Bush appearance on 'Letterman' is more serious than comic

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush's second appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" went better than the first.

Critics panned the earlier satellite appearance, in which the Texas governor had difficulty mastering the time delay between questions and answers.

Sitting beside Letterman before a live audience on Thursday, Bush was more at ease. But the chat veered more toward the serious than the comic as the two discussed the death penalty, the bombing of the U.S. Navy destroyer Cole in Yemen, tax cuts and the crisis in the Middle East.

Dodging a World Series question

Tapping the microphone on Letterman's desk, Bush quipped, "I'm always checking these days." Six weeks ago, the Texan was caught by a live microphone as he uttered an obscenity about a New York Times writer.

INTERACTIVE Gov. George W. Bush's Top 10 List

Asked if he had ever felt the need to apologize to the reporter, Bush replied, "Not really."

Bush was a tad more diplomatic when Letterman wanted to know which team he would support in Major League Baseball's World Series between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets, which starts on Saturday. He said, "I like that New York club; I do."

Nominee reads Top 10 list

Bush also read Letterman's traditional Top 10 list. In his honor, it was the Top 10 changes he would make at the White House if elected.

Among the best received, No. 9 -- New rule at Cabinet meetings, you can't talk until you ride the mechanical bull; No. 7 -- Make sure the White House library has lots of books with big print and pictures; and No. 2 -- Give the Oval Office a heck of a scrub.

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