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WORLD> America
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McCain tries to make peace with TV host Letterman
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-17 10:11 NEW YORK -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain told late-night TV talk show host David Letterman that "I screwed up" by canceling a "Late Show" appearance three weeks ago, then faced a sharp round of questioning about Sarah Palin and his campaign tactics.
Not willing to risk the wrath of Letterman again, the senator rented a helicopter to fly to New York after a weather delay grounded his campaign airplane in Philadelphia. He had canceled a September 24 appearance during the brief suspension of his campaign because of the economic crisis, and Letterman had been hammering him ever since. The band played the Who's "I Can't Explain" as McCain walked onstage at the Ed Sullivan Theater. After he sat down, Letterman asked, "Can you stay?" "Depends on how bad it gets," McCain answered. Although Letterman said he was "willing to put this behind us," he came after McCain hard with questions. He asked whether Palin was his first choice as vice president. "Absolutely," McCain answered. He said he didn't know her well before choosing her, but that he was impressed by her reputation as a reformer. Letterman repeatedly pressed McCain on her qualifications, asking if he was confident she could lead the country in a time of crisis. "In all due respect, one of the people I admired most was an obscure governor of a southern state called Arkansas and he turned out to be a fairly successful president," McCain said, complimenting Bill Clinton. "Ronald Reagan was a cowboy, no experience in international affairs. I think she has shown leadership." As Letterman pressed on, McCain asked, "Have we pretty well exhausted this?" "No, no," Letterman said. "I'm just getting started." Letterman questioned him about Palin's claim that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama "palled around with terrorists," and McCain backed her up, saying his opponent needs to better explain his relationship with former Weather Underground activist William Ayers. "Did you not have a relationship with Gordon Liddy?" Letterman asked about Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy. |
