At the Al Smith charity dinner in New York City, former President Donald Trump took the stage Thursday night and poked fun at his opponent for missing the debate. "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. So I said there's no way I'm missing it."
The dinner, known for its light-hearted roast of the major-party candidates in a presidential election year, saw one notable absence: Vice President Kamala Harris , who declined to attend on Thursday night. Named after Al Smith, the first major-party Roman Catholic presidential nominee and a four-term New York Governor, the event honours a figure who lost to Republican Herbert Hoover in the 1928 election.
Interestingly, the last Democratic presidential candidate to miss this event was Walter Mondale in 1984. While in 2020, both Trump and Joe Biden participated virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2016, Trump and Hillary Clinton attended in person and delivered speeches.
Walter Mondale’s 1984 loss remains one of the most lopsided in American political history. Running as the Democratic nominee against incumbent President Ronald Reagan , Mondale faced a tough battle from the outset. Reagan, buoyed by a strong economy and an optimistic vision for the future, enjoyed widespread popularity as he sought a second term.
Mondale, who had served as vice president under Jimmy Carter, struggled to gain traction. Even with his historic selection of Geraldine Ferraro as the first woman on a major party’s presidential ticket, his campaign did not resonate with voters. Mondale’s platform, which included policies like tax increases, allowed Reagan to frame him as a proponent of big government and higher taxes, further weakening his appeal.
On Election Day, Mondale faced a crushing defeat, winning only his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia, securing just 13 electoral votes compared to Reagan’s 525—a margin that remains one of the largest in U.S. history. Mondale also lost the popular vote by over 18 million, receiving just 40.6% of the total. His defeat underscored Reagan’s political dominance and forced the Democratic Party to reassess its strategy for future elections.
Now, with Kamala Harris absent from the Al Smith dinner , the question arises: could history be hinting at another decisive outcome?
The dinner, known for its light-hearted roast of the major-party candidates in a presidential election year, saw one notable absence: Vice President Kamala Harris , who declined to attend on Thursday night. Named after Al Smith, the first major-party Roman Catholic presidential nominee and a four-term New York Governor, the event honours a figure who lost to Republican Herbert Hoover in the 1928 election.
Interestingly, the last Democratic presidential candidate to miss this event was Walter Mondale in 1984. While in 2020, both Trump and Joe Biden participated virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2016, Trump and Hillary Clinton attended in person and delivered speeches.
Walter Mondale’s 1984 loss remains one of the most lopsided in American political history. Running as the Democratic nominee against incumbent President Ronald Reagan , Mondale faced a tough battle from the outset. Reagan, buoyed by a strong economy and an optimistic vision for the future, enjoyed widespread popularity as he sought a second term.
Mondale, who had served as vice president under Jimmy Carter, struggled to gain traction. Even with his historic selection of Geraldine Ferraro as the first woman on a major party’s presidential ticket, his campaign did not resonate with voters. Mondale’s platform, which included policies like tax increases, allowed Reagan to frame him as a proponent of big government and higher taxes, further weakening his appeal.
On Election Day, Mondale faced a crushing defeat, winning only his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia, securing just 13 electoral votes compared to Reagan’s 525—a margin that remains one of the largest in U.S. history. Mondale also lost the popular vote by over 18 million, receiving just 40.6% of the total. His defeat underscored Reagan’s political dominance and forced the Democratic Party to reassess its strategy for future elections.
Now, with Kamala Harris absent from the Al Smith dinner , the question arises: could history be hinting at another decisive outcome?
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