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Former President Donald Trump’s speech at the Al Smith Dinner, an annual fundraiser for Catholic charities, was met with applause and laughter from the audience. The event is a longstanding tradition where both major party candidates typically attend and share lighthearted jokes to ease the tension of the campaign season.
However, Vice President Kamala Harris broke tradition by skipping the event and sending a pre-recorded video instead. Trump took the opportunity to address her absence: “My opponent feels like she does not have to be here, which is deeply disrespectful to the event, and in particular to our great Catholic community. Very disrespectful,” he said to applause.
Harris’ video featured comedian Molly Shannon as her Saturday Night Live character, Mary Catherine Gallagher. In the video, Shannon humorously approached Harris, saying, “I just want to say that I’m Catholic, and tonight is one of the biggest dinners next to the Last Supper,” and proceeded with a performance about female empowerment. Shannon also joked that Jesus would be fact-checking Trump’s speech.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan later poked fun at Harris’ video, saying, “I don’t even know what that noise you’re making is… As I watched that, I couldn’t help but think, ‘Now I know how my kids felt when I FaceTimed into a piano recital.’”
Despite the absence of Harris, Trump maintained a likable and good-natured presence at the dinner, engaging even with Democratic attendees like New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. “It’s been a long tradition for both Democrat and Republican candidates for president of the United States to attend this dinner… You’re helping the poor, educating children, and supporting the vulnerable,” Trump said, drawing laughter as he joked about the event’s importance.
Trump also used the opportunity to make light of his own challenges, including legal battles and threats on his life. “I guess I just don’t see the point of taking shots at myself when other people have been shooting at me for a hell of a long time,” he quipped. Referring to his frequent legal entanglements, he added, “These days, it’s really a pleasure to be anywhere in New York without a subpoena for my appearance.”
Trump didn’t hold back on taking jabs at Harris, joking about her famous laugh and her political missteps: “I really hoped that she would come, because I can’t get enough of her beautiful laugh. She laughs like crazy.” He also joked about Harris being in Michigan “receiving communion from Gretchen Whitmer,” and took a shot at Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, with a quip about his proximity to nannies.
Even Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was targeted. Trump remarked, “The reason that she’s not here is that she’s hunting with her running mate,” and mocked Democrats’ positions, saying, “I used to think Democrats were crazy for saying that men have periods. Then I met Tim Walz.”
Wrapping up his roast, Trump made fun of a group called “White Dudes for Harris” by saying, “I’m not worried about them at all because their wives and their wives’ lovers are all voting for me.”
Despite the laughter in the room, Harris’ campaign spokesman, Ammar Moussa, offered a different take, accusing Trump of “struggling to read scripted notes” and delivering “long incomprehensible rambles” that showcased his instability.
Trump, who is struggling to read his handler-written jokes, complains about not being being allowed to use a teleprompter pic.twitter.com/Z5oAMEHAm4
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 18, 2024
Mainstream media outlets also painted Trump’s performance negatively. The Washington Post ran a headline claiming, “Trump Delivers Profanity, Below-The-Belt Digs At Catholic Charity Banquet,” and other outlets criticized the speech as “pointed and at times bitter.” Trump, however, took it all in stride, noting that the last Democrat to skip the event, Walter Mondale, did not fare well: “If Democrats really wanted to have someone not be with us this evening, they would have just sent Joe Biden.”
