Vice President Kamala Harris has made the decision to skip this year’s Al Smith charity dinner in New York, a move that breaks with presidential tradition. The annual event, which raises money for Catholic charities, is typically attended by the sitting president or vice president. However, Harris has opted to campaign in a battleground state instead, less than three weeks before Election Day.
The Al Smith dinner, named after former New York Governor Al Smith, has been a fixture on the political calendar for decades. It is known for its light-hearted roast speeches given by both presidential candidates, who traditionally attend the event. The dinner is typically held in mid-October, just weeks before the presidential election, and is seen as an opportunity for the candidates to show their sense of humor and poke fun at themselves.
Harris’ decision to skip the event has raised eyebrows among political observers, who see it as a break from tradition. However, the Vice President’s campaign team is framing the decision as a strategic move to focus on key battleground states in the final stretch of the campaign.
The decision to skip the Al Smith dinner comes as Harris and President Joe Biden are facing a tough re-election fight. The Biden-Harris ticket is locked in a tight race with their Republican opponents, with polls showing a tight race in several key battleground states. With less than three weeks until Election Day, both campaigns are ramping up their efforts to secure crucial swing state victories.
Harris’ decision to skip the Al Smith dinner is part of a broader effort by the Biden-Harris campaign to prioritize campaigning in key battleground states. The Vice President has been crisscrossing the country in recent weeks, holding rallies and events in crucial swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Florida. The campaign sees these states as essential to their path to victory and is leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to secure support.
The decision to skip the Al Smith dinner has drawn criticism from some quarters, with critics accusing Harris of prioritizing politics over tradition. However, the Vice President’s team is standing by the decision, arguing that the campaign’s focus is on winning the election and that every moment counts in the final stretch.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Biden-Harris campaign defended the decision, saying, “Vice President Harris is fully committed to winning this election and is focused on reaching as many voters as possible in these crucial final weeks. While the Al Smith dinner is a long-standing tradition, the campaign believes that campaigning in key battleground states is the top priority at this time.”
The decision to skip the Al Smith dinner is not without precedent. In 2016, then-candidate Donald Trump also opted to skip the event, citing a scheduling conflict. However, Trump’s decision was seen as a break from tradition, and he faced criticism for his absence. This year, Harris is following in Trump’s footsteps, but the decision has not gone unnoticed.
The Al Smith dinner is a beloved tradition in American politics, and its absence from the Vice President’s schedule has sparked debate among political observers. Some see Harris’ decision as a savvy move to focus on key battleground states, while others view it as a missed opportunity to engage in a lighthearted tradition that has long been a staple of the political calendar.
Despite the controversy surrounding her decision, Harris remains focused on the task at hand: winning re-election. With less than three weeks to go until Election Day, the Vice President is leaving no stone unturned in her efforts to secure victory. Whether her decision to skip the Al Smith dinner will impact the outcome of the election remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Harris is determined to do whatever it takes to win.
