If Only the Romney and Obama Speechwriters Were as Good as Their Joke Writers

Ok Maybe Their Speechwriters are Really Joke Writers

In what may be the only watchable political campaigning of the season, Mr. Romney and Mr. Obama each were guests at the annual Al Smith Dinner in New York.  This is a political get together sponsored by the Catholic Archbishop of New York, the idea being to bring the candidates together in a congenial, pleasant atmosphere.

The event is controversial because of the abortion issue, but then what is not controversial concerning the abortion issue. Anti-abortion rights forces are furious that the Catholic officials would even be in the same city as an abortion rights candidate, much less in the same room.

Anyway the rules are that each candidate gets to make fun of himself and his rival, and since both of these men can afford the best joke writers in the world, the results were pretty good.

Obama joked about his first debate performance,

.“This is the third time that Governor Romney and I have met recently,” Obama said. “Some of you may have noticed, 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.” 

And of course he joked about Mr. Romney

And he singled out New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, also seated at the dais, with a joking reference to his own political resume. Cuomo, he said, is “already being talked about for higher office. A very impressive fellow, but he may be getting a little ahead of himself. I mean, let me get this straight: The man has put in one term as a governor, he has a father who happened to be a governor and he thinks that’s enough to run for president?”

And in keeping with the spirit of things Mr. Romney joked about himself, and while dressed in formal wear said this

“A campaign can require a lot of wardrobe changes — blue jeans in the morning, perhaps, suits for a lunch fundraiser, sport coat for dinner — but it’s nice to finally relax and wear what Ann and I wear around the house,” Romney said.

And took his shots at Mr. Obama

But Romney seemed to aim more of his humor at the president than at himself. “Of course, we’re down to the final months of the president’s term. As President Obama surveys the Waldorf banquet room with everybody in white tie and finery you have to wonder what he’s thinking: ‘So little time, so much to redistribute.’”

Romney added that he and Obama are both “very lucky to have one person who’s always in our corner, someone who we can lean on and someone who is a comforting presence without whom we wouldn’t be able to go another day. I have my beautiful wife, Ann; he has Bill Clinton.”

Ok, so maybe Mr. Obama does have the better writers, after all he is the better candidate.  But all in all, about the best the political season can do. 

And now back to the inane, the vacuous, the silly and the stupid, or as everyone calls it, the 2012 Presidential campaign.