

We won't support spine-less NO-Bama and will re-defeat him in November !! Go Hillary 2012 !!

Breaking news : John Bailo reported to be replacing Tucker Bounds as McCain campaign spokesman. "He seems to be every bit as capable and clued in - perhaps even more so - as Mr. Bounds has proved himself to be in recent weeks", say sources inside the McCain camp.

Letterman should have been a class act and packed it away in '93, the same way Parr did in '62.

Now? Only madness...

I hope this shows up on Slog later (and in the MSM): anyone catch when McCain has suggested they delay the first debate to? October 2. St. Louis. Does that day/date ring a bell? How about the scheduled day/location for the VICE-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE? This really is getting smelly. When are the "What are they hiding from?" ads going to start?

@28 - Gee, Bailster, is that your first public comment in your new role? I knew they picked the right man!

Does anyone else think the headline "McCain Suspends Campaign" sound just a bit like "McCain Drops Out"? Anyone who reads past a headline like that would realize he's not dropping out, but it's got to psychologically prepare people for failure. After all, didn't Ross Perot "suspend" his campaign only to jump back in later?

Johnny B: We showed extended clips of Letterman's performance this morning on 'Today.' Think we have a small audience too?

Also, type "Letterman" into YouTube's search field this morning and see what you come up with.

I watched the whole Letterman show last night... and he jut didn't stop bringing it up. Much more than even this clip shows. And he keep railing about why doesn't Palin take over. It was great.

I was really surprised that he was just laying it out there. I'm really interested to hear people's reactions who (1) do not follow the election as closely as me and (2) are Independents or Republicans....

I watched it last night and was blown away. He did such a great job, and then to have Olbermann come on...damn. Insult to injury.

And Bailo: His audience is the over 50, people who vote crowd.

Lesson here: Don't snub Letterman. Or be a bad candidate and then snub Letterman.

oh, do you know something we don't john @14? are those electronic voting machines already primed and ready for your pleasure on nov 4?