For nearly four decades, presidential candidates have attended the annual Al Smith charity dinner, a New York event named after the groundbreaking Catholic politician.
Kamala Harris, however, will be breaking with tradition and skipping the dinner. Her GOP rival, President Donald Trump, described her decision as par for the course.
According to Newsmax:
“It’s sad, but not surprising, that Kamala has decided not to attend,” Trump wrote in his post. “I don’t know what she has against our Catholic friends, but it must be a lot, because she certainly hasn’t been very nice to them; in fact, Catholics are literally being persecuted by this Administration. Any Catholic that votes for Comrade Kamala Harris should have their head examined.”
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who acts as host for the dinner, has been highly critical of Democrats, writing a 2018 Wall Street Journal editorial that carried the headline, “The Democrats Abandon Catholics.”
“It will be great to see so many wonderful people there, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan,” Trump wrote. “We know the Spirit of Al Smith, the first Catholic Nominee of a Major Party, and John F. Kennedy, the FIRST Catholic President, will be in the room with us that night.”