She’s sparking controversy.
Vice President Kamala Harris will not attend the upcoming Al Smith dinner, breaking a long-standing tradition where presidential candidates engage in lighthearted roasts of each other. Instead of attending the event, Harris’s campaign indicated she would be focusing on campaigning in a key battleground state, though they did not specify which one.
The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, which is held annually in New York City, raises funds for Catholic Charities and is typically hosted by the archbishop of New York. This year’s event, set for October 17, will mark the 79th gathering. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese, Joseph Zwilling, expressed disappointment over Harris’s decision, emphasizing that the event is about unity and helping women and children in need, regardless of background. He also urged her to reconsider attending.
In presidential election years, both Republican and Democratic candidates usually come together for the dinner to deliver humorous speeches. This tradition dates back to 1960 when John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon spoke at the event. However, there have been instances where candidates were not invited, such as in the 1996, 2000, and 2004 election cycles.
Fox News Digital reached out to Donald Trump’s campaign to inquire about his attendance but did not receive an immediate response. The last time a Democratic candidate opted out while the Republican candidate attended was in 1984, when President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech in the absence of his opponent, Walter Mondale.
In 2020, both Donald Trump and Joe Biden participated in the dinner, but despite the contentious race, neither candidate used the opportunity to take jabs at the other. Instead, their speeches focused on religious values and the contributions of the Catholic community to the nation.
