The entire political season has been leading up to this moment: no, not November 4, but tonight's appearance of John McCain on the Late Show with David Letterman! Ever since the presidential candidate canceled his September appearance at the last minute, the McCain/Letterman War of '08 has raged on, with a celebrity army (comprised of Paris Hilton and Julia Louis-Dreyfus) ready to fall on their swords for the late-night host. Now, finally, McCain has taped a make-up appearance set to air later tonight, and details are beginning to trickle out:

Mr. Letterman got right to it: “So what happened?” Mr. McCain answered: “I screwed up.” ...Mr. McCain added: “I haven’t had so much fun since my last interrogation.” As Mr. Letterman pressed for details, Mr. McCain repeated the “screwed up” line. Mr. Letterman segued, saying “I’m willing to put this behind us.” Mr. McCain observed that “there’s going to be a kind of sad feeling around here when the election takes place.”

Still, the appearance wasn't simply a reconciliation. Letterman hit McCain hard on two subjects:

Asked by Mr. Letterman whether Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska was his “first choice” for vice president, Mr. McCain said “absolutely.” He added: “I didn’t know her well at all. I knew her reputation.” Mr. Letterman pressed Mr. McCain on Ms. Palin’s preparation for the office of president, and asked whether she was “the woman to lead us through the next 9/11 attack.” ...Then Mr. Letterman raised Mr. McCain’s relationship with G. Gordon Liddy. “I’ve met him,” Mr. McCain said. After a segment break, he followed up: “I know Gordon Liddy. He paid his debt, he went to prison, he paid his debt.”

Will this appearance be enough to quell the blows that Letterman has rained down on McCain over the last month? Naturally, we'll have video for you as soon as it becomes available; until then, camp out and get some popcorn ready (sure, it's carbs around midnight, but can't you make an exception just this once?).