Trump mocks Harris at the Catholic Church gala in New York

The Republican candidate is for America’s presidential election next November Donald Trump she tried to mock her opponent, the Democrat Kamala Harrisand the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, while talking about his own legal problems, during a rather light speech delivered on Thursday, October 17 at a charity gala. “It’s a real pleasure (to be) anywhere in New York without being called”he told the crowd gathered at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York.

The annual Alfred E. Smith Foundation dinner, which benefits Catholic charities, is a bipartisan New York tradition that has attracted the city’s elite for nearly 80 years. In the past, it was called a night where candidates could make fun of themselves and their opponents. At the beginning of his speech, Donald Trump turned to Eric Adams, who has been charged with federal corruption, and said: “Good luck with everything.”

Kamala Harris absent

Kamala Harris is the first major candidate for the president of the party since the Democrat Walter Mondale in 1984 was not present at the event. Instead, the vice president campaigned in Wisconsin, a key state for the campaign.

However, gentle teasing is not exactly in Donald Trump’s nature. He criticized a Democratic rival for not running and noted that the Republican defeated Walter Mondale Ronald Reagan in the 1984 presidential race. “This shows that God exists”he mocked him.

Kamala Harris addressed the crowd in a pre-recorded video: “In the spirit of tonight’s dinner, let’s reaffirm our commitment to crossing divides, seeking understanding and common ground.” The former US president later joked that Kamala Harris would have come if the event’s charitable proceeds went to “Minneapolis spies and rioters”referring to the racial justice protests that took place in 2020 after the death of George Floyd. Several people in the audience booed.

Melania Trump he made a rare appearance by her husband’s side. This was the first time the two had been together at a political event since the Republican National Convention in July. The first lady released a memoir last month in which she explains her support for the right to abortion, a position that is against Donald Trump’s position.

The latter was criticized for using the 2016 dinner as a way to attack his opponent at the time, Democrat Hillary Clinton, rather than showing levity. He seemed to struggle to do that again on Thursday. “Tradition dictates that I tell you a few self-deprecating jokes tonighthe said. But I don’t have any.»

Two candidates neck and neck

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the former independent presidential candidate who withdrew from the race and endorsed Donald Trump, and Letitia James, the New York attorney general, filed an extensive civil case against the former real estate mogul’s companies, which came to fruition. a judgment of more than 450 million dollars, was also present at the dinner.

Donald Trump is still facing federal and state charges for interfering with the 2020 election that is not considered a Democratic battleground state for the 2024 election, but the Republican spent an unusual amount of time the that. He held a rally on Long Island in September and is expected to hold an event at Madison Square Garden at the end of the month.

The dinner is also a way to reach Catholic voters, a nationally important voting group. According to a poll published this week by the National Catholic Reporter, Donald Trump leads Kamala Harris by 5 percentage points among Catholic voters in key states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania. At the national level, the race remains closewith the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll showing Mr Harris leading by 45% to 42%.