John McCain bails on David Letterman, and the host is not happy

Hours after John McCain announced he was suspending his campaign to focus on fixing the nation’s ailing economy, he pulled out of his scheduled appearance on the “The Late Show with David Letterman.”

As our colleague Matea Gold reports on the Show Tracker blog, Letterman told the audience during the taping of Wednesday’s show that McCain had called him personally to apologize for bailing. According to Letterman, McCain said he couldn’t appear because he was rushing to the airport to get back to Washington.

But midway through the broadcast, Letterman appeared to learn that the Arizona senator was actually still in New York. In fact, McCain was just a few blocks away, at the CBS News headquarters. He was preparing for a last-minute exclusive interview with Katie Couric.

Incredulous, Letterman interrupted his interview with Keith Olbermann (who had filled in as a substitute guest for McCain) to show the audience a live shot on the internal CBS News feed of a makeup artist putting the finishing touches on McCain while he waited to talk to Couric.

“He doesn’t seem to be racing to the airport, does he?” Letterman said, shouting at the television monitor: “Hey, John, I got a question! You need a ride to the airport?”

Click the image to see the full comic.

From her email announcement:

On this eight annual Bush State-of Union BS fest, I once again respectfully submit Reality Chick Comix’s take on it all….Even Truer now than when the 2004 Sotu inspired it!
(Except now it is Pelosi sitting where Hastert was….not much changed THERE, did it? )

http://www.realitychickcomix.com/

Bia

A wall between the Gaza strip and Egypt, built in 1967 as part of a peace accord between Egypt and Israel, was knocked down by explosives in the early hours of the morning today. By the end of the day BBC reported that 10,000 people took advantage of this sudden access to medical care, food and other staples in Egypt; Israel’s 5-day blockade of Gaza left people suffering for want of food, fuel, and medicine.

However, a user at the Bulletin Board Progressive Independent said that 300,000 people visited Egypt today. For a sense of scale, that’s about the same number of people who protested the New York City RNC conference in 2004.

Downing the wall allowed people to cross the border on foot; Egyptian guards, overwhelmed by the crowds, simply let people pass unfettered.

Today too Israel eased its blockade on the Gaza strip allowing diesel fuel into Palestine to fuel power stations. Palestinians had been without power for two days after fuel supplies ran out.

In Rafah, the border crossing re-opened, making it possible to drive into Egypt. Israel has had control of this particular crossing since 1967 and is still monitoring it from a distance.

The open border crossing allowed hundreds of Palestinian pilgrims, stranded in Egypt for weeks to be reunited with families. They had been barred from returning to Palestine through Rafah, with Israel insisting that the pilgrims return to Gaza via Israeli checkpoints, where they and their possessions could be searched for contraband.

There were no reports of violence.

Mohammed Omer reports on the event for BBC Radio’s World Update. Mohammed Omer also writes the blog Rafah Today.

“As soon as I arrived in the Indies, on the first Island which I found, I took some of the natives by force in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts…They… brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks’ bells. They willingly traded everything they owned…. They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features…. They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane…. They would make fine servants…. With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.”

From CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND THE INDIANS by Howard Zinn

Happy Columbus Day, and I’m so sorry.