Pat Dollard | Young Americans

The Swamp:

by Jill Zuckman

John McCain has been telling the same jokes for decades, entertaining voters, reporters and friends along the way. (As Chairman Mao says, it’s always darkest before it’s totally black.)

His jokes are so well known, that reporters have teased him that he should number them so they can call out the number, laugh and do away with actually going through the motions of another recitation.

On the David Letterman show last night, McCain showed that he can do just as well with new material as with the well-worn variety.

McCain walked out on stage while Letterman was running through a string of jokes about McCain’s age.

“He looks like the guy who goes into town for turpentine,” said Letterman. “He looks like the guy who always has wiry hair growing out of new places. He looks like the guy who points out the spots they missed at the car wash.”

McCain emerged, addressing the host simply as “Letterman,” and said, “You think that stuff’s pretty funny don’t you?”

“Well, you look like a guy whose laptop would be seized by the authorities,” said McCain. “You look like a guy caught smuggling reptiles in his pants. You look like the guy who the neighbors later say, he mostly kept to himself.”