Former President Donald Trump delivered a humorous speech at the 79th annual Al Smith Dinner in New York City Thursday night, receiving laughs and applause from the crowd on multiple occasions.
Meanwhile, Trump’s Democratic opponent Vice President Kamala Harris, had last month controversially decided to break with tradition for major party presidential nominees and not attend the beloved Catholic charity dinner in person.
In a surprise last-minute decision, however, Harris decided to send to the event a pre-recorded video address in which she appeared alongside comedienne Molly Shannon.
In the video, Shannon was playing her 1990s “Saturday Night Live” character Mary Katherine Gallagher – a caricature of a nerdy Catholic school student.
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As CatholicVote previously reported, “The Archdiocese of New York’s Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner (‘Al Smith Dinner’) raises money for various Catholic charitable organizations that benefit children.”
“While the dinner is held annually, it receives particular attention during presidential election years when both of the major parties’ candidates attend and take turns making comedic speeches,” CatholicVote added.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, was the fundraising dinner’s host with comedian Jim Gaffigan serving as its emcee.
Trump and his wife Melania sat on the dais at the front of the New York Hilton Midtown’s grand ballroom, where the event was held. Dolan sat next to the former president. On the other side of the cardinal sat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY.
Other notable attendees included Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-LA, and former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Trump’s speech
During his speech, Trump admonished Harris for being the first Democratic presidential nominee in 40 years not to attend the Catholic event.
“It’s been a long tradition for both Democrat and Republican candidates for President of the United States to attend this dinner,” the former president stated. “You got to do it unless bad things are going to happen to you from up there,” he joked, pointing upward.
“You can’t do what I just saw in that screen,” Trump continued. “But 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.”
Trump’s statement received applause from the crowd at the New York City event.
“The last Democrat not to attend this important event was Walter Mondale and it did not go very well for him,” Trump pointed out, echoing a remark Dolan made last month. “He lost 49 states and he won one.”
“It shows you there is a God,” Trump quipped.
“Catholics, you got to vote for me,” Trump said later on in his speech. “You have to remember I’m here and she’s not.”
“All polls are indicating that I’m leading big with the Catholic vote,” Trump pointed out. “As I should be.”
“I don’t think Kamala has given up yet. Instead of attending tonight, she’s in Michigan receiving communion from Gretchen Whitmer,” the Republican nominee joked.
Trump was referring to a controversial video in which Whitmer, Michigan’s governor and Harris’ campaign co-chairwoman, appeared to mock the Eucharist while wearing a Harris campaign hat.
“Good luck with everything,” Trump told Mayor Adams – who was recently indicted on corruption charges – after introducing him at the beginning of his speech.
“They went after you, Mayor,” Trump said, eliciting loud laughs from the crowd. “Nine and a half months ago I said, ‘He just said something about the administration, he’s going to be indicted any moment.’”
Trump was likely referring to Adams’ repeated criticism of the Biden-Harris administration’s response to the ongoing border crisis, which resulted in an unprecedented surge of migrants entering New York City.
“But you’re going to win,” he told Adams. “I don’t like what they do.”
Trump also joked that it was an “amazing pleasure” to be “anywhere in New York without a subpoena for my appearance.”
Towards the end of his speech, Trump reflected on surviving the July 13 assassination attempt on his life: “I think it was God who did that.”
“I have a very fresh appreciation for how blessed we are by God’s Providence and His Divine Mercy,” Trump said. “With God’s help I know there is nothing that cannot be achieved.”
‘Just beautiful to me’
At the dinner before Trump gave his speech, EWTN’s Raymond Arroyo asked the former president, “Why did you decide it was important to be here, and what message is Kamala Harris sending by not being here to Catholic voters?”
“Well, I think you’re honoring the Catholic Church,” Trump replied, “and I’ve been a longtime supporter, and I’m surprised she’s not here.” He added that he has a “special relationship” with the Church.
“So, I’m happy only in that the Catholics are going to vote for Trump now,” he said.
Arroyo said he noticed Trump has been making several supportive overtures toward Catholics on social media and at his rallies.
“You’re playing the Ave Maria, you’re posting ‘Happy birthday Mary,’ a St. Michael Prayer to ward off evil,” Arroyo pointed out. “Is that telling voters something about your spiritual journey? What is it?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Trump answered. “It’s just beautiful to me. I just look at the whole thing, the words, and the pictures, the pictures are so beautiful.”
When Arroyo asked Trump to clarify his stance on abortion, the 45th president said he’s “like Ronald Reagan before me. The exceptions are very important to me. And it’s the life of the mother, rape, and incest.”
“I’m very proud of what we did,” Trump said, referring to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Three of the six justices who opted to repeal Roe were nominated by Trump, who had promised voters ahead of time during his 2016 presidential campaign that he would nominate pro-life justices.
Trump added that if sent back to the White House, he would be giving the Mexico City policy “a very good serious look.” As Arroyo explained, the policy “forbids international spending on abortion.”
The former president also told Arroyo that adding a religious exemption for a proposed in-vitro fertilization (IVF) coverage mandate “sounds to me like a pretty good idea.”
Arroyo also asked Trump how he balances “welcoming the immigrant with locking down the border and the deportation promise you made.”
“We had the strongest borders we’ve ever had just four years ago,” Trump said. “We want people to come into our country, but they have to come in legally.”
Harris’ video
The Democratic nominee’s video message to the Al Smith Dinner began with her standing next to Shannon. The comedienne, 60, was in character; dressed in a girl’s Catholic school uniform.
“I just want to say that I’m Catholic and tonight is one of the biggest dinners next to the Last Supper,” Shannon, acting as Mary Katherine Gallagher, told Harris.
“It is a very important dinner, and it’s an important tradition and I’m so proud to be a part of,” Harris said.
Shannon then stuck her hands in her armpits and smelled them, before breaking out in a theatrical monologue: “Don’t you see, man? We need a woman to represent us! A woman brings more heart, more compassion, and think how smart she must be to become a top contender in a field dominated by men.”
“It’s time for a woman, bro!” Shannon continued. “And with this woman, we can fly!”
Staying in character, Shannon then cautioned Harris: “Maybe don’t say anything negative about Catholics.”
“I will never do that no matter where I was,” Harris answered. “That would be like criticizing Detroit in Detroit.”
Right before she exited the scene, Shannon said: “Don’t worry if you make a mistake because Catholic people are very forgiving.”
In his remarks before playing Harris’ video and introducing Trump, Gaffigan said: “Twenty-two percent of Americans identify as Catholics.”
“Catholics will be a key demographic in every battleground state,” added the comedian, himself a Catholic.
“I’m sorry, why is Vice President Harris not here?” he jokingly asked, receiving cheers from the crowd.
“Since its first dinner in 1946, The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner has raised millions of dollars for New York’s most vulnerable women and children,” the Foundation states on its website.
“The Dinner has featured renowned cultural, business, and political figures, including most major party presidential nominees during election years since 1960,” the Foundation adds, calling the dinner “a cultural landmark.”
One of the charities the Foundation currently supports is Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center, a medical center in Yonkers for children with special needs.
The event is named after late Democratic New York Governor Al Smith (1873-1944), who in 1928 made history as the first Catholic to win a major party’s presidential nomination.
LifeNews Note: Joshua Mercer writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.
