Bill Bennett this morning has been talking McCain. Why the heck would he be on Letterman and not go in front of conservatives — he said no to the NRI Summit in January and he’s not at CPAC this weekend — where Romney and Giuliani both will be speaking today?

It’s obvious why you would go on Letterman, of course, but Bennett says “I’m sentimental about our heroes” and it was below McCain to do it. There was something sad about old jokes and other unfortunate missteps from McCain on Letterman.

Bennett said:

John McCain should have been at CPAC—his place was there, not with David Letterman. It would have been a cinch of an opening statement from him at CPAC, too. So easy, and that’s the mistake—this lost opportunity.
He could have talked of the first time he was honored to be at CPAC, in 1974, when someone he very much respected opened his speech saying: There are three men here tonight I am very proud to introduce. It was a year ago this coming February when this country had its spirits lifted as they have never been lifted in many years. This happened when planes began landing on American soil and in the Philippines, bringing back men who had lived with honor for many miserable years in North Vietnam prisons. Three of those men are here tonight, John McCain, Bill Lawrence and Ed Martin. It is an honor to be here tonight. I am proud that you asked me and I feel more than a little humble in the presence of this distinguished company. “That speaker was Ronald Reagan,” he could have said, “And the honor then, as now, was all mine.” And then a speech on duty, honor, country. It would have been great, and winning. But alas, other venues, less distinguished company, were preferred. I like John McCain and honor and respect are due him. But again, he can’t waste—I use the word advisedly—too many opportunities like this.