Obama Funny; McCain Funny Again

[levdrakon]

I thought McCain was carefully reading every single word, but delivered it better anyway.

[El_Kabong]

Just got done watching both clips, and frankly, after the tedium of the debates, it was refreshing to see both candidates acting something like actual people rather than election machines. I also was struck by the eloquence of both at the ends of their respective speeches, and, following the incessant nastiness exhibited over the past couple weeks, the kind words and seemingly genuine respect expressed by McCain for Obama.

And some, even many, of the jokes, were actually funny to my ears, particularly McCain’s riffs on the Clintons (Bill not making it out on the campaign trail out of respect for Zoroastrian New Year), and Obama’s ‘Who is Obama? It’s right there on my Facebook page’, among others.

[Love_Rhombus]

It was very funny and I agree that McCain had better timing. Kinda surreal, though, to see them both so relaxed and funny.

[zamboniracer]

@Indistinguishable

Wow, that was awesome. I’d never heard of this dinner before; are there videos of previous ones?

fwiw, here is an excerpt from John Kennedy’s remarks at the Al Smith Dinner of 10/19/1960, taken from the book, The Kennedy Wit, edited by Bill Adler (1964), pp 16-18

" I am glad to be here at this notable dinner once again, and am glad that Mr. Nixon is here also. Now that Cardinal Spellman has demonstrated the proper spirit, I assume that shortly I will be invited to a Quaker dinner honoring Herbert Hoover. … Cardinal Spellman is the only man so widely respected that he could bring together, amicably, at the same banquet table, for the first time in this campaign, two political leaders who are increasingly apprehensive about the November election, who have long eyed each other suspiciously, and who have disagreed so strongly, both publicly and privately - Vice President Nixon and Governor Rockefeller! … Mr Nixon, like the rest of us, has had his troubles in this campaign. At one stage even The Wall Street Journal was criticizing his tactics. That is like the Osservatore Romano criticizing the Pope… One of the inspiring notes that was struck in the last debate was by the Vice President in his very moving warning to the candidates against the use of profanity by Presidents and ex-Presidents when they are on the stump. And I know after fourteen years in the Congress with the Vice President that he is very sincere in his views on the use of profanity. But I am told that a prominent Republican said to him yesterday, ‘Mr. Vice President, that was a damn fine speech.’ And the Vice President said, ‘I appreciate the compliment but not the language.’ And the Republican went on, 'Yes sir, I liked it so much that I contributed $1,000 to your campaign." And Mr. Nixon replied, 'The hell you say!" … However, I would not want to give the impression that I am taking former President Truman’s use of language lightly. I sent him the following wire, quote, 'Dear Mr. President, I have noted with interest your suggestion as to where those who vote for my opponent should go. While I understand and sympathize with your deep motivation, I think it is important that our side try to refrain from raising the religion issue. ’ unquote."

[An_Gadai]

It made me think better of both of them.

[Sampiro]

@zamboniracer

fwiw, here is an excerpt from John Kennedy’s remarks at the Al Smith Dinner of 10/19/1960, taken from the book, The Kennedy Wit, edited by Bill Adler (1964), pp 16-18

I wonder how Nixon’s speech came off. He wasn’t exactly known as the greatest comic wit in politics. (“Sock it to meee?”)

[Invisible_Chimp]

@Indistinguishable

Wow, that was awesome. I’d never heard of this dinner before; are there videos of previous ones?

I just saw a clip of the '00 dinner with W. on the Chris Matthews Show. In it, he made some quip about his audience being composed of “the haves and the have-mores.” Pretty lame. Both Obama and McCain were better, if that short clip was any indication of Bush’s whole speech.