With only three days until Election Day, the fact that the Republicans are short on cash was the premise of the opening sketch on “Saturday Night Live," featuring GOP standard-bearer John McCain and Tina Fey in what she no doubt hopes will be one of her last portrayals of McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

McCain joked that he might resort to a strategy called "the double maverick." They were hawking souvenirs on QVC because, unlike Democratic candidate Barack Obama's multi-channel prime-time ad buy Wednesday, "We can only afford QVC," McCain explained. The goods for sale included a complete set of "pork knives – they cut the pork out," said McCain; a set of commemorative plates for the candidates' 10 town-hall debates – blank, of course, because they never took place; plus limited edition "Joe" action figures, including Joe the Plumber, Joe Sixpack, and, said Fey, "my personal favorite, Joe Biden — if you pull this cord, he talks for 45 minutes." Moreover, holding up a T-shirt that said, 'Palin in 2012,' Fey as Palin winked as she urged fans to buy it but not wear it until after Tuesday.

McCain last appeared on "Saturday Night Live" in May, joking about his age and urging Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton to prolong their battle for the Democratic nomination. The show was hosted by actor Ben Affleck, who joked that his longtime support of losing Democratic presidential candidates has led him to endorse McCain this year. Host Ben Affleck also touched on politics in a couple of other sketches.