Obama and McCain swap politics for comedy
Barack Obama and John McCain put aside political differences to poke fun at each other at Al Smith Dinner
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Friday, 17, Oct 2008 10:32
United States presidential nominees Barack Obama and John McCain have put aside their political differences to poke fun at each other in a New York charity dinner.
Both men donned white ties for the annual Al Smith Dinner, which has been addressed by White House candidates in all but two elections years since 1945.
Just one night previously, they had traded barbs in the third and final presidential debate, which saw Republican Mr McCain accuse his opponent of lying about taxes, illustrated through a meeting with Ohio plumber Joe Wurzelbacher.
Republican Mr McCain was first to the rostrum, saying the distinguished and influential audience was as good a place as any to make a "major announcement".
"Yes it's true that this morning I've dismissed my entire team of senior advisers; all of their positions will now be held by a man named Joe the plumber."
The Arizona senator went on to say: "This campaign needed the common touch of a working man… after all it began so long ago with the heralded arrival of a man known to Oprah Winfrey as The One.
"Being a friend and colleague of Barack, I just called him 'that one'.
"He doesn't mind at all, in fact he even has a pet name for me: George Bush."
Mr McCain, 72, also joked at the expense of other audience members at the fundraiser for Catholic charities.
"I come here tonight... knowing that I'm the underdog in these final weeks but if you know where to look there are signs of hope," he said.
"Even in this room full of proud Manhattan Democrats I can't shake that feeling that some people here are pulling for me.
"I'm delighted to see you here tonight, Hillary."
Taking to the stage after Mr McCain, Mr Obama asked enquired after the Greek columns he had requested.
"I do love the Waldorf-Astoria though," he continued. "I hear that from the doorstep you can see all the way to the Russian tearoom," Mr Obama said in a dig at Mr McCain's running-mate Sarah Palin, who said the close proximity of Alaska to Russia had given her foreign policy experience.
"It is an honour to be here with Al Smith [Jr]," the Illinois senator continued. "I obviously never knew your great-grandfather but from everything that Senator McCain has told me, the two of them had a great time together before Prohibition."
Mr Obama, 47, went on to say: "Recently one of John's top advisors told the Daily News that 'if we keep on talking about the economy McCain's going to lose', so tonight I'd like to talk about the economy."
Responding to campaign ads from the McCain team that called on voters to ask who the real Barack Obama was, the man himself said: "Who is Barack Obama? Contrary to the rumours that you've heard I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father Jor-El to save the planet Earth."
Mr Obama also joked at his own expense.
"If I had to name my greatest strength I guess it would be my humility," he said. Greatest weakness; it's possible that I am a little too awesome."
"I know Senator McCain agrees that some of the rumours out there are getting a bit crazy… Fox News accused me of fathering two African-American children in wedlock.
"At least we've moved past the days when the main criticism coming from the McCain campaign was that I'm some kind of celebrity.
"I have to admit, that really hurt. I got so angry about it I punched a paparazzi in the face."
As the White House nominees joked, a Reuters/C-Span/Zogby tracking poll gave Mr Obama a five-point lead.