McCain, Obama Crack Jokes At Charity Event

Comedy Replaces Campaign Jabs During Alfred E. Smith Dinner In New York

(AP)  John McCain and Barack Obama swapped self-deprecating jokes instead of campaign jabs Thursday night, the Republican saying he had replaced his team of senior advisers with "Joe the Plumber" while the Democrat claimed his own "greatest strength would be my humility."

Said Obama: "Contrary to the rumors you have 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," a reference to Superman.

McCain joked that Democrats had already begun attacking Joe the Plumber, the Ohio man whom he referred to in Wednesday night's debate, and claimed "that this honest, hardworking small businessman could not possibly have enough income to face a tax increase under the Obama plan."

"What they don't know is that Joe the Plumber recently signed a very lucrative contract with a wealthy couple to handle all the work on all seven of their houses," McCain said, drawing laughter with the reference to his property holdings.

The two men spoke at the 63rd annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, a charity event organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York for the benefit of needy children. An estimated $4 million was raised.

The event often draws politicians as speakers and, by long tradition, presidential candidates appear as headliners every four years. In this case, the evening of humor came one night after an intense final debate of the presidential campaign.

McCain lampooned Obama's primary opponent, Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as himself.

"Even in this room full of proud Manhattan Democrats, I can't shake the feeling that some people here are pulling for me," he said, before adding: "I'm delighted to see you here tonight, Hillary."

He also said Obama "is ready for any contingency, even the possibility of a sudden and dramatic market rebound. I'm told that at the first sign of a recovery, he will suspend his campaign and fly immediately to Washington to address the crisis," said the Republican, who drew criticism when he suspended his campaign a few weeks ago and flew to Washington during the crisis.

Obama also poked fun at his Democratic National Convention acceptance speech, which he delivered before a crowd of tens of thousands at an outdoor football stadium on an elaborately constructed stage.

"I was originally told we'd be able to move this outdoors to Yankee Stadium," he said of the dinner.

Then, pausing and looking around, he said, "Could somebody tell me what happened to the Greek columns that I requested?"

Both men closed with compliments.

McCain praised Obama for his "great skill, energy, and determination. It's not for nothing that he's inspired so many folks in his own party and beyond," he said of his rival, bidding to become the nation's first black president. "I can't wish my opponent luck but I do wish him well."

Obama said few Americans had served their country with "the same honor and distinction" as McCain, a former Navy pilot who was a prisoner of war for more than five years in Vietnam.

[c-mo6]

Anyway, to get back on topic....

I am just sorry to hear that Obama did not joke about having visited 57 states and wanting to visit the other one -- Alaska and Hawaii.

HUH? Is Obama a moron or what?




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by cinkid56 at 11:36 PM : Oct 16, 2008
Yeah, top of his class at harvard some moron.

[noboundary]

All those wealthy folks could have kept all their precious tax dollars if they hadn''t voted for Bush in the first place - it was the wreckless Republicans who squandered a trillion dollars in IRAQ. Bush and the Republicans have driven up record deficits!!!! So now Obama has to clean up the serious mess.

[mairin27]

It would have been great if Obama had lowered the crime rate in Chicago or gotten Bill Ayers, Rev Wright and Louis Farakahn to repent and understand white people don%u2019t hate blacks.
Posted by doctorcool4u at 01:06 PM : Oct 17, 2008

Hey Dillhole, some whites do hate blacks. Ever live in the south? Cripes

[wevehadenuf]

Mccain is a wimp with nothing to offer the average American which is why he is getting his azz kicked. He can''t say half the things he''s slandering Obama with to his face and has turned into a dishonorable man, anything to win an election. He is against human rights. Lies lies lies, yeah we''re gonna help special needs kids while we freeze spending, sure, your gonna cut taxes too, how? Lets borrow more money from China so they can come over and utilize our grandchildren and their children for slave labor

[wevehadenuf]

Mccain couldn''t care less about people like Joe "the plumber." This is an obvious exploitation used by a desperate politician who is "experienced" with lying to the American people. Fact is Obama is for the worker and Mccain is not.

[lovegetpeace]

Folks,
Please email or call your Representatives and Senators in Congress.

Demand they provide Massive U.S. Secret Service Protection to President Obama and his family. One never knows what a single KKK, Confederate and Southerner will do to vent his ''Madness''.

We will be making World History with Obama as the 1st Black President but let not be it a tragic one.

[kc629]

Some rich people never worked a day in their life



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by doctorcool4u at 01:59 PM : Oct 17, 2008


great and you oppose taxing them more

[ascension64]

Funny a lot of folks make some valid points and are usually challenged by others that read and respond ONLY to the part they want to. melnycgirl made a great point and doctorcool4u only answered to the portion he understood and wanted to address. whatithink pointed out the example melnycgirl was making saying this "Under Bush''''''''s rules, the hedge fund manager has a tax rate of 15% and the neurosurgeon has a tax rate of 35%." Again Doc, maybe your using too much brain energy to try spell correctly but you missed the point.

[good4always]

USA IS SCARED OF PAKISTAN SO BIG TIME THAT IT GIVES MONEY AND ALL KIND OF THINGS TO KEEP THEM FROM NOT ATTACKING USA.

PAKISTAN DOES NOT NEED AMERICA HELP IN ANYTHING ANYWAY. PAKISTAN CAN WIPE OFF AMERICA IN ANY MINUTE ANY TIME IT WISHES.....

NOW THE USA MIGHT BE LOOKING DESPARATELY FOR PAKISTAN''S HELP TO HELP THEM IN THEIR FINANCIAL CRISIS.

[whatithink10]

"He spent his time Preaching SPREAD the WEALTH
Posted by doctorcool4u at 01:34 PM : Oct 17, 2008

Dr - here is a fact for you to think about - a Neurosurgeon makes approximately $2.5 million a year cutting into people''''s brains and, hopefully, saving lives. A Hedge Fund Manager/Owner made an average of $870 MILLION dollars in 2006/2007.

Posted by melnycgirl2 at 01:42 PM : Oct 17, 2008"


Good point.

Under Bush''s rules, the hedge fund manager has a tax rate of 15% and the neurosurgeon has a tax rate of 35%.