'Look at all the new jobs the president has created, just among the White House staff!' Mischievous House Speaker Paul Ryan risks the wrath of Trump as he roasts the president at annual Al Smith dinner

  • Paul Ryan delivered keynote at Thursday night's Al Smith dinner in New York
  • Poked fun at himself and Senate leadership, but especially President Trump
  • The Catholic charity dinner honors the 1928 Democrat nominee for president

House Speaker Paul Ryan has lampooned President Donald Trump at a charity dinner glittering with the upper crust of New York City's elites.

Ryan poked fun at himself, Senate leadership, and even the Catholic church on Thursday night at the Manhattan charity event that celebrates irreverence, but reserved his top jabs for Trump. 

Ryan quickly reminded the audience that Trump offended some people when he addressed the same crowd the year before.

'Some said it was unbecoming of a public figure and they said that his comments were offensive. Well, thank God he's learned his lesson,' Ryan deadpanned as he delivered the keynote address for the 72nd annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, an event, according to the program, that encourages speakers to 'poke fun at a political issue, an opponent, or themselves.'

Ryan poked fun at himself, Senate leadership, and even the Catholic church on Thursday night at the Manhattan charity event that celebrates irreverence, but reserved his top jabs for Trump

Ryan poked fun at himself, Senate leadership, and even the Catholic church on Thursday night at the Manhattan charity event that celebrates irreverence, but reserved his top jabs for Trump

Ryan delivered the keynote address for the 72nd annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, an event, according to the program, that encourages speakers to 'poke fun at a political issue, an opponent, or themselves'

Ryan delivered the keynote address for the 72nd annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, an event, according to the program, that encourages speakers to 'poke fun at a political issue, an opponent, or themselves'

RYAN'S TOP WISECRACKS 

[Responding to applause] "Please, enough. You sound like the Cabinet when Donald Trump walks into the room."

"Everyone will report what happened here tonight differently. Breitbart will lead with 'Ryan slams the president amongst liberal elites.' The New York Times will report 'Ryan defends the President in a state Hillary won.' And the president will tweet, '300,000 at Al Smith dinner cheer mention of my name.'"

"I learned how to handle insults. Steve Bannon said I was born in a petri dish at the Heritage Foundation. This is amazing — no one knew Steve believed in science."

I know last year at this dinner Donald Trump offended some people with his comments, which critics said went too far. Some said it was unbecoming of a public figure and that his comments were offensive. ... Well, thank God he's learned his lesson.'

"I'm from Wisconsin. It's a great state to visit in the fall. Looking back, someone should have told Hillary. Speaking of which, I got Hillary's new book. This sums up today's politics perfectly. She took eight months, writing 10 hours a day, to explain what happened in 512 pages. The president explained it in a tweet. Hash tag, I won."

"I know why Chuck [Schumer] has been so hard on President Trump. It's not ideological. Chuck is just mad he lost his top donor."

"Every afternoon, former Speaker John Boehner calls me up. Not to give advice. Just to laugh."

"Every morning, I wake up in my office and scroll Twitter to see which tweets I will have to pretend that I didn't see later."

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He addressed Trump's frequent complaint that he's not getting enough credit.

'The truth is, the press absolutely misunderstands and never records the big accomplishments of the White House,' Ryan said. 

'Look at all the new jobs the president has created - just among the White House staff.'

Ryan jabbed Trump's lack of accomplishments, the White House's ties to Wall Street and, of course, the president's overactive Twitter account.

The event, hosted by New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan, drew leaders of finance and politics to a hotel ballroom in Manhattan, where an estimated 815 guests in tuxedos and dinner gowns dined on lobster and black radish salad, tournedo of beef with lacinto kale and 'berries of the forest' cake.

'I don't think I've seen this many New York liberals, this many Wall Street CEOs in one room since my last visit to the White House,' Ryan chuckled as he turned his attention briefly to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. 

Ryan addressed Trump's frequent complaint that he's not getting enough credit. 'The truth is, the press absolutely misunderstands and never records the big accomplishments of the White House,' Ryan said. 'Look at all the new jobs the president has created - just among the White House staff.' He was referencing the departures of key members of  staff including Reince Priebus
Pictured: Tom Price
Pictured: Sean Spicer
Pictured: Anthony Scaramucci

Ryan addressed Trump's frequent complaint that he's not getting enough credit. 'The truth is, the press absolutely misunderstands and never records the big accomplishments of the White House,' Ryan said. 'Look at all the new jobs the president has created - just among the White House staff.' He was referencing the departures of key members of staff including (left to right) Reince Priebus, Tom Price, Sean Spicer and Anthony Scaramucci

Power Brokers (left to right):  Home Depot co-founder Kenneth Langone, hedge fund manager Roberto Mignone, former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Bank of America chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan and former  Mutual of America Life Insurance CEO Thomas J. Moran

Power Brokers (left to right):  Home Depot co-founder Kenneth Langone, hedge fund manager Roberto Mignone, former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Bank of America chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan and former Mutual of America Life Insurance CEO Thomas J. Moran

WHO WAS AL SMITH? 

Smith was the first Catholic to be nominated as a major party presidential candidate.

He was elected four times as governor of New York, and was nominated for the presidency by the Democrats in 1928.

Smith lost in a landslide to Herbert Hoover, with historians citing his stance against Prohibition and anti-Catholic prejudice as key factors. 

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'I know why Chuck has been so hard on President Trump. It's not ideological; Chuck is just mad he lost his top donor.'

Trump attended last year's Al Smith dinner as a featured speaker, and others before than as a prominent New York business leader who donated money to Democrats and Republicans alike.

Even with Ryan's light-hearted jabs, this year's affair was decidedly more cordial than last year's, when Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton traded caustic barbs at the charity event meant to raise money for impoverished children. 

At the time, Trump drew boos when he said of Clinton, 'Here she is tonight, in public, pretending not to hate Catholics.'

This year, Trump was the star again, in absentia.

Ryan said he checks Twitter every morning 'to see which tweets I will have to pretend that I didn't see later' - a not-so-subtle reference to the president's overactive social media account.  

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