Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain shared the same stage and microphone again on Thursday, but this time they traded wisecracks instead of campaign attacks.
One night after battling in their final debate, the rivals in the White House race donned white ties for a more genial political tradition — a New York dinner that has attracted presidential candidates in every election but two since 1945.
McCain told the glittering Manhattan crowd at the annual Al Smith dinner, a fundraiser for area Catholic charities named after the four-term former New York governor, that he had an announcement — he had dismissed all of his campaign advisers.
“All of their positions will now be held by a man named Joe the plumber,” McCain said, citing the Ohio small business owner who McCain made an overnight sensation in Wednesday’s debate.
The Arizona senator also poked fun at his reference to Obama as “that one” in an earlier debate.
“He doesn’t mind at all. In fact he even has a pet name for me: George Bush,” McCain said.
