McCain wins laughs on 'SNL'
By Sharon Eberson / Sunday, Nov. 2
Who knew John McCain could -- or would -- be so silly?
It was all in good, clean fun as Sen. McCain spent the final Saturday night before election day digging for laughs -- and votes -- as a game guest on "Saturday Night Live." Saying he couldn't afford the kind of air time bought by his opponent, Barak Obama, in a half-hour campaign commercial last week, McCain was joined by Tina Fey's Sarah Palin for a sales pitch the Republicans could afford: on QVC's shopping channel. Hat's off to Seth Meyer, who's been writing the opening sketches and Weekend Update, for this opening sketch. And to Sen. McCain, for pulling it off. Finally, his wandering and frenetic motions, as in the one town hall debate by the presidential candidates, seem to be in the right place. His wife also was on hand, channeling a "Price Is Right" model to help sell "McCain Fine Gold" jewelry, in honor of the McCain-Finegold campaign reform act.
The skit opened with McCain pitching 10 commemorative plates -- in honor of the 10 town hall meetings that he had asked Sen. Obama to participate in, but that never happened. "They're still nice plates," said the candidate.
Later, in his Weekend Update with Meyer, McCain even had fun with his age. The 72-year-old candidate did a bit about changing strategies, including going "double maverick" to win the election. But my favorite was "The Sad Grandpa Strategy."
Fey as Palin was looking ahead to 2012 -- just as Fey is probably looking forward to a rest from playing Palin after doing double duty with her own "30 Rock" and "Saturday Night Live." Interesting to have politically active Democrat Ben Affleck as guest host. His intro consisted of him explaining that he's never backed a winner in a presidential campaign, so he was announcing that he's throwing his support behind McCain.
You know Affleck is no fan of McCain's, but they shook hands warmly after the show.
Like a lot of people watching, he had become a fan of McCain, the comic actor and good sport.