Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice to forgo a charity event organized by the Archdiocese of New York, which has been attended by every presidential candidate except for Democratic nominee Walter Mondale in 1984, has been described as “puzzling” by a communications expert.
Brian Browne, Associate Vice President of University Communications & Public Affairs at St. John’s University and a veteran attendee of several Al Smith Dinners, characterized the event as a “great, great event.” It traditionally features the two main party presidential nominees—this year, Harris and former President Donald Trump—in a jovial setting where they engage in light-hearted banter. The event typically generates millions in funds for charitable causes.
Browne further noted that attending the event would not expose Harris to any unscripted scenarios, a situation her campaign appears to be keen to avoid, as reported by Crux. Additionally, he indicated that it would provide her with a valuable opportunity to connect with a predominantly Catholic and affluent audience, which could yield political advantages.
“Given she’s the Democratic candidate, she would have access to the best joke writers on the east coast and the west coast who would love the opportunity to write a script. It’s a very scripted event,” Browne told the outlet. “I know she seems to be very dependent on a teleprompter, but it’s a teleprompter event. Yes, you might get some groans if your jokes don’t land, but you’re not going to get booed off the stage or heckled. It’s always this kind of coming together type of moment.”
“It’s a missed opportunity to demonstrate a human side and come together for a charitable cause, and you know, if I was advising her, I would tell her to reconsider this,” he added.
Established in 1946, the event known as the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner honors the legacy of Alfred E. Smith, who served as New York’s governor for four terms and was the first Catholic to receive a major party nomination in 1928, despite ultimately losing to Herbert Hoover, as noted by Crux. The dinner, organized by the Archdiocese of New York, generates substantial funds for Catholic Charities and is traditionally an occasion for political candidates to momentarily set aside their differences and unite for a philanthropic purpose.
Browne, a faculty member at St. John’s University’s Department of Government and Politics, remarked that Harris’s absence from the event signifies a lost opportunity for the American public to observe both presidential candidates engaging in a cordial and more personal environment during a particularly contentious campaign season.
“Yes, it’s a great Catholic event, and obviously, it’s a charitable event that benefits Catholic Charities that serve everybody, but it’s more about, to me, this human factor,” Browne said. “It allows public officials to be both humorous and humble, to be cordial and civil all at the same time.”
