Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign said she will miss the historic Al Smith fundraising dinner.
Officials from Harris' campaign reportedly told event organizers that the Democratic presidential candidate would not be attending this year's event. According to CNN. Harris is reportedly planning to campaign in battleground states ahead of the presidential election.
The event has been described as a “historic Catholic fundraiser” in which the two Democratic and Republican presidential candidates will give “light roasts” that are “directed at each other and others.”
The historic Catholic fundraiser traditionally features the two major party candidates lightly roasting each other and the other candidate during a presidential election year. This fall's event is already sold out and is set to host about 1,500 guests at a gala venue in Midtown Manhattan.
Trump has previously attended the Al Smith Dinner in 2020 and 2016. At the 2016 Al Smith Dinner, Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was then the Democratic presidential candidate, took to the stage to disparage themselves and each other.
The tradition of presidential candidates speaking and criticizing each other began in 1960, when former presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon spoke at the Al Smith Dinner. According to Fox News.
According to the outlet, presidential candidates were not invited to the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation dinner during the 1996, 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.
