Vice President Kamala Harris made headlines last week after she decided to skip the annual Al Smith dinner, which is scheduled for mid-October.
The move has left Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York City, both disappointed and concerned.
The prestigious event, known for promoting collegiality and good humor among presidential candidates, has been a longstanding tradition in American politics.
Daily Mail reported that Cardinal Dolan expressed his disappointment, stating, “We were looking forward to giving the vice president an enthusiastic welcome, and we were confident that she would find this – you know, she speaks very much about high ideals and how it’s good to get away from division and come together in unity and all.”
The Cardinal then drew a troubling parallel to the last time a Democratic candidate declined the invitation.
“We’re not used to this. We don’t know how to handle it. This hasn’t happened in 40 years, since Walter Mondale turned down the invitation,” he said. “And remember, he lost 49 out of 50 states.”
“I don’t want to say there’s a direct connection there, but … we’re not giving up,” Dolan remarked.
Politico reported that Harris’ decision to prioritize campaigning in battleground states over attending the dinner has raised eyebrows across the political spectrum.
A campaign official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Harris’ team wants her to focus on states that will decide the election rather than the heavily Democratic New York.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump seized the opportunity to criticize Harris’ decision last week.
In a Truth Social post, Trump called it “sad, but not surprising” that Harris had opted out, adding that she “certainly hasn’t been very nice” to Catholics.
He went as far as to suggest that Catholic voters supporting Harris “should have their head examined.”
Daily Mail noted that the Al Smith dinner has a rich history of bipartisan participation.
Both Trump and Joe Biden spoke at the fundraiser in 2020 when it was moved online due to COVID-19 concerns.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton and Trump attended, trading barbs in a more jovial atmosphere.
The dinner, named after Alfred E. Smith, the first Roman Catholic to be nominated for president by a major party in 1928, has been a tradition for presidential candidates since 1960 when Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy appeared together.
Harris’ team has stated that she would be willing to attend as president if elected. However, this decision has reignited discussions about the relationship between the Democratic Party and Catholic voters.
Daily Mail added that Cardinal Dolan himself has been critical of Democrats in the past, penning a 2018 Wall Street Journal op-ed titled “The Democrats Abandon Catholics.”
The controversy also brings to light questions Harris posed in 2018 to a federal judicial nominee about his membership in the Knights of Columbus, a lay Catholic fraternal organization.
Harris had inquired about the nominee’s stance on abortion, which aligns with the church’s position.
As the election draws near, this unexpected development adds another layer of complexity to the already heated political landscape.
With both parties vying for the crucial Catholic vote, Harris’ decision to skip the Al Smith dinner may have unforeseen consequences in the upcoming election.
The post Archbishop of NYC ‘Disappointed’ Over Harris Ditching Al Smith Dinner, Warns Last Presidential Candidate Who Skipped ‘Lost 49 Out of 50 States’ appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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