Staff Reports
Vice President Kamala Harris recently made her presence known—or lack thereof—at the Al Smith Dinner, where she chose to skip the event entirely. This decision marked the first time a Democratic candidate has passed on this traditionally bipartisan gathering since 1984, which raises eyebrows about her commitment to unity, especially when trying to present herself as a candidate for all Americans. Only former President Donald Trump bothered to show up to this star-studded affair, leaving the stage wide open for the disdainful critique of Harris’s absence.
In her instead of attending, Harris resorted to a pre-recorded video featuring comedian Molly Shannon in what could only be described as a desperate attempt at humor that was as cringeworthy as it was tone-deaf. The video, which was supposed to entertain, instead bombed harder than a lead balloon, leaving the audience collectively cringing and absolutely silent. One has to wonder if the approval ratings have fallen so low that Harris and her team believed this theatrical failure was their golden ticket to the hearts of Conservatives.
“Disrespectful,” “WTF,” “cringeworthy,” and “historically bad” were just some of the immediate responses on X to Vice President Kamala Harris’s taped video appearance at the Al Smith Dinner on Thursday.https://t.co/49GuDjbnE9 pic.twitter.com/kfMevZRbVG
— Trump2024_no_matter_what (@TexasTrump2024) October 18, 2024
Within the video, the duo made attempts to poke fun at the Catholic audience, which certainly didn’t play well amongst a crowd known for its longstanding traditions and respect for faith. In a world where optics matter, Harris and her team seemed oblivious to the fact that mocking the very people they are attempting to engage is rarely a winning strategy. It appears her comedic timing is as off as her presence at the event.
The attempt to channel some sort of hip, modern-day wisdom plucked straight from a Taylor Swift lyric—“Haters gonna hate”—fell flatter than expected. One can’t help but laugh at the irony; Harris, who has often been too busy dodging questions and avoiding real dialogue, chose to tell her audience they should just “shake it off” instead of engaging with legitimate concerns. This might not be the headspace one would expect from a candidate aiming for unity, but it sure showcases a cluelessness that’s almost impressive in its own right.
In short, her absence and the subsequent video attempt resulted in a masterclass of what not to do in political discourse. Harris had an opportunity to connect with a wide-ranging audience but instead delivered a performance that critics quickly labeled as “historically bad.” As her comedic ambitions fell flat, it’s clear that bringing humor to serious matters isn’t exactly Harris’s forte—a fact that may haunt her as she continues her campaign.
