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Letterman rants at McCain for canceling appearance

BY VERNE GAY | verne.gay@newsday.com

September 26, 2008

He ranted. He raved. He thundered. He was Lear in a suit and tie, spouting mock horror at the perfidy of a faithless friend of the show. David Letterman, in other words, has a new feud.

Feuds are great for late-night talk hosts, Letterman in particular. In the vernacular of the trade, they're good "material." Feuds with bosses, networks rival hosts, and guests - Cher, Bill O'Reilly, Oprah Winfrey - have inspired an almost inexhaustible supply of jokes, skits, and Top Tens, not to mention their attendant off-shoots: free publicity in the form of media stories like this one, or ratings.

So after Letterman had off at John McCain last night again, don't be too concerned. It was only business.

What's unique about Letterman's rant is that this target is candidate for president. We know how the other battles ended - arm in arm with Oprah down Broadway, remember?

In last night's monologue, he roared: "And now I'm just feeling like an ugly date. That's what I feel like. I feel like an ugly date. I feel used. I feel cheap. I feel sullied."

Always quick to assess, the blogosphere barely arched an eyebrow yesterday. "John McCain cancels his appearance on David Letterman [who] then piles on with Metamucil jokes ... " wrote right-of-center commentator Michelle Malkin. "Pssst. Dave. The old-age jokes are getting old." Eric Boehlert, a columnist with Media Matters - a Washington think thank to the left - noted in an interview, "The message to all politicians is, you don't want to cancel last minute on David Letterman and that came through pretty clear. ... This is a stop for all these guys, and it's an important stop where they show they're regular guys. ... It can be very advantageous."

The flip side: How disadvantageous can it be for a candidate to have the welcome mat taken away six weeks before a national election?

A spokesman for Letterman said no one from the show would comment on the cancellation or the possibility of a future engagement - McCain's been on "Late Show" well over a dozen times - while adding, "Dave's comments speak for themselves."

How will this feud end? Anyone want to place bets on a McCain appearance next week, with arms linked walking down Broadway?