### Cardinal Dolan Laments VP Harris's Absence from Al Smith Charity Dinner

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, has expressed his disappointment at Vice President Kamala Harris's decision to miss this year's Al Smith charity dinner. The annual event, known for fostering civility and patriotism, is taking place on Thursday, but Harris is prioritizing her campaign efforts in Wisconsin.

"This year will be imbalanced because, sadly, Kamala Harris isn't coming," Dolan remarked during an episode of his podcast on Tuesday. He stressed that the dinner is not a campaign event but a gathering aimed at uniting people through humor and goodwill. "It's a shame because the nature of the evening is to bring people together," he added.

President Donald Trump is expected to attend the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, which has a long tradition of featuring prominent cultural, business, and political figures. The event, held annually since 1946, has raised millions of dollars for charity, particularly for women and children in New York. This year, the dinner aims to raise $9 million.

Dolan emphasized the importance of the event, saying, "We're upset that she didn't come because we've missed an evening to access something sorely needed now that even she articulates rather eloquently: that we've got to turn the page on bitterness." He noted that contrary to popular opinion, the dinner isn't a partisan gathering but rather a reflection of New York's diverse demographics. "It's not a Republican crowd. It's not a Democratic crowd. It's kind of evenly split," he explained.

There remains a possibility that Harris might participate virtually. Her campaign team underscored the necessity of her presence in battleground states, given the proximity to the election. They also mentioned that Harris would be eager to attend the event as president in the future, potentially making her one of the first sitting presidents to do so.

The impact of Harris's absence is underscored by history, as she is set to become the first presidential candidate to skip the Al Smith charity dinner since 1984, according to an email from Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) PAC.

The Al Smith charity dinner has a storied history of reducing political tensions and promoting charitable causes, an objective Cardinal Dolan believes is more crucial now than ever.