Gaffigan at the Al Smith Dinner: Democrats 'Staged a Coup'; Trump Roasts Harris for Skipping (October 17, 2024)

Comedian Jim Gaffigan emceed the 79th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York, and his sharpest joke landed on the Democrats. “The Democrats have been telling us Trump, Trump’s reelection is a threat to democracy. In fact, they were so concerned of this threat, they staged a coup. Ousted their democratically elected incumbent, and installed Kamala Harris,” Gaffigan said, according to Fox News [1].

“In other words, all her dreams have come true,” he added [1].

The video above shows Gaffigan at the Oct. 17, 2024, dinner. His quotes are as reported by Fox News. Donald Trump’s are from the transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1][2].

”Why Is Vice President Harris Not Here?”

Gaffigan also needled Harris for staying away. “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,” he said [1].

“I’m sorry. Why is Vice President Harris not here?” Gaffigan continued. “This is a room full of Catholics and Jews in New York City. This is a layup for the Democratic nominee” [1].

“I mean, in her defense, I mean, she did find time to appear on ‘The View,’ Howard Stern, Colbert and the long time staple of campaigning, the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast. You know what I think it is? I think she doesn’t like me,” he said [1].

”Did Not Go Very Well for Him”

Harris was the first nominee in 40 years, outside the virtual 2020 dinner, to skip the event in person, Fox News reported. “Failed Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale in 1984 was the last nominee to skip the event” [1].

The host, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, had complained on his podcast. “This year will be imbalanced because sadly, Kamala Harris isn’t coming,” Dolan said. “It’s a shame because the nature of the evening is to bring people together” [1].

Trump made the same point from the stage. “This will be the first time in the history of this event where jokes will be fact-checked and they will be,” he warned first. “My opponent feels like she does not have to be here, which is deeply disrespectful to the event and in particular to our great Catholic community, very disrespectful,” Trump said [2].

“The last Democrat not to attend this important event was Walter Mondale, and it did not go very well for him. He lost 49 states and he won one, Minnesota,” he said [2].

”Receiving Communion From Gretchen Whitmer”

Trump then roasted his absent opponent. “I’d really hoped that she would come because we can’t get enough of hearing her beautiful laugh,” he said. “Instead of attending tonight, she’s in Michigan receiving communion from Gretchen Whitmer” [2].

“If Democrats really wanted to have someone not be with us this evening, they would’ve just sent Joe Biden,” Trump said [2].

He opened with a jab at the setup. “And they told me under no circumstances are you allowed to use a teleprompter, and I got up here and I see there’s this beautiful teleprompter. So here I am,” Trump said [2].

He took a shot at the debates, too. “But the truth is, I’ve debated twice this year once against Joe Biden and once against David Muir of ABC,” Trump said, to laughter [2].

He also teased the emcee. “Most recently Jim has been playing Tim Walz on Saturday Night Live, and that’ll be a very short gig, I hope, Jim,” Trump said [2].

”Nope, I’ve Got Nothing”

He skipped the tradition of mocking himself. “Tradition holds that I’m supposed to tell a few self-deprecating jokes this evening. So here it goes— Nope, I’ve got nothing,” Trump said, to cheers [2].

He had a line for New York’s mayor, too. “Well, I’d better wrap up because Mayor Adams told me earlier that I needed to make this one very quick. Especially the city has reserved this room for a large group of illegal aliens coming in from Texas,” Trump said [2].

Harris did appear by video, alongside comedian Molly Shannon. “Indeed, especially thy neighbor’s election results,” Harris said, in what Fox called “a jab at Trump” [1].

”Was That Luck or Was That God?”

Trump closed on a serious note. “Having recently myself survived two assassination attempts, I survived,” he said, recalling how he turned his head to look at a chart. “Was that luck or was that God that did that? And I think it was God that did that” [2].

“So with God’s help, I know there is nothing that cannot be achieved,” Trump said [2].

By the Numbers

79th: the dinner, launched in 1946 [1].
22%: Americans who identify as Catholic, as Gaffigan put it [1].
1984: the last time before 2024 a nominee skipped the dinner in person, outside 2020 [1].
49: states Mondale lost, as Trump noted [2].
312: electoral votes Trump won in the election 19 days later [3].

What Happened Next

Trump won. In the Nov. 5, 2024, election, Trump won 312 electoral votes to Harris’s 226, according to the National Archives [3].

He carried the states she chose over the dinner. Michigan’s 15 electoral votes and Wisconsin’s 10 went to Trump and JD Vance [3]. Fox News reported Harris had skipped the dinner to campaign in Wisconsin [1].

For the reelection campaign Biden gave up, see HYGO News’ page on his 2023 launch day.