Vice President Kamala Harris has opted to address the Al Smith charity dinner by video on Thursday night, breaking with the traditional in-person attendance expected of presidential candidates. This decision contrasts with former President Donald Trump's plan to attend the event in person.
The Al Smith charity dinner is a prestigious white-tie event that raises substantial funds for Catholic charities. It has historically provided a platform for presidential candidates from both parties to engage in light-hearted banter as the election season nears its end.
Harris' campaign has not yet provided a comment on her choice to address the dinner virtually. Her team had previously emphasized the importance of maximizing campaign efforts in battleground states rather than diverting to New York, which predominantly leans Democratic.
In 2020, both Trump and President Joe Biden, who is Catholic, participated in a virtual version of the fundraiser due to concerns about large gatherings during the pandemic.
The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, named after the former New York governor, has a rich history. The event honors the first Catholic to secure a major party nomination for president, who ran unsuccessfully for the White House in 1928.
Since the iconic joint appearance of Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy in 1960, the dinner has become a customary event for presidential candidates. Notably, in 2016, the dinner witnessed a contentious moment when Trump criticized his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, drawing disapproval from the audience with his remarks.
In 1996, the Archdiocese of New York notably excluded then-President Bill Clinton and his Republican challenger, Bob Dole, from the guest list. This decision reportedly stemmed from Clinton's veto of a late-term abortion ban.
