Vice President Kamala Harris has decided not to attend the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner on October 17, marking a break from the longstanding tradition for presidential candidates.
Fox News reported that Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, voiced disappointment over Harris’s absence, noting that this is the first time in 40 years that a presidential nominee has declined to participate.
This historic dinner, held annually in New York City, typically brings together presidential candidates for a lighthearted evening of comedic jabs and charitable fundraising for Catholic Charities.
Since 1960, the dinner has featured both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates engaging in friendly roasts during their speeches, a tradition that started with John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
However, this year, Harris's campaign informed the event's organizers that she would not attend, opting instead to focus on campaigning in a battleground state.
Cardinal Dolan was vocal about his disappointment with Harris’s decision, acknowledging that it is unusual for a nominee to decline the invitation. “We’re disappointed... we don’t know how to handle it,” Dolan said, referring to the last time this occurred in 1984 when Democratic candidate Walter Mondale skipped the event.
Mondale's absence at the time was notable as it broke from the tradition, and his eventual electoral defeat, losing 49 out of 50 states, looms large in the memory of political observers.
Dolan was quick to clarify that Harris's decision is not necessarily a political omen but stressed the symbolic importance of the event.
“We were looking forward to giving the vice president an enthusiastic welcome,” he said. “She speaks very much about high ideals and how it’s good to get away from division and come together in unity and all. That’s what the Al Smith dinner is all about.”
While Harris has chosen not to attend, former President Donald Trump has confirmed his participation. Trump, who is the Republican presidential nominee, will take the stage to give his speech, continuing the long-standing tradition of both major candidates attending the event.
Trump, who attended the dinner in 2020 alongside then-President Joe Biden, remarked that it was "sad, but not surprising" that Harris decided to skip the event.
The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner has historically been an opportunity for candidates to put aside their political differences for one evening in the spirit of unity and charity. Both Biden and Trump attended in 2020, though neither took jabs at one another during their speeches, likely reflecting the tense atmosphere of the election.
Cardinal Dolan remains hopeful that Harris may reconsider her decision. He revealed that key political figures, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, are urging Harris to attend.
“We’re not giving up, we hope she’s here,” Dolan said, underscoring the importance of the event for fostering a moment of bipartisan goodwill during a highly polarized election season.
The dinner, named after the first Catholic presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith, has long served as a platform for candidates to show a lighter side of their personalities. It is not just a tradition but a key fundraising event for Catholic Charities, which benefits from the proceeds raised during the dinner.
Harris’s decision to skip the dinner raises questions about the evolving role of political traditions in a rapidly changing campaign landscape.
While attending the Al Smith dinner has been seen as almost a requirement for candidates since its inception, Harris’s choice reflects the growing strategic calculations that come into play during the final weeks of a presidential campaign.
The decision to focus on campaigning in battleground states rather than attending the dinner could be seen as a reflection of how high the stakes are in the upcoming election. With early voting already underway in some states, Harris’s campaign appears to be prioritizing direct voter engagement in key areas.
Harris’s absence has drawn inevitable comparisons to Walter Mondale’s decision to skip the dinner in 1984.
Mondale, the last Democratic nominee to turn down the invitation, faced a crushing defeat to President Ronald Reagan, losing 49 out of 50 states. Though Cardinal Dolan stopped short of directly connecting the two events, he did acknowledge the historical significance.
“We’re not used to this. We don’t know how to handle it,” Dolan said, emphasizing that the Al Smith dinner is an essential part of the presidential campaign cycle. Despite Mondale’s loss in 1984, the tradition of both candidates attending has largely endured—until now.
