Copyright Mechanicsburg Patriot News
By Aarushi Dedhiya Even in these polarized times, one political event is still a catalyst in uniting rather than dividing Americans-- The Al Smith Charity Dinner. This year, it took place Oct. 16, 2025 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Founded by Cardinal Francis Spellman in 1945, this bipartisan dinner has been a ritual for over 80 years and a staple in American politics. Named after Al Smith, a four-time governor of New York City and first Catholic presidential candidate, the dinner honors his legacy of service. This charity brings together hundreds of people—regardless of their political identity—who support the charity’s important cause. Last year alone, the Al Smith Dinner raised $10 million toward helping children and families in need. As a tradition in American politics both presidential nominees are expected to attend in an election year. John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon were the first candidates who set the precedent. Since then, candidates from the opposing parties sit on opposite sides of the Cardinal, prepared to take the stage. The dinner is like a bubble, providing a respite from the political polarization and tension in our country. Last year, Kamala Harris chose to skip this dinner. Instead, she sent in a video message. It broke the trend of the attendance of both parties’ presidential candidates. She said she needed to miss the dinner to visit a swing state in the closing days of the presidential election. Could this have been a costly mistake? I believe so. The only other presidential candidate to skip this dinner in American history was Walter Mondale in 198. He faced the same fate a Kamala: losing the presidential election. One event doesn’t necessarily lead to a presidential candidate’s loss in an election, but a correlation exists. Beyond tradition, this dinner supports a philanthropic cause, gives the presidential candidates the spotlight right before the election, builds camaraderie between the Republican and Democratic party members, and lets the candidates appeal to Catholic voters. In fact, in the 2024 election, Trump won with a 55% Catholic vote while Harris was at 43%. Trump took the lead with the Catholic vote—a surprise from last year when he lost the Catholic vote against Joe Biden, a devoted Catholic. The dinner’s political significance remains even in non-election years because it’s a space where people of both parties can come together and focus on their shared values. This year, the Al Smith Dinner was again sold out and filled with humor, passion, and a unified celebration despite partisan differences. The invitees on stage were big-name tycoons, including Patriot’s owner Robert Kraft, former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg, NFL CEO Roger Goodall, NBA commissioner Adam Silver, and rockstar Jon Bon Jovi. The jokes and roasts maintained the light-hearted atmosphere during the dinner. A one point, real Superbowl trophies were presented to a few guests on stage. Jokingly, they gave trophies to the owner of the Jets and a Bills fan—poking fun at how they have not won a Superbowl trophy in a long time (or in the case of the Bills fan, never won the Superbowl). Before giving Frank Bisignano, CEO of the IRS, a Superbowl trophy, the emcee joked, “Well, everybody needs a friend in the IRS.” Beyond the laughter, a highlight of the charity event was the presentation of the Happy Warrior Award. This year, Robert Kraft won the Happy Warrior Award for his work to combat social issues while embodying leadership and service to improve communities. Among his long list of contributions, Kraft founded Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, an initiative to eliminate antisemitism and develop inclusive, accepting communities. Along with Kraft’s speech, the dinner’s keynote speakers were the past two Secretary of States Anthony Blinken and Mike Pompeo. Despite serving in two different administrations, they shared a common message about unity, commemorated Robert Kraft, and shared the importance of Alfred Smith’s mission. They also kept the tradition alive by roasting each other. The Al Smith Dinner merges each field from finance to politics to law, bringing together people from all perspectives while raising money to improve our communities across the country. Now, the Waldorf Astoria is the home of the Al Smith Dinner and the future of light-hearted debates among presidential candidates.
