Trump’s stock is rising. Most polls are pointing to a victory for the former president.
And Trump secured this huge election win as Kamala Harris continues to bury her head in the sand.
At the 79th annual Al Smith charity dinner in New York, former President Donald Trump took the stage as the sole-featured speaker, as Vice President Kamala Harris declined the invitation in favor of campaigning in Wisconsin. Trump wasted no time addressing Harris’s absence, making it a central theme in his speech, while delivering sharp jabs and humor throughout the event.
The dinner, hosted by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, and emceed by comedian Jim Gaffigan, is traditionally a bipartisan affair. However, Harris’s decision to skip the white-tie event broke from that tradition, drawing attention and even boos when her absence was first mentioned.
Although she did not attend, Harris did submit a pre-recorded video, aired during the event, which is named after Alfred E. Smith, the former New York governor and the first Catholic presidential nominee from a major political party.
As Trump took the podium for his third appearance at the charity dinner, he addressed the audience with a mix of humor and stinging remarks, particularly aimed at Harris for her no-show. It’s safe to say that his remarks were a huge hit and he won the evening, especially since Harris wasn’t in attendance.
“I really wanted Vice President Harris to accept your invitation,” he said. “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.” Trump’s comment alluded to the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and sparked laughter from the audience.
Harris wasn’t Trump’s only target. The former president also took aim at New York Mayor Eric Adams, who is currently facing a five-count indictment, including bribery and fraud charges. “Mayor Adams, good luck with everything,” Trump quipped. “They went after you, mayor. Boy, I knew that. Nine and a half months ago, I said … he’s going to be indicted any moment, and guess what happened?”
The former president then turned the jokes on himself—or rather, avoided them entirely. “I’m supposed to tell a few self-deprecating jokes this evening. So here it goes: Nope, I’ve got nothing. There’s nothing to say,” he stated, to a chorus of laughs. He followed with, “I guess I just don’t see the point of taking shots at myself when other people have been shooting at me for a h*ll of a long time.”
As expected, Trump made his signature punchlines about the Democratic Party, poking fun at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the so-called “woke” agenda.
“The press is reporting the Democrats are starting to panic. Chuck Schumer is here looking very glum,” Trump said, before adding with a mischievous grin, “But look on the bright side, Chuck, considering how woke your party has become, if Kamala loses, you still have a chance to become the first woman president.”
Trump also used the platform to tease Harris’s running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), referencing Gaffigan’s portrayal of Walz on Saturday Night Live. “Most recently, Jim has been playing Tim Walz on Saturday Night Live, and that’ll be a very short gig,” Trump joked, hinting that Walz’s political future might be short-lived. “We don’t want him, and I’m not going to say any more.”
The night was not without some raunchier humor. Trump turned his focus to Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, joking about rumors surrounding his past. “The only piece of advice I would have for her in the event that she wins would be not to let her husband, Doug, anywhere near the nannies. Just keep them away,” Trump said, in reference to allegations that Emhoff impregnated a nanny while married to his first wife.
Despite Harris’s absence, she did manage to make a brief appearance in the form of a pre-recorded video. In it, actress Molly Shannon reprised her classic Saturday Night Live character Mary Katherine Gallagher, while Harris quipped that she would never make fun of Catholics.
Trump was joined by a star-studded guest list, including former first lady Melania Trump, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., New York Attorney General Letitia James, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The dinner, a benefit for Catholic charities, typically serves as a venue for political opponents to share the stage, but with Harris opting to hit the campaign trail instead, the night took on a different tone.
For Trump, the evening was another opportunity to shine in front of a bipartisan crowd while delivering his characteristic mix of humor, critique, and political commentary. As the former president joked, referenced past scandals, and took shots at his rivals, he made it clear that even without his Democratic counterpart present, he would take full advantage of the spotlight.
You can watch the entirety of Trump’s remarks using the video player below:
Here is Trump’s entire roast tonight. Trust me and watch this entire thing. It’s phenomenal. pic.twitter.com/sSyuAs6MAD
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 18, 2024
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
