Vice President Kamala Harris likely did not help her chances with Catholic voters by skipping the Al Smith Dinner in New York City on Thursday night.
And the “comedic” video that she sent in did not make up for her absence. In fact, several described it as “blasphemous.”
The video included Saturday Night Live alum Molly Shannon dressed up in her 1990s era Catholic school girl character, Mary Katherine Gallagher.
In her sketch with Harris, Gallagher interrupts the vice president’s speech to point out, “I just want to say that I am Catholic, and tonight is one of the biggest dinners next to the Last Supper.”
Comedy is of course about exaggeration, but given the whole Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Doritos communion video released last week, it seemed to be in particularly bad form to compare the charity dinner to the Last Supper.
Whitmer is the co-chair of Harris’ campaign and was wearing a Harris campaign ball cap in the infamous Doritos video, which Catholic Vote described as “the latest example of the gross anti-Catholic bigotry festering inside the Democratic Party.”
One Catholic responded on X to Harris’ video, “Yep. Every bit as cringe and blasphemous as Gretchen Whitmer’s Dorito Eucharist. There is nothing real or genuine with Kamala.”
Another added, “This is the most embarrassing, desperate, sad fail of propaganda I have seen in a long time.”
Yep. Every bit as cringe and blasphemous as Gretchen Whitmer’s Dorito Eucharist. There is nothing real or genuine with Kamala.
â Patty Martin (@PensFan07x) October 18, 2024
Should Harris have attended the charity event?
Still another wrote, “That was… very bad. There’s no Catholic I know of that would remotely put the Al Smith dinner close to the Last Supper. That’s blasphemous. Evidently Kamala really doesn’t know Catholics.”
Dr. Taylor Marshall, author and host of a popular Catholic news podcast with over 1 million YouTube subscribers, posted on X, “Why did Kamala just purposely offend every Catholic in the United States?”
Why did Kamala just purposely offend every Catholic in the United States? pic.twitter.com/bYssRxwbj6
â Dr Taylor Marshallâ¢ï¸ (@TaylorRMarshall) October 18, 2024
Comedian Jim Gaffigan, who emceed Thursday’s Al Smith Dinner and is Catholic, responded to Harris’ video: “As I watched that, I couldn’t help but think of, now I know how my kids felt when I FaceTimed into a piano recital they were at. Anyway …,” he said after he first offered a polite, trailing off golf clap.
NEW: Kamala Harris releases her pre-recorded video for the Al Smith dinner in New York that she didn’t show up for.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan made fun of the Vice President after the crowd gave a dismal applause once it ended.
Cringe. pic.twitter.com/9dvsYQub9h
â Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 18, 2024
Earlier in the event, Gaffigan noted, “You know, this event has been referred to as the Catholic Met Gala. Twenty-two percent of Americans identify as Catholic. Catholics will be a key demographic in every battleground state. I’m sorry, why is Vice President Harris not here?”
WATCH: Jim Gaffigan Obliterates Kamala Harris and Democrats in Brutal Roast at Al Smith DinnerââTwo Minute Montage of Best Moments |
Wow.
This might just be the Ricky Gervais Golden Globes moment for politics.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan just delivered a scorching takedown of Kamala⦠pic.twitter.com/HOIWPrUWZY
â Overton (@overton_news) October 18, 2024
Trump took his own shot at Harris’ absence saying, “All polls are indicating Iâm leading big with the Catholic vote, as I should be, but I donât think Kamala has given up yet. She hasn’t. Instead of attending tonight, sheâs in Michigan receiving communion from Gretchen Whitmer.”
Gaffigan and many in the crowd burst into laughter.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: “All polls are indicating Iâm leading big with the Catholic vote, as I should be, but I donât think Kamala has given up yet. Instead of attending tonight, sheâs in Michigan receiving communion from Gretchen Whitmer.” pic.twitter.com/T8NAHcRnPm
â Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 18, 2024
A National Catholic Reporter poll released Monday did find Trump leading Harris among Catholic voters in seven swing states, roughly 50 to 45 percent.
However, in the so-called Blue Wall states of Wisconsin and Michigan the margin is much wider, with Trump ahead 18 and 12 percentage points, respectively.
Harris does best among Latino Catholic voters, garnering 67 percent of the demographic, helping her in battleground states like Arizona and Nevada.
In the 2020 election, Democrat Joe Biden, who is Catholic, carried the Catholic vote 52 to 47 percent over Trump, according to Gallup.
Trump was smart to attend the Al Smith dinner, and Harris likely lost more ground and certainly respect among Catholics.
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