Since 1980, this custom has been affected by friction between the
Democratic Party and the
Catholic Church over
abortion.[15] During the 1980 dinner, Democratic incumbent
Jimmy Carter was booed.[15] In 1984, Ronald Reagan spoke, but his opponent,
Walter Mondale, opted out, saying he needed time to prepare for an upcoming presidential debate.[16]Amy Sullivan suggests that Mondale's decision was motivated by "tensions between the Catholic Church and the Democratic Party."[15]
In 1996 and 2004, the
Archdiocese of New York chose not to invite the presidential candidates. In 1996, this was reportedly because Cardinal
John Joseph O'Connor was angry at Democratic nominee
Bill Clinton for vetoing a bill outlawing some late-term abortions.[17] The organizers' explanation was that the candidates had been unable to commit to attending the dinner.[17] The vice-presidential candidates spoke instead. In 2004, Archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling explained that the candidates were not invited because "the issues in this year's campaign could provoke division and disagreement,"[17] but some speculated that the decision was due to Democratic nominee (and Roman Catholic)
John Kerry's
pro-choice stance on abortion.[2]
On October 20, 2016, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spoke at the dinner which was hosted by Cardinal
Timothy M. Dolan who was seated between the two presidential candidates during the event.[11][18] During the dinner, Trump made numerous remarks about Hillary Clinton, including references to the
hacking of the email server of the Democratic National Committee, her supposed corruption, and her back room dealings with Wall Street elites.[19][20][21] The 2016 dinner drew 10.3 million viewers and raised a record-breaking $6 million for
Catholic charities.[22][23] The 2020 dinner occurred in a virtual format, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, and the traditional roast-like nature was abandoned; still, it was attended by
Joe Biden and Trump; both men discussed
Catholicism.[24]
In media
During the 2000 dinner, George W. Bush joked, "This is an impressive crowd. The haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite. I call you my base."[6][25] The quote was used in Fahrenheit 9/11 and subsequently in one of John Kerry's
2004 campaign speeches.[26][27]
^Tony Blair (October 2007).
Al Smith Dinner(
WebMMPEG-4) (Digital video news package). Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation. duration 7:49. Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via
YouTube. 7-minute excerpt from the second British Prime Minister to address the Al Smith Foundation dinner.
^
abHillary Clinton;
Donald Trump (October 20, 2016).
2016 Al Smith Dinner(
WebMMPEG-4) (Digital video news package).
The New York Times. duration 49:44. Retrieved October 23, 2016 – via
YouTube. 71st Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. Streamed live on 20 October 2016. Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump deliver remarks at the Al Smith charity dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan.