
The Alfred E. Smith dinner is supposed to be a good-natured charity roast featuring New York’s millionaires to raise money for Catholic Charities.
Both presidential candidates were there and were supposed to be self-effacing and funny. But CNN reports the two “struggled to disguise the anger, bitterness and sheer open dislike that has pulsed through their recriminatory White House race, perhaps not surprisingly since he has threatened to throw her in jail and she says he’s a threat to the republic.”
WNBC reporter Andrew Siff said the boos outnumbered the jokes.
Trump got booed when he said, “Here [Hillary] is tonight in public pretending not to hate Catholics.”
Clinton got mixed reviews for saying, “Many don’t know this, but Rudy [Giuliani] got his start as a prosecutor going after wealthy New Yorkers who avoided paying taxes,” said Clinton. But as the saying goes, if you can’t beat ’em go on Fox News and call ’em a genius.”
Local reporters gave their take on social media.
Josh Robin from NY1 said he’d never seen anything like it.
Never seen this in years of covering this event. Never. https://t.co/ap8GGAoXAz
— Josh Robin (@joshrobin) October 21, 2016
he's getting booed. I've never seen this before. https://t.co/XDam3FhuEB
— Josh Robin (@joshrobin) October 21, 2016
WABC reporter Josh Einiger mentioned the awkward seating
Seating arrangement for tonight's #AlSmithDinner… #awkward #abc7ny pic.twitter.com/jzbcfg65sy
— Josh Einiger (@JoshEiniger7) October 20, 2016
Trump skewering Hillary on Haiti, ethics, Wikileaks. Catholic crowd booing, hissing. #AlSmithDinner supposed to be a light, humorous roast.
— Josh Einiger (@JoshEiniger7) October 21, 2016
At 11 you'll see how this played out: Trump started well but either MIS-read room or went too far https://t.co/CmwyMW1Wgx
— Andrew Siff (@andrewsiff4NY) October 21, 2016
When your dinner party starts to go off the rails. pic.twitter.com/sPABc0el4h
— Dan Zak (@MrDanZak) October 21, 2016