David Letterman Makes McCain Squirm

So last night, John McCain finally showed up on David Letterman's show, after blowing him off two weeks ago. Here's the whole interview (and if someone can find a transcript, please drop a link in comments):

The whole thing is worth watching, when you've got the time, but here's the bit you really need to see (the last 1:30 of the first video and first 1:30 of the second; I did a rough transcript below), as further evidence that our comedian TV hosts have become the most responsible arm of the national media. Bear in mind as you watch, this followed a segment in which Letterman had already asked McCain about the people shouting "traitor, treason, terrorist, so on—and worse, as a matter of fact, that Barack Obama alluded to himself [at the debate]" at his rallies, which McCain tried to dispatch with more of his standard horseshit: "You know what's being shouted out at his rallies? There's always a few fringe people who will abuse their Constitutional rights, who will show up at these kinds of things, and you'll get that fringe element." But Letterman wasn't letting him off that easy:

Pretty amazing stuff, really. McCain looks like a complete jagoff—and the most hilarious thing is that he dug himself in after the commercial break, because he just had to try to get the final word since he can't admit that his campaign's entire line of attack is garbage. Dumbass.

Letterman: Now, [Palin's] also, I think, she's the one who says that Barack Obama pals around with terrorists. Has she, in fact, said that at rallies and stuff?

McCain: I don't—I don't kn—uhhh [clearly, here, McCain considers saying "I don't know," but realizes he can't get away with that, changes his mind, and admits it] yes. And he did.

Letterman: To terrorists? Like who did he—

McCain: And he refused to—he refused to acknowledge—

Letterman: Who did he pal around with?

McCain: [exasperatedly] William Ayers, who said on 9/11 that he wished he had bombed more, okay? His wife was on the top 10 of the FBI most wanted list—

Letterman: But this all took place when he was an active—with the Weatherman. Barack Obama was eight years old.

McCain: Eight years old—and Mr. Ayers, on two thousand and one, uhh, September eleventh two thousand one, said, "I wish I had bombed more," okay? It's an unrep—

Letterman: But what is the relationship, John? What is their relationship?

McCain: [agitated] That's it! That's all we need to know! That's what Senator Clinton said. We need to know about the relationship.

Letterman: Mm hmm.

McCain: First he said he was just a guy in the neighborhood. And so it's a matter of trusting the word of—

Letterman: I know, I know.

McCain: That's all it is.

Letterman: But you will also admit that we cannot really control who we interact with in our lives a hundred percent. I mean, you have—you have—

McCain: For how long we interact with them, and how we interact with them. But the point is—

Letterman: But you have—you had a—

McCain: The point in this campaign is the economy, and the economy, and the economy—

Letterman: Did you not have a relationship with Gordon Liddy?

[pause]

McCain: Uhh, I met him. I, you know, I mean, uhh—

Letterman: Did you attend a fundraiser at his house?

[pause; audience begins to applaud]

McCain: Gordon Liddy's…?

[McCain looks flummoxed. Paul Schaeffer yells, "I object, your honor!" Dave laughs.]

Letterman: We'll be right back here with Senator McCain everybody.

McCain: I know Gordon Liddy and his son!

[end first video; begin second]

Letterman: How about that Tina Fey—

McCain: I know Gordon Liddy, I—he paid his debt, he went to prison, he paid his debt, as people do. I'm not in any way embarrassed to know Gordon Liddy.

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