A time-honored Presidential campaign stop took place this week in New York City, but Democratic hopeful Kamala Harris was nowhere to be seen. The Al Smith dinner, named for the first-ever Catholic candidate for President who ran in 1928, raises money for vulnerable women and children and is typically considered a lighthearted moment of humor amidst a grueling election season.
Major party candidates have attended each general election year since 1960, with the only exception being Democrat Walter Mondale during the 1984 election. Mondale went on to suffer a crushing defeat against record-setting President Ronald Reagan, winning only his home state of Minnesota, which he shares with VP nominee Tim Walz. Trump referenced the previous absence and its resulting loss, joking, “proves there’s a God.”
The absence comes the same week Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer lampooned the entire religion with a video during which she put a Dorito in the mouth of a kneeling podcaster, imitating how Catholic priests distribute the eucharist during Holy Communion. Whitmer wore a Harris/Walz hat throughout the outrageously offensive video.
Harris had her own viral video moment the evening of the event, choosing to address the crowd with a pre-recorded clip rather than live remarks. She appeared on screen with former Saturday Night Live Star Molly Shannon, best known for mocking a Catholic schoolgirl in her skits. The move was a slap in the face to devout Catholics who hope to hear -and see- their candidates taking events seriously. The Eternal World Television Network (EWTN) also reported that, while Trump had sat with them for an interview, candidate Harris had declined. EWTN is the largest Catholic media network in the world, and Harris allegedly rebuffed multiple requests to participate.
If her stance on late-term abortion weren’t already enough, it seems the Lady Harris may soon be excommunicated entirely. As a Senator, Harris voted against a bill that would have outlawed abortion past 20 weeks gestation, widely considered the threshold of fetal viability, as well as require doctors to provide medical care to babies born alive following botched abortions. In September 2023, she went on a nationwide tour of colleges called “Fight for our Freedoms” and was the first sitting Vice President to visit an abortion clinic.
As Attorney General of California, she received significant contributions from Planned Parenthood, all while declining to prosecute the organization, which had been shown in undercover videos to be illegally selling the tissue and body parts of aborted babies. Instead, she had the home of the undercover journalist who exposed the scheme raided and charged him with 15 felonies.
Trump pulled no punches regarding his opponent and her conspicuous absence. During his address, he commented, “I guess you should have told her the funds were going to bail out the looters and rioters in Minneapolis, and she would have been here guaranteed.” While President Biden held a slight edge over Trump with Catholic voters in 2020, Harris currently trails by a significant margin in the final days of the election.
Hilary Gunn is a Connecticut native with a degree in Criminal Justice from the George Washington University. She works for a nonprofit and has previously collaborated with the CT GOP as an activist, political campaign manager and field director, and social media organizer. She is currently serving in her fourth term of municipal office and has previously acted as a delegate on the Republican Town Committee.