Harris to virtually attend Catholic charity dinner that rival Trump is headlining

Vice President Kamala Harris volition virtually be the historical Al Smith meal connected Thursday evening, the Archdiocese of New York confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

"VP Harris volition look via a pre-recorded message," the communications manager for the Archdiocese of New York, Joseph Zwilling, told Fox News Digital connected Thursday. 

Harris volition beryllium the archetypal statesmanlike campaigner successful 40 years to not physically be the Catholic foundation event – since 1984 erstwhile failed statesmanlike Democratic campaigner Walter Mondale skipped. Former President Trump volition be and code the sold-out assemblage during the lawsuit Thursday. 

Harris' snub of the historic Catholic foundation event irked New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan connected his podcast this week. 

KAMALA HARRIS PLANS TO SKIP HISTORIC AL SMITH DINNER DESPITE LONG-STANDING TRADITION

Vice President Kamala Harris addresses the Economic Club of Pittsburgh connected the Carnegie Mellon University field successful Pittsburgh, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

"This twelvemonth volition beryllium imbalanced because, sadly, Kamala Harris isn't coming," Dolan said connected his podcast Wednesday. "It's a shame due to the fact that the quality of the evening is to bring radical together. The quality of the evening is civility, patriotism, humor. It's not a run speech. It's not a run stop."

He did adhd during the podcast that Harris was slated to look via "Zoom." 

"She's sending a Zoom," Dolan said during the podcast. Adding: "We person it already… I haven't looked astatine it. There's an embargo connected it." 

MORNING GLORY: WHY IS KAMALA HARRIS SKIPPING THE AL SMITH DINNER IN NEW YORK CITY?

The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner was launched successful 1946, and has raised millions of dollars for charities supporting women and children, and has since grown to go a governmental and taste hallmark of predetermination seasons. The meal is named aft the archetypal Catholic statesmanlike candidate, Al Smith, who served arsenic the 42nd politician of New York and ran for president arsenic a Democrat successful 1928. 

This year's meal volition beryllium emceed by comedian Jim Gaffigan, who has portrayed Harris' moving mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz successful sketches connected "Saturday Night Live" this fall.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan speaks during a supplication work for Ukraine astatine Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Volodymyr. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached retired to the Harris run for remark and confirmation that Harris volition virtually be the event, but did not person a reply. 

The run antecedently told Fox News that the vice president would not physically be the event, focusing her clip connected campaigning successful the battleground authorities of Wisconsin instead. 

TRUMP CAMPAIGN PREVIEWS AL SMITH DINNER REMARKS AMID HARRIS’ ABSENCE: ‘WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED’

"The Vice President is going to beryllium campaigning successful a battleground authorities that day, and the run wants to maximize her clip successful the battlegrounds this adjacent to the election. Her squad besides told the organizers that she would precise overmuch similar to be their lawsuit arsenic President. This would marque her 1 of the archetypal sitting Presidents to attend," the run said. 

The run antecedently told Fox News that the vice president would not physically be the event. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Trump attended the meal in-person successful 2016, arsenic did then-Democratic statesmanlike candidate Hillary Clinton, and attended 2020's virtual meal owed to the pandemic. 

Former President Trump reacts during a Univision Noticias municipality hallway lawsuit connected Oct. 16, 2024, successful Doral, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

CLINTON AND TRUMP TRADE JABS AT AL SMITH DINNER

"It volition beryllium an grant to be the SOLD OUT 79th ANNUAL AL SMITH DINNER connected October 17th successful New York. It volition beryllium large to spot truthful galore fantastic radical there, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan. We cognize the Spirit of Al Smith, the archetypal Catholic Nominee of a Major Party, and John F. Kennedy, the FIRST Catholic President, volition beryllium successful the country with america that night," Trump posted connected Truth Social past month. 

Cardinal Timothy Dolan sits between, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the yearly Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner astatine the Waldorf Astoria connected Oct. 20, 2016, successful New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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"It was a virtual lawsuit successful 2020, and I was delighted to talk to our Catholic friends that time and, of course, it was a HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL evening successful 2016 when we were determination successful idiosyncratic with Crooked Hillary Clinton. The reviews of my remarks were TREMENDOUS. It’s sad, but not surprising, that Kamala has decided not to attend. I don’t cognize what she has against our Catholic friends, but it indispensable beryllium a lot, due to the fact that she surely hasn’t been precise bully to them, successful fact, Catholics are virtually being persecuted by this Administration. Any Catholic that votes for Comrade Kamala Harris should person their caput examined," helium added. 

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