Vice President Harris attacked former President Trump on Thursday during a prerecorded video address to the Al Smith Charity Dinner in New York City, joking about the former president's election denialism and criticism of Detroit.
Harris did not attend the dinner in person as she was campaigning in Wisconsin. Instead, she talked about the incident via video The show stars comedian Molly Shannon as Mary Katherine Gallagher, the Catholic high school girl she played on Saturday Night Live.
“Now, I'm going to give a speech, so say something. Have you thought about what I'm going to say tonight?” Harris asked Shannon in the video.
Shannon's advice included: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. ”
“Certainly, especially your neighbor's election results,” Harris said, criticizing President Trump's repeated false claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
“Please don't say anything negative about Catholics,” Shannon added.
“I would never do that no matter where I am. That would be like criticizing Detroit in Detroit,” Harris responded, criticizing Trump again, this time over his recent comments in Detroit disparaging the city. attacked.
“Does it bother you that the Trump guy always insults you?” Shannon asked.
“Never let anyone tell you who you are. Tell them who you are,” Harris replied.
Mr. Shannon ended the video and Mr. Harris addressed the dinner attendees directly.
“The Al Smith Dinner is a rare opportunity to put aside partisanship and come together to do some good by supporting the great charities of the Catholic Church,” Harris said.
“In the spirit of tonight's dinner, let us recommit to reaching across divides to seek understanding and common ground,” she added. “And in honor of the great Al Smith, let us fight to build a better future with faith in God, our country, and each other.”
Thursday night's event is the 79th annual banquet of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation, hosted by New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan. President Trump attended in person and criticized Harris for skipping the dinner.
Presidential candidates typically speak and share witty jokes at the dinner every four years, but Trump upended the dinner in 2016 by attacking Hillary Clinton. President Trump and President Biden met virtually in 2020 due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Thursday night's dinner will be hosted by comedian Jim Gaffigan, who has played Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz on “Saturday Night Live” in recent weeks.
