Politicians, from former Republican President Donald Trump to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), attended the historic Al Smith dinner on Thursday for a night of comedy, while Vice President Kamala Harris remained conspicuously absent.
“I’m sorry, why is Vice President Harris not here? I mean, consider this, this is a roomful of Catholics and Jews in New York City, this is a layup for the Democratic nominee,” said Comedian Jim Gaffigan speaking at the event.
“In her defense, I mean, she did find time to appear on The View, Howard Stern, Colbert, and the long time staple of campaigning the Call Her Daddy podcast,” he added.
Some members of the crowd audibly booed Harris when Gaffigan mentioned her absence.
Both major party candidates traditionally attend the Catholic Charities fundraising dinner and put aside their differences for a night of comedic roasts and self-deprecating humor.
Harris declined the invitation, instead sending a pre-recorded “comedy” sketch featuring Saturday Night Live actress Molly Shannon playing a character who appears to mock Catholics.
Shannon’s character announces that she is Catholic, tells Harris that she smells her armpit sweat when she’s nervous, says Jesus will be at the dinner as a fact-checker, and refers to Harris as “Momala.”
In the same video, Harris promised that she would never mock Catholics.
“I would never [say anything negative about Catholics] no matter where I was, that would be like criticizing Detroit in Detroit,” said Harris.
In contrast, Trump stood up at the dinner and spoke without a teleprompter for nearly 30 minutes, making jokes at his political opponents’ expense and drawing laughter and applause from the crowd.
Candidates typically make some self-deprecating remarks at the dinner, but Trump decided to focus on his opponents.
“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,” said Trump.
He used his time at the podium to mock the left for its radical gender ideology and immigration policy, to take shots at Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Walz (D-Minn.) for his false claims, to take aim at the White Dudes for Harris voters, and to blast Harris for her absence.
Trump even made Sen. Schumer laugh with some of his jokes.
Jim Gaffigan, a vocal critic of Trump in previous years, appeared to take Trump’s side, criticizing Democrats for ousting President Joe Biden and suggesting that the Biden family secretly supports Trump.
Harris is the first presidential candidate to decline an invitation to the Al Smith Dinner since 1984, when Walter Mondale refused to attend before losing to former President Ronald Reagan in every state except Minnesota.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="31864 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=31864">1 Comment
If it had been a party for Arab Muslims , she’d have grabbed her prayer rug and run right over .
Catholics not so much .
Kamala Harris is a POS .
She needs to fade off into history as the worst ever VP in American history .
Vote Trump .