Should be interesting.

I wonder what will be on the Top Ten list Kerry reads tonight.

Wow...a presidential candidate speaking without a script and in fropnt of a non-filtered audience? What the heck is this man thinking?

I'm proud of Kerry for agreeing to do this! Just goes to show how out of touch Bush is with regular people.

I;m sure Shrub will as well, but I bet that Letterman is given the questions in advance.

Letterman invited both Gore and Bush to come on his show prior to the 2000 election and Bush repeatedly declined.

I don't see what's so hard....Letterman doesn't exactly ask hard questions.

There's no connection between Kerry appearing on Letterman and Bush being out of touch with regular people. They're both bs-ing as best as they can within the confines of their script. Besides, isn't the conventional wisdom that Bush has the common touch, and Kerry doesn't?

Both candidates are going to be at fundraisers within a block of each other tonight: Kerry's fundraiser is at the Hilton on 53rd and 6th (a short walk from Letterman's studio). Bush's is at the Sheraton, which is on 7th Ave between 52nd and 53rd.

Wow...and how many non-scripted events will Bush attend while he is NYC? Oh, yeah, none.

Kerry is somewhat stiff, but he does appear willing to appear in non-pre-scripted settings, which W is LOATH to do. He's rightly terrified, and as every non-prescripted interview shows, he tends to screw up, go off message, ramble, and make a fool of himself. ("I don't think we can win the war on terra....")

As most people on here know, W's handlers only allow him to give pre-written speeches at VERY controlled settings--not to prevent terrorism, per se, but to prevent any hecklers or even Republicans who might press him with tough questions. The spectator-zombies cheer "4 More Years," ask softball questions, and make him look like he's got more support than he does. He, in turn, sticks strictly to the script that's written out for him, making him always look very resolute and on message. I believe critics and protesters are particularly kept away from Cheney, though--some have actually gotten into W's speeches.

Kerry, meanwhile, talks off the top of his head quite often. He's given talking points, but rambles, leaps from critique to critique, tries out new rhetorical devices, etc. Also, non-Democrats are allowed to attend both his and Edwards's speeches, as was the case with Gore and Clinton before him.

W would probably do okay on Letterman or even Leno. He shouldn't be so afraid.

Maybe that explains why he's ahead. Kerry clearly needs a better script.

Maybe he should talk to Bob Dole. He's looking for work - and has some experience in this regard!

Won't Kerry still will have a job no matter what happens in November? Maybe Bob Dole should be talking to that waxen fright that happens to be his wife, Liddy....

From last night's Letterman show...

"The Top 10 Bush Tax Proposals" are:

10. No estate tax for families with at least two U.S. presidents.

9. W-2 Form is now Dubya-2 Form.

8. Under the simplified tax code, your refund check goes directly to Halliburton.

7. The reduced earned income tax credit is so unfair, it just makes me want to tear out my lustrous, finely groomed hair.

6. Attorney General (John) Ashcroft gets to write off the entire U.S. Constitution.

5. Texas Rangers can take a business loss for trading Sammy Sosa.

4. Eliminate all income taxes; just ask Teresa (Heinz Kerry) to cover the whole damn thing.

3. Cheney can claim Bush as a dependent.

2. Hundred-dollar penalty if you pronounce it "nuclear" instead of "nucular."

1. George W. Bush gets a deduction for mortgaging our entire future.

He was good last night. MUCH better than when he was on the Daily Show. I really enjoyed watching him!

I think it would be awesome to see Bush on Letterman. Can you just see it now. Letterman would have those 1000 mile stares into the camera when Shrub says something stupid. It would be the funnest 10 minutes of TV for the night for sure. They could have Shrub show us all how to tap a keg in under 30 seconds. Ooops, sorry that would be reserved for the twins show.