Letterman Shows No Mercy To No-Show McCain

David Letterman was on fire last night, all but taking a bow for the solid Democratic victory in Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election. “Listen, Senator,” he said to losing candidate John McCain, “you don’t show up for me, America doesn’t show up for you.” See Letterman’s entire monologue from last night below:

McCain probably would have lost even if he had not ditched Letterman at the last minute a month before the vote. Still, the no-show tag didn’t help his cause, and the jilted late night talk show host hammered the Arizona senator repeatedly over the final weeks of the election.
While he took pains to recognize McCain as a brave war hero, Letterman made no effort down the stretch to hide his disdain for the senator’s vice presidential running mate, Sarah Palin. He clearly had no time for all the last minute Republican election stunts, either. “Joe the Plumber is meeting with his transition team,” Letterman joked last night. “They’re going to help ease him from obscurity back to oblivion.”
Letterman did his usual post-election banter with guest Tom Brokaw after the monologue. Another highlight from the show was the Late Show “Election Recap,” a clever mash up of the Tuesday coverage (providing another jab at that CNN election night hologram deal). Check it out below:

Joking aside, Letterman and all the other late night talk show hosts have a huge problem ahead–who are they going to kick around now that president George Bush is leaving the White House? Can’t imagine it will be Barack Obama as the punch line in all those “Great Moments in Presidential Speeches” bits.
The prospect didn’t seem to worry Dave, who seems anxious for Obama to step in. As he asked his audience last night, “anybody have a problem with him starting early?”