Kamala Harris Will Reportedly Skip Catholic Charity Dinner, Breaking Tradition
Vice President Kamala Harris will reportedly skip the Al Smith charity dinner in New York on Oct. 17.
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.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan is set to host the 2024 Al Smith Dinner. Gaffigan, who called former President Donald Trump “a liar and a criminal” following his 2020 Republican National Convention (RNC) speech, posted an invitation for the annual event to social media on Sept. 6 before Harris revealed she will not be attending.
“I’m so honored to be MC-ing this year’s Al Smith Memorial Dinner on October 17. Too bad I don’t recognize those two names in the middle of the invitation. Anyone ever heard of them?” Gaffigan wrote as the caption to a photo of an invitation featuring both presidential candidates’ names.
I’m so honored to be MC-ing this year's Al Smith Memorial Dinner on October 17th. Too bad I don't recognize those two names in the middle of the invitation. Anyone ever heard of them? pic.twitter.com/9qGQayfGHw
— Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) September 6, 2024
The Trump campaign confirmed the GOP nominee still plans to attend the 2024 Al Smith Dinner, Archdiocese spokesperson Joseph Zwilling told the New York Post.
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. (Read more from “Kamala Harris Will Reportedly Skip Catholic Charity Dinner, Breaking Tradition” HERE)
Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr
