Romney, Obama face off with jokes at annual dinner

WASHINGTON (AP) - United States President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney poked fun at themselves and each other for a charitable cause on Thursday night, two days after attacking each other in their second debate.

The pause for jokes in the tight race for the Nov 6 election took place at the Alfred E Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, organised by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York to benefit needy children.

The two candidates are running neck and neck in the polls and Obama is hoping his strong debate performance in Tuesday's debate will help him regain the momentum he lost following his poor showing in the first debate two weeks earlier.

The lighthearted evening on Thursday was sandwiched between Tuesday's debate and the final one Monday night in South Florida.