President Donald Trump has agreed to address the New York Archdiocese’s virtual Al Smith fundraising event.
Normally held as an in-person dinner, the Thursday event is being staged this year as a virtual meeting due to the pandemic. According to the New York Post, the archdiocese is hopeful former Vice President Joe Biden, who is Catholic, will also speak at the fundraiser.
Four years ago, Trump was booed at the dinner after slamming his then-rival Hillary Clinton.
"Here she is tonight in public, pretending not to hate Catholics," he said at one point.
The Post noted the fundraiser comes just days after Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic, to serve on the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the archdiocese said in a statement: "This year, the legacy of Gov. Alfred E. Smith takes on greater meaning. He was the last governor to lead our state through a pandemic. As such, the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation will dedicate this year's event to the frontline and essential workers of New York who worked valiantly to keep the city running and the people of New York healthy and safe when the pandemic touched ground in our city.
"Their lessons in compassion and heroism raised the bar for what can be accomplished when we come together as a city and a country."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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