While watching Rachel Maddow last night she cut away to John McCain and Barack Obama who were speaking in turn at the annual Al Smith Dinner sponsored by the Arch-Diocese of New York.  The tradition is for the presidential candidates to roast each other at this event.  All speeches are to be humorous.  Neither disappointed.  I provide the links below.  Someone with more HTML chops could embed the videos.  They are a humorous antidote to the poisonous atmosphere that is developing in the campaign.  Looks like McCain wants to hold tight to some of his pre-campaign persona.  He was probably the funnier.

McCain:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27231593#27231593

Obama:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27231610#27231610

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."