Quayle Meets Letterman

With his Republican presidential campaign officially over, Dan Quayle has made peace with an old nemesis: David Letterman.

"Maybe you don't know this, but over the years I've actually told a lot of jokes about you," Letterman confessed to the former vice president in a skit at the start of CBS' Late Show Tuesday night. "Many of them were less than complimentary, so I really feel like it's a nice thing for you to be on the show,"

Quayle played along, pretending he was on an NBC comedy:

"No hard feelings, Dave, but there's one thing I've got to say: 'Live from New York, It's Saturday Night!'"

During an interview later, Letterman quipped: "You've got to be nuts to come here."

Quayle, making his first appearance ever on the program, drew rousing applause when told the comedian: "I'm here for my apology."

Although the pair attempted a serious discussion of politics - Quayle said he quit the GOP presidential campaign because he was dwarfed by Texas Gov. George W. Bush's financial war chest - there was no mistaking this was a comedy show.

Quayle: "Bill Bradley seems to be coming on fairly strong...I know them both, served with them in the Senate, they're both very accomplished people. But I tell you what, if you think Al Gore is boring, just wait."

Letterman: "I know what you're saying...[Bradley] ain't exactly Robin Williams."

Quayle also lamented an atmosphere of what he called "gotcha journalism," where reporters are more interested in whether a candidate "inhaled."

Letterman couldn't resist. "So, did you inhale?"

"I was a Pabst Blue Ribbon guy," Quayle joked.

Letterman even brought up "the potato thing," recalling how the former vice president became the butt of jokes for once misspelling "potato" while appearing at a New Jersey school.

Quayle said he was shown a card with the incorrect spelling. "I just thought it was creative spelling," he said.

Letterman also asked whether Quayle would consider the No. 2 spot if Bush wins the GOP nomination.

"I've been there, done that," he said. "I don't want to get back on your show as often as I was."