Meghan McCain and Jay Leno

Last night, Joe Biden's son, Beau, was on The Tonight Show.

Wednesday night, John McCain's daughter, Meghan, was the guest.


(Screen grab/ NBC)

She was so bubbly and pleasant, very down to earth.

The first thing she did was say hi to her "little sister Bridget" in the audience. Very sweet.

They began with a bit of background. Meghan attended an all-girls Catholic school in Phoenix.

Leno said that he heard she used to be a Democrat.

Meghan responded, "I was not a Democrat. I was an Independent."

For Father's Day, she registered as a Republican. It was her present to her dad.

Leno asked her why she chose to be an Independent.

"My family has a complicated history with the Bush administration, and at 18 I just thought an Independent was more representative of my beliefs."

She really put a lot of distance between Bush and her dad with that.

She said she voted for John Kerry in 2004.

Meghan said, "But now, I have more faith in what the Republican Party can become because of... with my father. I just have faith in the future of the party and the way my father can reinvent it."

That sounds like "change" to me.

Meghan certainly is dispelling the notion that a McCain administration would be more of the same. She couldn't have made that more clear.

Currently, Meghan is working on her father's campaign as a blogger, McCain Blogette. She encouraged people to visit her site.

When Leno asked her if she was interested in running for office, she replied that she would never run for public office.

"Never. It's my promise to the American public. I will never run for office. Yes. Ever. Ever! I'd be terrible. I'd be horrible. Really. I talk too much."

Leno brought up Meghan's appearance on The View.

She said it was "weird."

Meghan was very nervous before the show. She said that Barbara Walters was telling her that she would be fine. Walters suggested that she should just hug everyone when she came out. Then when Meghan made her entrance, Walters didn't want to hug her.

She cautioned anyone going on The View: "She doesn't want to hug you."

Leno mentioned John and Cindy McCain's appearance on The View. Meghan said that she didn't see it.

"I know my mom is not pleased with it."

Leno asked what Cindy was mad about. Meghan answered, "I just think there's a lot of estrogen on that show."

Leno asked Meghan what she thought of Sarah Palin.

"I love Sarah Palin. She's awesome."

The audience cheered.

Leno asked about the press coverage of Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy.

Leno said that personally he didn't think the coverage was too much. He said that it was "part of the story" and they just reported it, "not negatively, not positively."

He asked, "Did you think it was too much?"

Meghan replied, "I'm just protective by nature. You know, I'm a daughter as well. And I can't imagine being pregnant at 17, and on the cover of People magazine with people judging you. So I'm going to come out and support... I mean, the media will do what the media does. But I think that she should be left alone to some degree."

Leno countered, "Well, I mean it has been... It was reported when it happened and then it just sort of ran it's course and went away."

What? Really? Does Leno live in a monastery? Is he isolated from the outside world?

I can't believe that's his take on it. Very insensitive. Extremely insensitive. Obviously, Leno doesn't watch Conan O'Brien. Maybe if he had a daughter, he would have a different attitude.

Leno then brought up Chelsea Clinton.

Meghan said, "She's really lovely...I really like her a lot. Class act."

Here's some news: Roberta McCain, Meghan's grandmother, is 98 years old, not 96.

The interview ended with Meghan plugging her new children's book, My Dad, John McCain. She called it a "gift from the heart." It's her dad's story using real pictures. She wanted to make his story more accessible to young people.

Meghan McCain is so genuine and likable. She certainly doesn't seem like a spoiled rich brat at all.

Her parents must be very, very proud of her.