It is a bizarre sight. You have two people who have spent the last six months calling each other every name in the book, questioning each other's sanity, and predicting the literal end of democracy if the other person wins. Then, suddenly, they are sitting three feet apart in white-tie formal wear, eating expensive prime rib, and laughing at each other's jokes. Welcome to the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. It is the one night of the year where the "gloves come off," but only so the candidates can shake hands and roast themselves before a crowd of New York's elite.
Most people just see the viral clips on YouTube the next morning. They see a presidential candidate bombing a joke or landing a sharp jab that makes the opponent's smile look a little too tight. But the Al Smith dinner, as it's usually called, is way more than just a precursor to the White House Correspondents' Dinner. It is a high-stakes ritual that has been around since 1945, and honestly, it’s one of the last remaining places where political civility—even if it's performative—still exists in some form.
The Catholic Connection and the Governor Who Started It All
So, who was Al Smith? He wasn't just some random guy. He was the first Catholic presidential candidate for a major party back in 1928. He lost, mostly because the country at the time was pretty openly hostile toward Catholics. People genuinely feared he would take orders directly from the Pope in the Oval Office.
The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner was established after his death to honor his legacy and raise money for Catholic charities. Specifically, it supports the most vulnerable children in New York. We’re talking millions of dollars every year. The dinner is hosted by the Archbishop of New York, currently Timothy Cardinal Dolan, at the Waldorf Astoria (or lately, the New York Hilton Midtown while the Waldorf is under renovation).
It is a "white-tie" event. That’s the highest level of formality there is. Tails on the suits. White bow ties. It’s the kind of stuff you usually only see in movies about the 19th-century British aristocracy. The contrast between that stiff, old-world vibe and the brutal, modern-day political insults is what makes the night so strange.
When the Roasting Gets Real
The tradition is simple: both major-party candidates come and give a self-deprecating speech. You’re supposed to make fun of yourself first, then poke fun at your opponent. Usually, it’s lighthearted. But sometimes, it gets incredibly awkward.
✨ Don't miss: Why the Air France Crash Toronto Miracle Still Changes How We Fly
Take the 2016 Al Smith dinner. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were there, and the tension was so thick you could have cut it with a steak knife. Trump started with some standard jokes, but then he pivoted. He started calling Clinton "corrupt" and brought up the WikiLeaks scandal. The room—filled with New York’s wealthiest and most influential people—actually started booing him. It was a massive departure from the usual "good-natured ribbing" the dinner is known for. It showed just how much the political climate had shifted.
Then you have 2024. Kamala Harris broke tradition by not attending in person, sending a pre-recorded video instead. Donald Trump showed up and used his time to lean into his usual rhetorical style, while also acknowledging the historic nature of the event. When a candidate skips it, people notice. It’s seen as a snub to the Archdiocese and a missed opportunity to show "humanity" to the other side.
The Unspoken Rules of the Night
There are rules to this thing. Not written in law, but written in social pressure. You have to be funny. If you aren't funny, you lose the room. If you’re too mean, you lose the room. It’s a tightrope walk.
- Self-deprecation is king. If you can't laugh at your own biggest scandals, the audience won't laugh with you.
- The Cardinal sits in the middle. Literally. He is the buffer between the two candidates.
- No policy talk. Nobody wants to hear about tax brackets or trade deals. This is about personality.
- The "Humanizing" Factor. The goal is to make the audience see you as a person, not just a talking head on a news screen.
Why does this matter in 2026? Because we are living in an era where people don't even talk to their neighbors if they have a different lawn sign. The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner forces a momentary pause. It says, "Okay, we disagree on everything, but we can still sit at a table and raise money for orphans." That’s a powerful, if fragile, message.
The Money Behind the Tuxedos
Let’s be real—it’s also a massive networking event. A single ticket can cost thousands of dollars. Tables go for tens of thousands. The money goes to the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation, which then distributes it to healthcare and childcare agencies.
🔗 Read more: Robert Hanssen: What Most People Get Wrong About the FBI's Most Damaging Spy
In a good year, they raise over $5 million in a single night. This isn't just "feel-good" money. It funds neonatal care units, foster care programs, and community centers. While the politicians are busy trying to get a laugh, the actual purpose of the night is being served in the background. It’s easy to get cynical about the optics, but the financial impact on New York’s social services is undeniable.
Memorable Moments That Shaped the Legacy
You can't talk about the Al Smith dinner without mentioning the 1960 event. John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Kennedy, being the second Catholic to run for president, had a lot of pressure on him. He famously joked about the "Pope" rumors, saying he had received a wire from his father telling him not to buy one more vote than necessary because he wasn't going to pay for a landslide.
That kind of wit is what the dinner is supposed to be about. It’s about using humor to disarm the biggest criticisms against you.
Compare that to Barack Obama and John McCain in 2008. They were actually quite funny together. McCain joked about his own age and his "maverick" status, while Obama poked fun at his own perceived messiah complex. It felt like a different world. They were competitors, but they didn't seem to hate each other's existence. That is the "ghost" that haunts the modern dinners—the memory of a time when the jokes didn't feel like they were meant to draw blood.
Is the Tradition Dying?
Some people think the dinner is an anachronism. They say it’s "out of touch" for politicians to be joking around with billionaires while the rest of the country is struggling. There is some truth to that. When the comedy fails, it feels like a group of elites laughing at the rest of us.
💡 You might also like: Why the Recent Snowfall Western New York State Emergency Was Different
However, there is a counterargument. If we lose the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, we lose one of the last venues where "the other side" is treated as a guest rather than an enemy. If candidates can't even sit in the same room for a charity dinner, what hope is there for actual governance?
The dinner is a mirror. It reflects the state of our national discourse. When it's witty and light, the country is doing okay. When it's bitter and awkward, it’s a sign that things are broken.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Dinner
Many assume this is a partisan Catholic event. It isn't. While it's hosted by the Church, the guest list is a "who's who" of New York power brokers from every background imaginable. Jewish, Muslim, secular—everyone is there.
Another misconception is that the candidates write their own jokes. Some do, but most have teams of comedy writers (and sometimes late-night show veterans) helping them out. The delivery is what matters. You can have the best writer in the world, but if you can't land the punchline, you’ll look like a stiff.
How to Follow the Next One
If you want to see the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner for yourself, you don't need a $5,000 ticket. It’s almost always livestreamed by major news networks and the Foundation's own website.
- Watch the body language. Don't just listen to the speeches. Watch how the candidates interact when they aren't at the podium. Do they talk? Do they avoid eye contact?
- Check the "Self-Roast" score. See if the candidate is brave enough to make fun of their own actual weaknesses.
- Look for the Cardinal's reaction. Cardinal Dolan's face is often the best indicator of how a joke landed.
- Research the beneficiaries. Look up the specific charities being funded that year. It puts the evening's "performative" nature into perspective.
The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner remains a fascinating, frustrating, and vital piece of American political theater. It is a night of white ties, red faces, and (hopefully) a lot of money raised for kids who need it. Even if the jokes aren't always funny, the fact that the dinner still happens is a small miracle in itself.
To truly understand the impact, look into the specific grant recipients of the Al Smith Foundation. Many of these organizations provide the only safety net for families in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Supporting the foundation directly through their official portal is the most effective way to engage with this tradition beyond just watching the political spectacle. Check the official Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation website for a breakdown of their annual gift distributions to see exactly where the gala proceeds are allocated each year.