Video: McCain Cancels Letterman, But Makes it to Couric

John McCain, who announced yesterday afternoon that he was heading back to Washington D.C. to work on the bailout plan and temporarily suspending his campaign starting tomorrow, ended up canceling his appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. Letterman wasn't too happy about that—especially since McCain was at the CBS News studios for an interview with Katie Couric. Watch the clip (Letterman sees a live feed of McCain getting makeup for his interview with Couric around 7 minutes in):

Letterman told his audience, "You don't suspend your campaign. This doesn't smell right. This isn't the way a tested hero behaves." He added, "What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!" [via reader just_sayin.]

And the Commission on Presidential Debates issued a statement:

The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) is moving forward with its plan for the first presidential debate at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS this Friday, September 26. The plans for this forum have been underway for more than a year and a half. The CPD’s mission is to provide a forum in which the American public has an opportunity to hear the leading candidates for the president of the United States debate the critical issues facing the nation. We believe the public will be well served by having all of the debates go forward as scheduled.

It's unclear what will happen with McCain's participation—his camp wants the first debate to take place during the vice-presidential debate slot on October 2nd in St. Louis, MO and reschedule the VP debate to another time. Oh, and Sarah Palin might also suspend her campaign.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on September 25, 2008 1:00 AM

Comments [rss]

LilEnosBurdette

Katie who? Dave who? Failed wannabe game show hosts that will never have any influence over America, but think they do.

Leon Freilich

READY, WILLIN' & PALIN

The Commander in Chief of Alaska's state guard

Would love to debate Joe Biden--but's barred

By her previous engagement (solid proof she's not snooty)

To be at the border for her turn at guard duty

Observing the movements along all the tundras

Of Soviet soldiers advancing by the hundras

And threatening to invade the United States shore

In a bid to precipitate a major war.

Exactly when is this guard-duty date?

Whenever Joe Biden wants to debate.

huffybike

Line of the night.

bklyngrrl

McCain is a coward. He loses!!!

VOTE FOR OBAMA '08.

rickbrownell

That's interesting...people still watch Letterman? Hmm, who knew?

robingee

#7 - Letterman is not second rate, pal. He's a genius.

That's OK, Olbermann filled in anyway!

NannyState

It takes a journalist of Katie Couric's calibre ...to sort out John McCain's colorectal cancer issues.

chelcc

If you can't handle this crisis and a debate maybe you're not cut out to be president.

shinyshiny

Dudes, it is all a ruse!

McCain Delays Debate to Lenghthen Legs

Senator McCain has asked for the Friday debate to be delayed so he may “focus on the economy”. But insiders tell Weekly World News it’s just a cover-up to hide his secret leg-lengthening surgery!

“I won’t be dwarfed by a Democrat!”

The Man Bat

Obama is already President and McCain doesn't even know it....

whitecastlerock

Are we sure this wasn't part of Dave's stupid human tricks gag?

spiritross

The old man is running scared

Enough is enough

Lets make this a bloodbath and ship this old pony to the glue factory

MonkSalve

ides of march. You bore me to death with your excuses and off-topic comments.

Politburo

The only people that ever called any attention to the set were GOPists.

rhonda718

Seriously, that's the best complaint you can come up with about Obama? I like the guy, and I can come up with more substantive criticisms.

"Wahh... he had a fancy stage for his convention speech."

If McCain wants to move the debate to the Vice Presidential debate night, why not have the VP debate tomorrow night? I'm sure Biden is ready. Is Governor Lipstick Von Mooseburger done cramming?

Dirk

Yeah, I'm sure having McCain on the job will speed along the recovery package. What a bunch of b.s. McCain is toast and he's grasping at straws.

ides_of_march

"McCain is just showboating, like he always does."

Mr greek temple himself Obama never showboats does he. Noooooo.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

McCain, your country needs you to cancel your campaign for good.

redhookreject

they said it best last night on Chris Matthews...

They (McCain Camp) keeping playing Russian roulette and it looks like they just loaded the 6th bullet.

they really do think Americans are idiots if they think people don't see through this stunt

and Dave was on fire last night, some of the best TV in years.

Mr Mel

McCain can't suspend his campaign, that's not what Cindy paid for. She invested all that money in him winning so she can be First Lady. Letterman wasn't wrong about Palin being the pinch hitter, she should be out there campaigning, but she can't be trusted.

FREE LEVI !

cucarachita

I'm getting a little tired of his "more self-patriotically self-sacrificing than thou" bullshit. He cancelled because he doesn't have a clue about the economy, and this is the only way he can look like he's doing something -- by doing nothing!

You all do realize that while everyone's arguing about this totally ridiculous bail out plan, that those assholes are hiding all their money and assets before anyone comes to their senses and fires them without any golden parachute, and puts the squeeze on them for whatever they can get?

Maybe that was the plan all along! Someone should be watching them closely.

plk779

McCain is just showboating, like he always does. Luckily most people don't seem to be falling for it this time.

Dude69

How is suspending his campaign help when the economic situation worsen and his poll numbers are freefalling? This just seems like a chicken move when his team is caught unprepared to address the economic crisis. He needs to stand up strong against Obama in front of national TV in order to counter all those faux pas he made about the economy last week and Palin's problem with the press this week.

unregistered_wiseguy

Aw, Dave is just having a hissy-fit because he found out he's lower on the totem pole than Katie Couric.

Come to think of it, I'd have a hissy-fit about that, too.

Spirit of 76

Go ahead, suspend your campaign. Then get nothing done back in Washington. See how well that flies with the public. You say "suspend," I say "cancel." To-may-to, to-mah-to.

ides_of_march

Hell hath no fury like a second rate late night talk-show host scorned.

Dave, you're not the center of the universe.

just saying

"McCain cancelled a scheduled appearance on David Letterman's show 90 minutes before he was to appear saying that "I have to go back and fix the economy. I'm going to get on a plane now and go." The show scrambled and at the last minute booked Keith Olbermann.

When it was time for Wednesday's taping, Letterman explained to the cameras why McCain was a no-show and even had nice things to say about the guy. That is, until the behind the scenes people in The Late Show control room were shocked to see a live feed of McCain being miked in Katie Couric's CBS News studio at the same time he was supposed to be in Dave's studio. Letterman was informed of this during the commercial break, and, when the show came back, ordered the control room to cut to the live McCain/Couric feed."

NannyState

Did John McCain suddenly hire American Airlines to run his campaign?

openheads

"Yeah dude, Isn't this whole thing finance thing the Job of the PRESIDENT? granted it's bush but who does McCain think he is? He's the not president. not only is McCain the not president he's the not president that's not as close to being president as Obama's not president is."

Que?

babyhitler

Yeah dude, Isn't this whole thing finance thing the Job of the PRESIDENT? granted it's bush but who does McCain think he is? He's the not president. not only is McCain the not president he's the not president that's not as close to being president as Obama's not president is.

Steven

Let McCain dig himself deeper into a hole. This country has enough Republican power and look where this has got us?

Rfive

Losing move McCain. You have stepped aside when the country most needs to hear from you.

Obama will now move to a double digit lead in the polls as a result.