The 79th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Banquet kicked off Thursday night, putting former President Trump in the spotlight during the bipartisan political events that typically add a bit of glamor to the campaign every presidential election cycle. guess.
President Trump and former first lady Melania Trump were welcomed to the event shortly after 8 p.m., and Trump shook hands with other prominent guests, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. Comedian Jim Gaffigan is hosting this year's dinner.
The Al Smith Dinner began in 1946 and has raised millions of dollars for charities supporting women and children. Since then, it has grown to be a political and cultural feature of the election season. The dinner was named after Al Smith, the 42nd governor of New York and the first Catholic presidential candidate. He ran for president as a Democrat in 1928.
Other attendees at the event included Attorney General Letitia James, an outspoken critic of President Trump who denounced him as a “fraud” during his 2018 campaign for a state representative, and former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Governor Kathy Hochul and others.
Harris to virtually attend Catholic charity dinner headlined by rival Trump
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his wife raise their fists as they attend the 79th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner held at the Hilton Midtown in New York on October 17, 2024. Melania Trump. (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY/AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
But this year's Al Smith Dinner will look a little different than previous years, with Vice President Kamala Harris skipping the in-person event and instead sending a pre-recorded video to broadcast to the audience. It's planned. The 2020 Al Smith Dinner was also different from previous election years, as it was held virtually amid pandemic lockdowns and social distancing mandates.
Joseph Zwilling, communications director for the Archdiocese of New York, told Fox News Digital on Thursday that “Vice President Harris will appear via a pre-recorded message.”
The dinner's host, New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, fumed on a podcast this week over Harris' disdain for the historic Catholic charity event.
“Sadly Kamala Harris isn't going to be here, so it's going to be unbalanced this year,” Dolan said on Tuesday's podcast. “This is unfortunate because the essence of the night is to bring people together. The essence of the night is civility, patriotism and humor. This is not a campaign speech. This is not a campaign stop.”
Fox News Digital did not respond to a request for comment from the Harris campaign about the pre-recorded video message it sent for the event. The campaign previously told Fox News that Harris would be absent from Thursday's event to focus on campaigning in the battleground state of Wisconsin.
Kamala Harris plans to skip historic Al Smith dinner despite longstanding tradition
Vice President Kamala Harris is preparing to speak at “We the People: An Audio Townhall With Kamila Harris and Charlamagne tha God” in Detroit on Tuesday. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images, iHeartMedia)
“The vice president will be campaigning in battleground states that day, and the campaign wants to make the most of the vice president's time in the battleground states as the election draws near. The vice president's team also told organizers: , the vice president has expressed her interest in attending the event, making her the first sitting president to do so,” the campaign said.
This year's event will instead focus on Trump's direct remarks and Harris' video. It's not a typical speaking schedule that spotlights presidential candidates from both parties and launches light attacks on each other.
Former U.S. president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the 79th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Hilton Midtown in New York on October 17, 2024. , New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan (left). (Photo by: Timothy A. CLARY/AFP) (Photo by: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP, Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Ahead of the event, President Trump criticized Harris on Truth Social for not appearing in person, suggesting she could lose Catholic votes.
“I just learned that Lyin Kamara is doing a video message tonight instead of attending Al Smith's dinner. She should not be allowed to do a video message. Like almost all presidential candidates, there are exceptions.'' Walter Mondale, who lost 49-1. They didn't give me a video message option and I didn't do it either. She should be here or she will lose the Catholic vote! ” Trump posted.
President Trump praises Catholic group's multi-million-strong anti-Harris movement that appeals to church members
Hillary Clinton speaks with Donald Trump at the Al Smith Charity Dinner on October 20, 2016 in New York City. (Spencer Pratt/Getty Images)
Mr. Trump has attended the event every election year since 2016, and at that time, he exchanged heated insults with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, prompting laughter and some jeers from the audience.
“We're here with a little intimate dinner with 1,000 wonderful people, or friends as I call them, or what Hillary calls the biggest crowd of the season,” Trump said in a 2016 speech. That's great,” he quipped.
Cardinal Dolan is 'upset' that Harris missed Al Smith's dinner
“People look at the Statue of Liberty and see a proud symbol of our history as a nation of immigrants. A beacon of hope for people all over the world. Donald looked at the Statue of Liberty and decided 4 If I lose, I might get a 5.'' I changed my hair with a flashlight and a tablet,'' Clinton joked in her remarks.
President Trump celebrated his return to the dinner for the third time as the Republican presidential nominee, while criticizing Harris for not attending the event.
Morning Glory: Why is Kamala Harris missing Al Smith's dinner in New York City?
“I am honored to be attending the SOLD OUT 79th Annual Al Smith Dinner in New York on October 17th. It will be great to meet so many wonderful people, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan. “We know the spirit of Al Smith, the first Catholic candidate of a major political party and the first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy, who will be with us that night.” posted on Truth Social last month.
Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. (Screenshot/Univision)
“Even though it was a virtual event in 2020, it was great to talk to my Catholic friends that day, and of course it was a hugely successful night when I went to meet crooked Hillary Clinton in person in 2016. Review of my statement I don't know how Kamala feels towards our Catholic friends, but she certainly wasn't very nice towards them, so that's very sad In fact, Catholics are literally being persecuted by this administration. Catholics who vote for Comrade Kamala Harris should have their heads searched.”
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Dolan expects the dinner to raise approximately $9 million, which will support women and children in need as part of the church's pro-life mission, according to a foundation press release. He said the money will be donated to various charities.
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