Al Smith dinner: Four gags from Trump and Harris

With less than three weeks left for the US presidential elections, and the two candidates locked in a dead heat race, a charity dinner that has historically been about good-natured ribbing turned out to be not an entirely jokey affair.

Donald Trump made an appearance at the Al Smith charity dinner with his wife Melania. He gave an address that resembled a rally – with gibes at his rival Kamala Harris – but also made a few gags at his own expense in line with tradition.

Harris broke with convention herself by declining to attend in favour of a key campaign event, instead sending a video skit that was played to attendees.

The event, which is aimed at raising funds for women and children in need, is often the last time the two nominees share a stage before election day, but that did not happen this year.

Here are four memorable moments from the night.

Tradition dictates that the presidential candidates attending the dinner crack a few gags at their own expense. Trump acknowledged the convention but joked that he had “nothing” to say.

“I guess I just don’t see the point of taking shots at myself when other people have been shooting at me for a hell of a long time,” he quipped.

It appeared to be a reference to the fact he has survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign – including in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July when a gunman’s bullet grazed his ear during a rally.

Returning to a city in which he was slapped with a criminal conviction earlier this year, Trump also acknowledged his legal headaches.

“It is a true pleasure to be with you this evening,” he said, “and these days, it’s really a pleasure anywhere in New York without a subpoena for my appearance.”

Despite extending some courteous words to rival Democrats in the room, Trump could not resist some electoral one-upmanship.

Touching on the bitter rivalry he had with the previous Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, he admitted he “didn’t like Biden very much but now I like him quite a bit”.

But he clarified that this was only because Biden exited the presidential race in July. As for his new competitor, Harris, he suggested there was a chance he could grow fond of her – but only if she lost the contest for the White House.

“When we win, I’ll like her, but right now, I don’t like her,” he said.

Trump also made sure to aim barbs at Harris for not attending the event in person. He suggested that his opponent must have been “hunting” with Tim Walz, her running mate, sport enthusiast and fellow gun owner.

Instead of attending the dinner, Harris sent in a pre-recorded skit in which she poked fun at Trump, alongside Saturday Night Live alumnus Molly Shannon.

As part of the sketch written for the Catholic charity benefit gig, she was given advice by Shannon’s character on how to treat the audience. “Don’t lie,” Shannon told Harris. “Thou shalt not bear false witness to thy neighbour.”

“Indeed,” Harris retorted, and went on to make a dig at Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 vote. “Especially thy neighbour’s election results.”

Harris was also urged by Shannon to avoid offending Catholics at a Catholic event, because to do so would be “like criticising Detroit in Detroit”.

That was a reference to an event last week in which Trump said the US would “end up” like Detroit if Harris won the election.

Though Harris did not poke fun at herself in her short video, speakers other than Trump who attended the dinner were on hand to mock the Democrats.

“President Biden couldn’t be here tonight,” said host Jim Gaffigan. “The DNC (Democratic National Committee) made sure of that.”

Biden withdrew from the presidential race in July, following pressure from his party’s top brass.

North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher makes sense of the race for the White House in his twice weekly US Election Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.