Jay 's Strategy for the Republican Debate

An e-mail received by the Jay Leno for President campaign confirms what most political experts believe will be Jay's strategy for Thursday evening's Republican debate: He won't show up.

"The fact that Jay wasn't asked to participate in the debate makes this political strategy much more effective," said campaign chairman Howard Lester. "Jay's absence from the debate stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library will be noticed by every viewer who accidentally tunes in while channel-surfing for something better to watch. Not being there is a great strategy for keeping voters aware of Jay's candidacy."

Republican debate organizers, acutely aware of Jay Leno's uncanny ability for keeping audiences lively, engaged, and laughing, have issued a clear message to supporters of Republican candidates by snubbing Jay: Don't expect to enjoy watching this debate.

Candidates in the debate have been strongly urged by party leaders not to mention Jay Leno's name before, during, or after the debate. Most fear that just bringing up his name confers a certain legitimacy on his (as yet, unannounced) plans to run for the Oval Office.

Mitt Romney, scheduled to appear on The Tonight Show this evening, is expected to adhere to the Republican plans to keep mum on Jay's potential candidacy. Experts predict Jay's interview will follow his conventional approach of trying to wring a few laughs out of the otherwise boring Romney, while limiting his speechifying to a few forgettable sound-bites.

As to whether Jay might use his exchange with Romney to acknowledge his own presidential ambitions, most political analysts don't expect it.

"Jay's too humble and politically astute to announce his own candidacy while he's interviewing one of his challengers," said one undisclosed political analyst. "Besides, there are no laughs in it. I think he'll wait until Charles Barkley or Robin Williams shows up before announcing anything."