# Should Letterman bar McCain from his studio? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 13, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793 "2008-10-13T23:42:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/1 "2008-10-13T23:42:04Z")
I just heard on HARDBALL that Letterman has booked McCain for an appearance later this week on his show, despite McCain’s blowing him off. Is Letterman not so pissed as he seemed all week? Or is he going to lock him out of his studio and taunt him, as McCain pounds on the door, screaming “B-b–b-ut you said! I’d get some free air time! D-a-a-a-ve! You promised,” while Dave on camera smirks, “Yah, well, we all say things that we don’t really mean, Senator, right? Anyway, folks, did you read what happened to the Dow today…” “DAA-A-A-A-AVE!” I think I know the answer to this one, but it’s a nice vindictive fantasy. Anybody think there’s even a chance that it’ll happen? Which would bring him better ratings, Dave and Johnny Mac all kissy-face, or my fantasy? ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/2 "2008-10-13T23:43:51Z")
It seems like you’re basically trying to substitute yourself for Letterman. I very seriously doubt Letterman has ever even had this line of thought. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/3 "2008-10-13T23:50:46Z")
“Stupid Pet Tricks ran a little long, so we’ll have to bring Senator McCain back on another night. Isn’t that a shame, Paul?” ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/4 "2008-10-13T23:50:59Z")
Your fantasy. Dave had Oprah on his show not too long ago. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/5 "2008-10-13T23:52:04Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I think I know the answer to this one, but it’s a nice vindictive fantasy. Anybody think there’s even a chance that it’ll happen? Which would bring him better ratings, Dave and Johnny Mac all kissy-face, or my fantasy? Why do you think it will be kissy-face? Dave will be respectful, but I think you’re mistaken if you don’t think McCain’s going to get some serious ribbing and prolonged grief for his no-show. I’m not sure why McCain’s doing it (other than his need for damage control is obviously that great), because I don’t see it necessarily being a lovefest. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/6 "2008-10-13T23:53:51Z")
I’m sure that Letterman will take the opportunity to ask McCain about his blatant lie. (FYI, the best explanation I heard at the time was that McCain felt he needed to distract people from Palin’s disastrous interview with Katie Couric.) ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/7 "2008-10-13T23:56:05Z")
No way Letterman would do that. For all his (justified) anger over McCain blowing off the commitment, Letterman knows getting him on now will be an instant ratings bonanza. Everybody will want to see how both of them handle it. I’m suprised McCain wants to do it. It might be exposure but man, talk about toxic. There’s no way his belated appearance won’t rake up his “gotta suspend my campaign and run to Washington _right now_ to save the economy!” fiasco. Because the inevitable first thought, if not actual question, will be, “So…how’s the economy doin’, John? Got that all fixed, did ya?” ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/8 "2008-10-14T00:02:03Z")
I think he should pull a Jimmy Kimmel/Matt Damon thing. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/9 "2008-10-14T00:12:02Z")
The best way for him to handle the question of the lie is to address it himself as soon as he sits down, including asking for Letterman’s forgiveness. Or he could participate in some sort of self-deprecating skit. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/10 "2008-10-14T00:14:35Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I think he should pull a Jimmy Kimmel/Matt Damon thing. That’s a running joke both of them are in on. I see no reason why Letterman shouldn’t let John McCain back on the show. Letterman’s show is about entertaining, and McCain has always been entertaining on the late night shows. I like his Daily Show appearances, they are much better than his campaign, convention and debate stuff. McCain seems likable on Late Night TV. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/11 "2008-10-14T01:07:34Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > McCain seems likable on Late Night TV. Ok, but Dave’s rating would go through the roof if he disses JMac on Wednesday. I mean, McCain is toast–no way he’s going to be President, no way he ever runs again, his fellow Pubbies are running in every direction as long as it’s away from Johnny Mac, Letterman has a mean streak in him that kinda funny–so where’s the downside of locking him out of the studio at the last minute, and making him look like a fool for believing Letterman’s invitation to return to late-night TV? Probably ain’t gunna happen, but I just love the spectacle if it did. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/12 "2008-10-14T01:50:51Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Ok, but Dave’s rating would go through the roof if he disses JMac on Wednesday. I mean, McCain is toast–no way he’s going to be President, no way he ever runs again, his fellow Pubbies are running in every direction as long as it’s away from Johnny Mac, Letterman has a mean streak in him that kinda funny–so where’s the downside of locking him out of the studio at the last minute, and making him look like a fool for believing Letterman’s invitation to return to late-night TV? > Probably ain’t gunna happen, but I just love the spectacle if it did. Letterman would never get a politician on his show again. That may not sound like a big loss, but no talk show is going to deliberately cut itself out of an entire category of guests. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/13 "2008-10-14T02:28:01Z")
I’m as certain as I can be that Dave will stick the stiletto in one way or another, but he’ll do it verbally, and for that he needs McCain in the chair. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/14 "2008-10-14T02:46:39Z")
I’m not a big Letterman watcher, but I do remember the night he burned Natasha Kinski with the hair like a owl thing. Dave can be pretty mean, and I think the audience expects some of that. And I imagine McCain does too. The thing is, Dave usually knows when to stop. He thought he was going easy on Kinski and so did I, but she was totally blindsided and really hurt by it. McCain is a big boy, and I suspect he will be able to take what Dave is dishing out, and probably bring a small tank as a gift for Dave 'cuz Dave is in the tank for Obama. Or some such shit like that. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/15 "2008-10-14T03:11:23Z")
Maybe Dave will claim an emergency somewhere and pull out at the last second, leaving Paul (or better, Keith Olberman) to do the interview. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/16 "2008-10-14T03:26:44Z")
> [@Sublight](#): > > Maybe Dave will claim an emergency somewhere and pull out at the last second, leaving Paul (or better, Keith Olberman) to do the interview. I just had an image of Mac entering the studio and finding Obama sitting there…Mmm that would be good:) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/17 "2008-10-14T03:33:30Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I think he should pull a Jimmy Kimmel/Matt Damon thing. Oh great…now I have a video playing in my head of Letterman singing “I’m fucking John McCain”. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/18 "2008-10-14T03:52:09Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I’m not a big Letterman watcher, but I do remember the night he burned Natasha Kinski with the hair like a owl thing. Dave can be pretty mean, and I think the audience expects some of that. And I imagine McCain does too. The thing is, Dave usually knows when to stop. He thought he was going easy on Kinski and so did I, but she was totally blindsided and really hurt by it. Or more recently when he badgered Paris Hilton to tell jail stories until she almost cried. I gotta admit, it was funny watching her squirm. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/19 "2008-10-14T04:25:09Z")
> [@Sublight](#): > > Maybe Dave will claim an emergency somewhere and pull out at the last second, leaving Paul (or better, Keith Olberman) to do the interview. This would be a far more appropriate punking than merely locking McCain out. But the best thing for Letterman is to get McCain in the chair and ask him about what happened. McCain can’t get away at that point. All he can do is squirm on camera. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793/20 "2008-10-14T04:35:44Z")
Leave McCain with Paul claiming a family emergency, and then keep cutting to pre-recorded footage of Dave and Katy Couric having a romantic candlelit dinner. I’d laugh. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-letterman-bar-mccain-from-his-studio/467793.md?page=2)