Over at Salon, Alex Koppelman has a good rundown of the funniest jokes from last night's Al Smith Foundation dinner, an annual New York charity event where the presidential candidates appear every four years and traditionally roast each other and themselves. Video is below. McCain referred to himself as an "underdog." Obama drank water, not wine.
Best McCain line: "I come here tonight to the Al Smith dinner knowing that I'm the underdog in these final weeks. But if you know where to look, there are signs of hope. There are signs of hope even in the most unexpected places -- even in this room full of proud Manhattan Democrats. I can't shake that feeling that some people here are pulling for me. I'm delighted to see you here tonight, Hillary."
Best Obama lines: "I do the send the regards of my running mate, Joe Biden. Or as he now likes to be called, Joe the Senator."
"If I had to name my greatest strength, I guess it would be my humility. Greatest weakness, it's possible that I'm a little too awesome. One other thing, I have never, not once, put lipstick on a pig or a pit bull or myself. Rudy Giuliani, that's one for you. I mean, who would have thought that a cross-dressing mayor from New York City would have a tough time running the Republican nomination? It's shocking. That was a tough primary you had there, John."
--Dana Goldstein
