Who Attended the Al Smith Dinner—And Who Was Roasted?

While Vice President Kamala Harris didn’t attend the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York last night, there were plenty of famous faces there, and some of them were on the receiving ends of jokes.
The Al Smith dinner, named for the nation’s first Catholic presidential candidate, is considered a highlight of the election campaign. Politicians from both sides of the aisle break bread and trade good-natured jabs at the charity dinner, which is aimed at raising funds for women and children in need.
Along with politicians from across the country, the event was also attended by New York’s leaders, some of whom have a rocky relationship with former President Donald Trump, who still has ties to the city he made his name in.
Donald Trump
While both presidential candidates were invited to the event, only Trump attended in person, with Harris sending a prerecorded video instead.
Consequently, many of Trump’s jokes came at her expense, with the Republican nominee saying that Harris was busy “receiving communion from [Michigan Governor] Gretchen Whitmer.”
Melania Trump
Despite being absent for most of the campaign trail, Melania made a public appearance with her husband for the dinner. Many viewers noted that she did not look pleased when Trump’s Hollywood Access tape was brought up by comedian Jim Gaffigan.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
After endorsing Trump, Kennedy has been campaigning on the Republican’s behalf alongside other former Democrats. The Kennedy name still means a lot to New York, and the former independent candidate attended with his wife, Cheryl Hines.
Michael Bloomberg
Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg was in attendance, having previously helped Trump and Harris reconcile at the 9/11 memorial in September. The one-time presidential candidate appeared stoney-faced for much of the event.
Eric Adams
The current mayor of New York City might have been hoping for a night away from the scandal and legal battle currently endangering his career. However, a joke from Trump about ties to foreign money meant that Adams was one of the first guests out of the door, according to the New York Times.
Trump said: “The mayor’s dietary restrictions are well known, but I’ve got to say I’ve never met a person who’s a vegan who liked Turkey so much.”
Jim Gaffigan
The event’s master of ceremonies, comedian Jim Gaffigan, spared neither campaign from ridicule, slamming Harris for not turning up, and bringing several of J.D. Vance’s old critiques of Trump to light, saying: “It is impossible to not have a strong opinion about President Trump.
“You either think he is endearingly outspoken and brash, or you think he’s a sociopath, and you’d like to be his running mate.”
Chuck Schumer
Longstanding New York senator and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was on the receiving end of a rare compliment from Trump last night.
As is tradition at the Al Smith Dinner, the presidential candidate made some good-natured comments to his political rivals, describing the senator as “a good man.”
Kathy Hochul
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also received some compliments from Trump, who said: “Good job. It’s not an easy one, is it? But you’re doing all right.”
Mike Johnson
Trump’s top ally in the House of Representatives was in attendance, and the two exchanged words at one point during the event, but Johnson was spared the worst of the humor.
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