McCain set to appear on 'Letterman'

NEW YORK, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain is set to appear on "Late Show with David Letterman," CBS said Sunday.

The network said McCain has agreed to be a guest on Thursday's edition of the show.

This will mark his first appearance on "Late Show" since he canceled his Sept. 24 appearance at the last minute, a move that provided much grist for the Letterman joke mill.

Letterman said at the time that McCain personally called him and told him he was "racing back to Washington" to help out with the country's economic crisis. However, Letterman said he discovered during the show McCain was, in fact, not heading to the airport, but instead sitting down for an interview with Couric for CBS News.

Letterman then broadcast the live feed of the interview on his show, talking over it and saying things like, "Need a ride to the airport?"

The Arizona senator's visit to the program this week -- his 13th -- marks his first "Late Show" appearance since he formally accepted his party's nomination at the Republican National Convention Sept. 4.

He announced his candidacy for president on the "Late Show" Feb. 28, 2007, CBS said.