US Presidential race: Obama and Romney swap jokes

Attending a charity dinner in New York organised by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York US Presidential race opponents Barack Obama and Mitt Romney allowed themselves to make a series of lighthearted jabs at themselves and each other.

The jokes the two shared made international headlines as it comes during a week in which the two shared heated debates.

At the event, Obama said that his first debate performance had been "a long nap" to prepare for the second. Obama was judged to have lost that debate.

"This is the third time Governor Romney and I have met recently," Obama said. "As you may have noticed I had more energy in our second debate. I was well rested after the nap I had in the first debate. Although it turns out millions of Americans focused in on the second debate who didn't focus on the first debate. 

"Turns out I was one of them."

Mitt Romney, in reference to his Mormon faith, said he had prepared for the debates by "not drinking alcohol for 65 years".

Romney, who is often accused of being stiff, joked about how nice it was to wear the kind of clothes he used to at home and said that the headline would be "Romney dines with rich people".

Americans go to the polls in18 days. The third and final debate in Florida next week will focus on foreign policy.