Obama and McCain pal around at Catholic fundraiser

Obama and McCain pal around at Catholic fundraiser
Presidential rivals swap bitter campaigning for warm mockery at Al Smith charity dinner in New York

* Daniel Nasaw in New York
* guardian.co.uk,
* Friday October 17 2008 14.18 BST
* Article history

Obama and McCain traded wisecracks in New York Link to this video

Forget Tina Fey, the true comedians of the presidential campaign are the candidates.


Last night, Barack Obama and John McCain set aside their increasingly bitter arsenal of personal attacks, insinuations and innuendo and warmly chided each other at a charity dinner packed with New York media and political bigshots.


At the Alfred E Smith dinner, named for a pioneering Catholic four-term New York governor, the two senators joked about the themes of their campaign, with plenty of self-deprecation – a scene welcomed by citizens and political professionals alike.

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For One Night, Candidates Trade Jokes Instead of Attacks

NEW YORK -- Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama came together Thursday night for back-to-back turns at sharply witted, self-deprecating and laugh-out-loud political humor.

Both men offered good-natured and well-crafted nods to their own foibles as well as gently placed digs at their opponents. The result was a remarkable night of comity in a presidential campaign that has been at times brutally tough.