Last Debate Is Not a Winner, In the Ratings

"Look at all the conversations I gave you . . . including having Mr. Olbermann on."

(MSNBC on-air talent Keith Olbermann, who had filled in after McCain told Letterman he had to rush back to Washington to save the melting-down economy, though he in fact went to be interviewed by Katie Couric, was shown standing in readiness backstage at yesterday's taping should McCain bail a second time.)

"I haven't had so much fun since my last interrogation," said McCain, a Vietnam War POW.

With regard to the current economic situation, which McCain stood up Letterman to return to Washington to fix, the candidate said Americans are "the victims of a drive-by shooting by Washington and Wall Street."

Really?

"Now's not the time to raise anybody's taxes -- except yours, and I guarantee when I'm president I'll do it," McCain told Letterman.

After that, the interview got a lot more heated:

Letterman pressed McCain for details about his debate remark that he knows how to get Osama bin Laden.

"In 19 days. I'll be elected . . . look --" McCain tried to joke.

"Bin Laden. Let's just start there," Letterman persisted.

"First of all, obviously, you don't want to say exactly, but the point --"

"But you have a plan," Letterman said.