Kamala Harris Melts Down In Statement Responding To Trump’s Roast At Al Smith Dinner

In what was a night of lighthearted jabs and self-deprecating humor, former President Donald Trump took the opportunity at Thursday night’s Al Smith Dinner in New York to launch into his Democratic opponents. Trump didn’t hold back, especially when it came to Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

The usually relaxed affair saw Trump delivering remarks that went beyond the traditional comedic roasts of the event. He tore into both Harris and Walz, sparking a response from Harris who appeared rattled by the former president’s comments.

On Thursday night, Trump joked about Harris skipping the Al Smith dinner to instead “receive communion from Gretchen Whitmer,” referencing a recent misstep by the Michigan governor. Whitmer, attempting to promote the Biden-Harris administration’s CHIPS Act, found herself in hot water after a viral video showed her mock-feeding a Doritos chip to a podcaster in a communion-like gesture. Though Whitmer later apologized, Trump used the incident to further his narrative that Democrats are increasingly out of touch with the average American.

“I must say I was shocked when I heard that Kamala was skipping the Al Smith dinner. I’d really hoped that she would come because we can’t get enough of hearing her beautiful laugh. She laughs like crazy — we would all recognize it anywhere in this room,” Trump prefaced. “All polls indicate I’m leading big with the Catholic vote, as I should be. But I don’t think Kamala has given up. Instead of attending tonight, she’s in Michigan receiving communion from Gretchen Whitmer.”

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Taking a swipe at Walz, Trump added, “Unfortunately Governor Walz isn’t here himself, but don’t worry, he’ll say that he was,” Trump started, taking a shot at Walz for his previous, and false, insistence that he fought in active combat. “I used to think the Democrats were crazy for saying that men had periods, but then I met Tim Walz.”

It wasn’t long before Harris’s team released a statement, which showed the vice president on the defensive. In her response, Harris painted Trump as a leader in decline, questioning his mental fitness and ability to lead. “Donald Trump struggled to read scripted notes written by his handlers, repeatedly complaining that he couldn’t use a teleprompter,” her statement read.

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“He stumbled over his words and lashed out when the crowd wouldn’t laugh with him. The rare moments he was off script, he went on long incomprehensible rambles, reminding Americans how unstable he’s become. And of course he made it all about himself. He may refuse to release his medical records, but every day he makes it clear to the American people that he is not up to the job.”

Here’s Kamala’s statement on Trump’s roast.

Her campaign is operating in a different universe. pic.twitter.com/n1meAhQ9RC

— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) October 18, 2024

Trump’s off-the-cuff style seems to be working in his favor. The vice president, meanwhile, has been forced to conduct a series of hasty interviews, including with Fox News, in an attempt to regain footing after a series of media appearances. Her absence from the Al Smith dinner only fueled the narrative that she is dodging difficult situations—a narrative that Trump seemed more than happy to perpetuate.

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