BY CELESTE KATZ / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
PUBLISHED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012, 12:11 AM
UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012, 4:39 AM
JAMES KEIVOM/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
President Obama, Timothy Cardinal Dolan and Mitt Romney share a laugh during Al Smith Dinner held in Waldorf-Astoria Thursday.
President Obama joked about that “nice, long nap” he took during his first debate with Mitt Romney.
Dressed in a black tuxedo and white tie, Romney remarked that it was nice to “finally relax and wear what Ann and I wear around the house.”
PHOTOS: AL SMITH DINNERS, PRESENT AND PAST
Dressed in a black tuxedo and white tie, Romney remarked that it was nice to “finally relax and wear what Ann and I wear around the house.”
PHOTOS: AL SMITH DINNERS, PRESENT AND PAST
For a few fleeting hours Thursday night, acrimony gave way to laughter, as the presidential candidates joined for a worthy cause: the annual Al Smith charity dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria.
With Timothy Cardinal Dolan seated between them, Obama and Romney dined on poached lobster tail, rack of lamb with risotto and baby zucchini before taking turns at the podium to poke fun at each other and at themselves.
Romney made gentle references to his Mormon faith, saying that usually when he gets invited to such dinners, “It’s to be the designated driver” and that part of his debate prep was “to refrain from alcohol for 65 years.”
After joking about his own wealth, the former Massachusetts governor took aim at Obama.
Romney remarked that the President, who wants to raise taxes on the wealthy, probably was looking at the well-heeled crowd and thinking, “So little time, so much to redistribute.’”
With Timothy Cardinal Dolan seated between them, Obama and Romney dined on poached lobster tail, rack of lamb with risotto and baby zucchini before taking turns at the podium to poke fun at each other and at themselves.
Romney made gentle references to his Mormon faith, saying that usually when he gets invited to such dinners, “It’s to be the designated driver” and that part of his debate prep was “to refrain from alcohol for 65 years.”
After joking about his own wealth, the former Massachusetts governor took aim at Obama.
Romney remarked that the President, who wants to raise taxes on the wealthy, probably was looking at the well-heeled crowd and thinking, “So little time, so much to redistribute.’”
JAMES KEIVOM/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
President Obama and Mitt Romney, seen with Cardinal Dolan, played nice at the annual Al Smith gala.
Romney also invoked his first debate with the President, when he vowed to cut funding for PBS.
“Big Bird didn’t even see it coming,” he kidded. “And by the way, in the spirit of ‘Sesame Street,’ the President’s remarks are brought to you tonight by the letter ‘O’ and the number 16 trillion.”
With his appearance, Obama became the first sitting President to attend the dinner — a New York political tradition for 67 years — since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
“Please take your seats. Otherwise, Clint Eastwood will yell at them,” Obama began, a reference to the actor-director’s dialogue with an empty stool at the Republican National Convention.
Obama made light of his widely panned performance in the first debate.
“I had a lot more energy in our second debate. I felt really well rested after the nice, long nap I had in the first debate,” he said.
And he took aim at Mayor Bloomberg’s ban on large servings of soda. Win or lose, “This is my last campaign, so I’m trying to drink it all in. Unfortunately, Mayor Bloomberg will only let me have 16 ounces,” he added.
The President then poked fun at his opponent’s wealth.
“Earlier today, I went shopping at some stores in midtown. I understand Gov. Romney went shopping FOR some stores in midtown,” he said.
Obama said he and Romney have some things in common, like their unusual middle names. Romney’s is Mitt. “I wish I could use my middle name,” said the President, whose middle name is Hussein.
Obama and Romney found common ground on one other point — their ability to make fun of Vice President Biden.
“I was actually hoping the President would bring Joe Biden along this evening because he will laugh at anything,” Romney said.
The jokes got started long before the candidates got up to do their schtick: Emcee Al Smith 4th, the great-grandson of the former governor for whom the dinner is named, got the crowd going early with a goof on a Romney line from Tuesday night’s debate.
“I want to say a special welcome to all the accomplished women here tonight. It’s good to see you made it out of those binders,” he cracked.
The 1,600-guest dinner raised a record $5 million to benefit Catholic charities — $1 million more than the 2008 dinner, which featured Obama and Arizona Sen. John McCain.
ckatz@nydailynews.com
“Big Bird didn’t even see it coming,” he kidded. “And by the way, in the spirit of ‘Sesame Street,’ the President’s remarks are brought to you tonight by the letter ‘O’ and the number 16 trillion.”
With his appearance, Obama became the first sitting President to attend the dinner — a New York political tradition for 67 years — since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
“Please take your seats. Otherwise, Clint Eastwood will yell at them,” Obama began, a reference to the actor-director’s dialogue with an empty stool at the Republican National Convention.
Obama made light of his widely panned performance in the first debate.
“I had a lot more energy in our second debate. I felt really well rested after the nice, long nap I had in the first debate,” he said.
And he took aim at Mayor Bloomberg’s ban on large servings of soda. Win or lose, “This is my last campaign, so I’m trying to drink it all in. Unfortunately, Mayor Bloomberg will only let me have 16 ounces,” he added.
The President then poked fun at his opponent’s wealth.
“Earlier today, I went shopping at some stores in midtown. I understand Gov. Romney went shopping FOR some stores in midtown,” he said.
Obama said he and Romney have some things in common, like their unusual middle names. Romney’s is Mitt. “I wish I could use my middle name,” said the President, whose middle name is Hussein.
Obama and Romney found common ground on one other point — their ability to make fun of Vice President Biden.
“I was actually hoping the President would bring Joe Biden along this evening because he will laugh at anything,” Romney said.
The jokes got started long before the candidates got up to do their schtick: Emcee Al Smith 4th, the great-grandson of the former governor for whom the dinner is named, got the crowd going early with a goof on a Romney line from Tuesday night’s debate.
“I want to say a special welcome to all the accomplished women here tonight. It’s good to see you made it out of those binders,” he cracked.
The 1,600-guest dinner raised a record $5 million to benefit Catholic charities — $1 million more than the 2008 dinner, which featured Obama and Arizona Sen. John McCain.
ckatz@nydailynews.com
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