The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York City, which is named for the former Democratic governor of the state and 1928 standard-bearer of the party, is an annual event at which both candidates for president generally make one of their last appearances at the same place before the election.
The last time that the two candidates didn’t appear at the annual charity roast, in fact, was in 2004, when the head of the Archdiocese of New York said it wouldn’t invite nominees George W. Bush and John Kerry because of “the divisive issues in the campaign, and [that] organizers concluded it would detract from the spirit of the event to put politics on the stage,” per The New York Times.
This year, though, CBS News noted, “Vice President Kamala Harris didn’t attend the event in person, declining to leave the campaign trail in the battleground states, where polls show the presidential race is very tight. But she did appear on screen in a recorded video for a brief address to the dinner.” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate, didn’t show up, either.
It’s hard to say whether that was for the best or not. Because Trump did show up, and he came along with plenty of material about “White Dudes for Harris,” about her husband and about her running mate’s attempts (emphasis on “attempts”)Â to convey non-toxic machismo.
Oh, and he also noted that thanks to wokeness, there’s one barrier that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer can still break: becoming the first woman president.
First, the mockery of the cringeworthy “White Dudes for Harris,” which was was probably the biggest burn on the ticket all night.
“Thereâs a group called ‘White Dudes for Harris,’” Trump said. “Are some of you here?” Answer: not many, at least not those willing to admit it.
“But Iâm not worried about them at all,” Trump continued, “because their wives and their wivesâ lovers are all voting for me.”
NEW: Trump trolls White Dudes for Harris, says he isn’t worried about their votes because all their wives’ boyfriends are voting for him.
Ouch.
“Thereâs a group called âWhite Dudes for Harrisâ… but Iâm not worried about them at all, because their wives and their wivesâ lovers⦠pic.twitter.com/MeDd7fblWb
â Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 18, 2024
Did Trump’s speech entertain you?
And, as it regards manliness: “I used to think Democrats were crazy for saying that men have periods. But then I met Tim Walz.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP: “I used to think Democrats were crazy for saying that men have periods. But then I met Tim Walz.” pic.twitter.com/Vl92TQnfbh
â Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 18, 2024
Also, the shot at Schumer, who was sitting next to Trump during his remarks.
Trump is KILLIKG IT tonight at the Al Smith dinnerð¤£
âChuck Schumer is here looking very glum. But look on the bright side, Chuck, considering how woke your party has become, if Kamala loses, you still have a chance to become the first woman presidentâ pic.twitter.com/V91qjlMwXQ
â James Jinnette (@james_jinnette1) October 18, 2024
And then, there are some men that are a bit too toxic — not that the media really reports on them often, particularly when they’re second gentleman and are looking for an upgrade to first. (See: Emhoff, Doug.)
“A major issue in this race is childcare, and Kamala has put forward a concept of a plan,” Trump said, poking fun at a much-memed line that he uttered during the debate about health care.
“The only piece of advice I would have for her in the event she wins would be not to let her husband Doug anywhere near the nannies.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP: “A major issue in this race is childcare, and Kamala has put forward a concept of a plan… The only piece of advice I would have for her in the event she wins would be not to let husband Doug anywhere near the nannies.” pic.twitter.com/dSqiwYCIYU
â Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 18, 2024
That’s a reference to a report that Emhoff, while married to his ex-wife, impregnated his nanny — something he hasn’t expressly denied and something which the media has been reticent to address.
Full speech here, in case you wanted to see all his jabs:
ð¥ MUST WATCH: President Trump’s roast at the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner
(Kamala skipped it because she’s a coward) pic.twitter.com/m5GcbkYP9y
â Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 18, 2024
Indeed, the cover the media has given Harris and her campaign is why these remarks were both funny and important.
It feels like no coincidence that, just one day after her first adversarial interview went south fast, Harris and Walz decided to skip a roast where candidates usually show up. They didn’t want to hear one person in particular, all because that person might not pull his punches. Lo and behold, he didn’t.
Furthermore, it puts the problem that the Harris-Walz team faces among men into perspective. The “White Dudes for Harris” pitch was almost as terrible as the “Man Enough” advertisement, and Walz’s attempts at coming across as a hunting-crazy football coach dude aren’t working so well, either. And their best emissary of non-toxic masculinity, Doug Emhoff, has his own, um, issues in that department.
Yet, if you didn’t hear jokes about this from Trump on the podium on Thursday, you wouldn’t be hearing about this at all. Funny how that works. And remember Kamala’s “say it to my face” rhetoric back when she wanted a debate? As proved at the Smith roast, it turns out she doesn’t really want that, after all.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
