Even though I am a dedicated non-fan of this storied annual event, where many participants, including some in collars, happily check their consciences along with their coats and umbrellas, a reliable, conservative Catholic pal in attendance shared with me a few observations of the proceedings, and suggested they might be shared in turn with Corner readers. Sounds like a plan. So considered yourself shared with:
Al Smith V got off the first good line of the evening commending Donald for his civil greeting to Hillary at the beginning of the evening. “Thank you, Donald, now do you mind getting out of the Ladies’ Room?”
Hillary praised the Cardinal for bringing together two bitter enemies onto the dais in this fiery election season, Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio. Trump’s best line was, “The media has completely rigged the election. To give you just one example, Michelle Obama gives a speech and everyone says it was terrific. Not long after Melania gives exactly the same speech, and she gets nothing but criticism. I don’t get it!”
He went on to assert that, no matter what she said, Hillary really hated Catholics, and the mean-spiritedness of this and other remarks drew groans from the crowd as did some of Hillary’s less deft sallies.
Hillary called out Michael Bloomberg and said, “It’s a shame he isn’t speaking, because it would be so interesting to hear what a billionaire has to say.” She concluded with a stilted but nonetheless occasionally stirring panegyric to Al Smith and the prejudice he had confronted as the first Catholic presidential candidate, calling on all Americans to come together.
Hillary sounded somewhat presidential; Donald sounded sore.