Al Smith Dinner: Media Reports Wrong About Clinton, Trump Animosity, Cardinal Timothy Dolan Says
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who sat right between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton at the Al Smith Dinner for charity in New York on Thursday night, has claimed that contrary to media reports, the two candidates were "friendly and complimentary" to one another.
"I was very moved by their interaction together around me, they were very friendly, very uplifting, very complimentary to one another," Dolan, who is the Archbishop of New York, told Fox News after the annual white-tie charity event.
"I thought the evening accomplished its goals," he added.
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When asked whether Trump or Clinton went too far in some of their jokes, he responded:
"Ah, who knows? Humor. To each his own, it's a matter of taste …. The fact that we're together, the fact that they shake hands at the end and say, 'see you on the campaign trail,' that's not bad."
Dolan also said that he was glad the Church can play a role in "trying to bring people together in a moment of joy, unity, and civility."
Other reports noted of a much more negative tone between the candidates, with CNN arguing that Trump "abandoned decades of tradition" by delivering a "tough takedown" of Clinton, and said that neither nominee "offered any kind words about the other."
"Historically, the dinner has been a good-natured roast — one with plenty of jokes, to be sure, but none that break with the white-tie gala's sense of decorum," the CNN piece added.
"Thursday night is different, for one simple reason: Clinton and Trump loathe each other."
For instance, when one of Trump's jokes about Clinton and the WikiLeaks email scandals was booed by the audience, the Republican nominee responded: "That's OK, I don't know who they're angry at, Hillary, you or I. For example, here she is tonight, in public, pretending not to hate Catholics."
Clinton on the other hand jabbed Trump on his lewd comments about women, and said:
"People look at the Statue of Liberty and they see a proud symbol. Donald looks at the Statue of Liberty and sees a 'four,' maybe a 'five' if she loses the torch and tablet and changes her hair."
Christine Quinn, the former speaker of New York's city council, told CNN: "I've been to that dinner like six, seven, eight times. I've never heard boos like that. Never."
CBS News also noted that the charity fundraiser, which traditionally features the Republican and Democratic nominees, "could not stop the snipping" between Trump and Clinton.
It added that any temporary displays of goodwill at the dinner event meant to honor politician Al Smith, the first Catholic U.S. presidential nominee in 1928, did not last long.
Still, CBS noted that the evening managed to raise $6 million in donations for impoverished children in New York.
