Clinton, Trump and USA:

The 71^st Annual A. E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner

Reconciliation, Rejuvenation and Reconstruction

On October 20, 2016 in New York City, a day after the last presidential debate, both presidential candidates, Madam Secretary and Senator Hillary Clinton and Billionaire Mr. Donald Trump attended the 71^st Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation in the presence of Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

This year distinctly Gotham event attracted a crowd of about 1, 500, with attendees paying between $3, 000 and $15, 000 to attend the dinner, which raises about $5 million to provide services for the impoverished children.

This event in time past has produced dozens of memorable presidential jokes and this year was not an exception!

In light of this development, given the mediocrity and excesses in the campaign trail, it is wise to term the event as a unique opportunity necessary for participants and advocate exuding the virtues of reconciliation, rejuvenation and reconstruction in the quest for true nationalism.

I implore both presidential candidates to put God first and followed by humanity and nationalism.

There should be life after politics and both candidates are advised to follow in the footsteps of the former New York Governor, Mr. A. E. Smith, who was also the first Catholic to receive a major party nomination for president when he unsuccessfully ran in 1928.

Clinton, Trump and the USA are in a critical phase and the only acceptable way is to allow justice, nationalism and patriotism to perpetuate our body politics irrespective of ideological differences.

The United States of America is greater than any individual and must be protected, defended and loved by all her citizens.

God bless you all.

@peternhelenodeh