Aaron Barnhart's TVBARN.COM

Vice President Gore paneled with Jay Leno for the first time last month. (NBC/Paul Drinkwater) Primary shades

Forty years ago, Jack Paar was said to have such an influential role in the 1960 presidential election that Joe Kennedy sent him an effusive thank-you note after the election. Late-night television hasn't quite had that sway this presidential season, but then we're only to Super Tuesday, so who's to say that the bookers for the Leno and Letterman show won't be going toe to toe trying to land the most opportune panels with Gore and Bush? In this article, I review the trend and the candidates' most recent appearances. Read my article in Wednesday's Kansas City Star

Picks to click ... for the week of March 6 are here.

The daily digest ... for March 8: Surprisingly tight race in Monday's late-night overnights. Despite having George W. Bush as his guest, Leno and "Tonight" rated just a 5.5 in the overnights, compared with 4.6 for Letterman and guest Kathie Lee Gifford ... Alan Suhonen has been appointed general manager of Network News Service, the domestic news co-op between ABC, CBS and Fox that got off to a rocky start during the Pittsburgh fast-food shooting. Electronic Media reports that two Pittsburgh stations got into a shouting match after video shot by a Fox affiliate showed up on the city's ABC affiliate, despite assurances from NNS that rivals wouldn't burn each other that way.

Coming up next:
Thursday: TV Barn reader feels the need for "Greed"
Friday: Ratings roundup, Kansas city TV

Previously on TV Barn:
7 March: The $218,000 answer
3 March: "Contact"
2 March: Bush whacked
1 March: Reader mail
29 Feb: Kathie Lee quits
28 Feb: Kathie Lee triumphs
24 Feb: Reader mail
23 Feb: More games to come
22 Feb: "X-Files" meets "Cops"
21 Feb: Dave is back!

On this date... in 1996, "If you're a human being, take a break from the race. Take a load off your feet, wipe the nose off your face. Got a lot to do and we do it for you. Everybody take your place," because it's a whole new Muppet show on ABC — "Muppets Tonight." Kermit is still surrounded by madness backstage, while the Arsenio-like Clifford the crawfish — "your Homie made of Foamie" -- hosts the titular talk show. On the debut episode, both Miss Piggy and Michelle Pfeiffer have been booked as the show's Very Special Guest Star. This leads to Dueling Maria Von Trapps, while three Elvi witness the signing of the Declaration of Independence on "Great Moments in Elvis History." Yes, Jim Henson is very much dead. -- Tom Heald