International Edition
Search
CNN.com Home Page -
CNN Exchange
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Few surprised by McCain's Letterman announcement, except maybe Leno


Sen. McCain had promised Jay Leno he would announce on his show.

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Few people were surprised when Republican Sen. John McCain announced last week on "The Late Show with David Letterman" that he was running for president, except possibly rival late night talk show host Jay Leno.

"The only trouble we got into though was he promised Jay Leno we would announce on his show, so now we have a little West Coast issue," said Rick Davis, CEO of McCain's presidential bid. "So I wouldn't be surprised if he's out there sometime soon."

As for the substance of McCain's late night announcement, Davis says the Arizona senator was simply "declaring the obvious" in his appearance.

"How many of you really believe John McCain wasn't already running for President?" asked Davis, who was part of a panel of senior GOP presidential campaign advisers Monday night at Harvard University's Institute of Politics.

McCain's declaration on the Letterman show had little legal significance. He had already filed the necessary papers to run for president months before, including a document called a "statement of candidacy," and has been raising campaign funds and hiring staff in key states.

He will make what the campaign bills as an "official" announcement in April.

  • Watch McCain's announcement on Letterman

    -- CNN Political Research Director Robert Yoon
  • CNN Comment Policy: CNN encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. Please note that CNN makes reasonable efforts to review all comments prior to posting and CNN may edit comments for clarity or to keep out questionable or off-topic material. All comments should be relevant to the post and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying information via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statement.
    Search
    © 2007 Cable News Network.
    A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
    Terms under which this service is provided to you.
    Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map.
    Offsite Icon External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
    Pipeline Icon Pay service with live and archived video. Learn more
    Radio News Icon Download audio news  |  RSS Feed Add RSS headlines