The Harris-Walz campaign revealed that she would not participate in the decades-old Al Smith charity dinner, breaking a long-running tradition for presidential hopefuls.
The Daily Caller reports:
The Harris campaign informed organizers that the Democratic candidate will break tradition by ditching the annual event, which benefits Catholic Charities. Harris will avoid approximately 1,500 guests and lighthearted roasts in Midtown Manhattan and instead plans to campaign in a battleground state, according to CNN.
Archdiocese spokesperson Joseph Zwilling expressed his disappointment: “We are disappointed that she will not be with us, as this is an evening of unity and putting aside political differences in support of a good cause of helping women and children in need regardless of race, creed, or background. We hope she reconsiders.”
Trump has a reputation for torching his opponents at the annual event, which was first held in 1945. In 2016, Trump famously blasted failed 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton — who was also in attendance — as corrupt. Trump took jabs at Clinton’s WikiLeaks scandal and “nasty woman” tagline as cameras captured Clinton’s reactions in real time.
Some speculate that her snub may have something to do with her poor performance in unscripted media appearances. While Harris was widely recognized as the winner of the September 10th debate, where viewers and pundits alike largely agreed that the moderators had joined her in the debate against Trump, she’s been harshly criticized for her performance in the few interviews she’s taken since joining the race — even by friendly media.
The Daily Caller notes that even in 2020, when events of its kind were extremely regulated and difficult to facilitate, both Trump and Biden still made a point of participating — making Harris’s decision all the more striking.
Then President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden delivered virtual remarks at the 2020 Al Smith Dinner, upholding the decades-long tradition despite COVID-19 restrictions. Both candidates used their remarks as a pitch to Catholic voters rather than an opportunity to trade jovial barbs.
Harris will be the first presidential candidate to turn down an invitation to the historic dinner since former Vice President Walter Mondale, former President Ronald Reagan’s unsuccessful Democratic challenger, declined to attend in 1984, according to the New York Post.
The Archdiocese withheld an invitation to Bill Clinton and his opponent in 1996, reportedly because he vetoed the late term abortion ban that came to his desk.
Harris has recently come under fire for her appeals to “religious” Americans. On X (formerly known as Twitter) she wrote, “One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree: The government, and certainly Donald Trump, should not be telling a woman what to do with her body.”
NFL Legend and devout Christian Tony Dungy responded, writing, “Dear VP Harris: I hear you make this statement all the time. Exactly what “faith” are you talking about when you say you don’t have to abandon it to support abortion? Are you talking about the Christian faith that says all babies are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), that God places them in the womb (Jer 1:5) and that we should not take any life unjustly (Luke 18:20)? Are you talking about that faith or some nebulous, general “faith” that says we’re good enough, and smart enough to make our own decisions? What “faith” are you talking about?”
