Former President Donald Trump stated on Thursday night that tradition dictated he should tell a few self-deprecating jokes at the Al Smith charity dinner in New York City.
"So here it goes," Trump remarked from the podium at the New York Hilton Midtown during the event, which raises funds for Catholic charities. "Nope. I've got nothing. I've got nothing. There's nothing to say.
"I suppose I just don't see the point in taking jabs at myself when others have been shooting at me for quite some time. And they shoot, right?"
The dinner, which in a presidential election year traditionally features both major party candidates for some light-hearted ribbing and roasting — Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris declined to attend on Thursday night — is named after the first major-party Roman Catholic presidential nominee, four-term Democrat New York Governor Al Smith, who lost to Republican Herbert Hoover in the 1928 election.
The last Democrat presidential candidate to miss the event was Walter Mondale in 1984. In 2020, Trump and Joe Biden participated virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while in 2016, Trump and Hillary Clinton both gave speeches in person.
Walter Mondale's loss in the 1984 U.S. presidential election was one of the most decisive defeats in American political history. Running as the Democratic nominee, Mondale faced incumbent President Ronald Reagan, who was seeking a second term. Reagan, buoyed by a strong economy, an optimistic vision for the country, and widespread popularity, dominated the race from the outset.
Mondale, a former vice president under Jimmy Carter, struggled to gain traction. Despite his selection of Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, the first woman ever on a major party's presidential ticket, Mondale’s campaign failed to resonate with voters. He advocated for policies like tax increases, which Reagan used to paint him as a proponent of big government and higher taxes, further damaging Mondale’s appeal.
On Election Day, Mondale lost in a landslide, winning only his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia. He secured just 13 electoral votes to Reagan’s 525, one of the largest electoral margins in U.S. history. Mondale also lost the popular vote by more than 18 million votes, receiving just 40.6% of the total. His defeat cemented Reagan’s political dominance and left the Democratic Party to reconsider its strategy moving forward.
"So here it goes," Trump remarked from the podium at the New York Hilton Midtown during the event, which raises funds for Catholic charities. "Nope. I've got nothing. I've got nothing. There's nothing to say.
"I suppose I just don't see the point in taking jabs at myself when others have been shooting at me for quite some time. And they shoot, right?"
The dinner, which in a presidential election year traditionally features both major party candidates for some light-hearted ribbing and roasting — Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris declined to attend on Thursday night — is named after the first major-party Roman Catholic presidential nominee, four-term Democrat New York Governor Al Smith, who lost to Republican Herbert Hoover in the 1928 election.
The last Democrat presidential candidate to miss the event was Walter Mondale in 1984. In 2020, Trump and Joe Biden participated virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while in 2016, Trump and Hillary Clinton both gave speeches in person.
Walter Mondale's loss in the 1984 U.S. presidential election was one of the most decisive defeats in American political history. Running as the Democratic nominee, Mondale faced incumbent President Ronald Reagan, who was seeking a second term. Reagan, buoyed by a strong economy, an optimistic vision for the country, and widespread popularity, dominated the race from the outset.
Mondale, a former vice president under Jimmy Carter, struggled to gain traction. Despite his selection of Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, the first woman ever on a major party's presidential ticket, Mondale’s campaign failed to resonate with voters. He advocated for policies like tax increases, which Reagan used to paint him as a proponent of big government and higher taxes, further damaging Mondale’s appeal.
On Election Day, Mondale lost in a landslide, winning only his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia. He secured just 13 electoral votes to Reagan’s 525, one of the largest electoral margins in U.S. history. Mondale also lost the popular vote by more than 18 million votes, receiving just 40.6% of the total. His defeat cemented Reagan’s political dominance and left the Democratic Party to reconsider its strategy moving forward.
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