Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen to forgo attending this year’s Al Smith charity dinner in New York, a break from presidential tradition. The event, benefiting Catholic Charities, is known for fostering camaraderie and light-hearted banter between presidential candidates from opposing parties. Harris’s campaign team opted for her to campaign in critical battleground states nearing Election Day instead of appearing in heavily Democratic New York, according to a campaign official who disclosed the decision first reported by CNN.
Her team conveyed that Harris would be open to attending the dinner if elected as president, highlighting the importance of prioritizing time in swing states crucial for determining the election outcome.
It remains uncertain whether Donald Trump will attend the dinner, as his campaign did not immediately respond to queries about his participation. Trump’s appearance at the dinner in 2016 elicited negative reactions when he made controversial statements about his opponent, Hillary Clinton, and faced backlash from the audience.
Scheduled for October 17, the white-tie gala holds significance as a fundraising event for Catholic charities and as a platform where political rivals demonstrate civility, even if temporary, for the evening.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, a key figure at the dinner, has been openly critical of Democrats, notably expressing his discontent in a 2018 opinion piece titled “The Democrats Abandon Catholics.” The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, named after the former New York governor who was the first Catholic nominee for president in 1928, serves as a charitable avenue and a symbol of unity among presidential contenders.
Dating back to the 1960 joint appearance of Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy, the dinner has maintained its tradition of hosting presidential candidates. In 2020, the event pivoted to a virtual format due to the pandemic, with both Trump and Joe Biden addressing Catholic voters earnestly amid the national crisis.
Trump’s 2016 participation at the dinner began with light-hearted jests but took a contentious turn as he steered his remarks towards acrimony and insults, marking a departure from the event’s usual tone of geniality and humor.
