Trump speaks at Al Smith dinner after Harris during rally ridicules ‘father of IVF’ claim – US politics live | US elections 2024

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Harris says Americans done with Trump’s ‘gaslighting’ as she criticizes January 6 remarks

Meanwhile, in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Kamala Harris slammed Trump’s performance at the Univision town hall yesterday, when he referred to 6 January 2021, when rioters stormed the capitol and injured over 140 police officers, “a day of love”.

“The American people are exhausted with his gaslighting. Enough. We are ready to turn the page. We’re done,” she said.

During the Univision town hall, a Republican voter told Trump the former president had lost his vote due to his response to the January 6 riots and the coronavirus pandemic. Trump responded: “Nothing done wrong at all.”

“There were no guns down there. We didn’t have guns. The others had guns, but we didn’t have guns,” he said. “And when I say we, these are people that walked down – this was a tiny percentage of the overall which nobody sees and nobody, nobody shows. But that was a day of love.”

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“Always: It’s a rule, you gotta go to the dinner, you gotta do it, otherwise bad things are going to happen to you from up there,” Trump jokes, getting a laugh – he is referring to God.

“But my opponent feels that she does not have to be here which is disrespectful to the event and in particular to our Catholic community,” Trump says. The crowd claps.

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“They’ve gone after me. Mr Mayor, you’re peanuts compared to what they did to me,” Trump says.

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“Mayor Adams, good luck with everything, they went after you,” Trump says to a big laugh.

More on New York Mayor Eric Adams, the first mayor in city history to be indicted on federal corruption charges:

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Trump is receiving a warm response from the crowd.

“They told me under no circumstances are you allowed to use a teleprompter and I get up here and see there is a beautiful teleprompter,” he says.

Unclear if that is a joke or more of Trump’s obsession with whether Harris is using teleprompters or not.

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“You know, here’s the thing that’s so amazing about Donald Trump. It is impossible not to have a strong opinion about Donald Trump. You either think he is endearingly outspoken and brash. Or you think he is a sociopath and you’d like to be his running mate,” Gaffigan jokes. “Donald Trump and I have a lot in common. We both have five children and we both have a lush mane of golden hair. And we both try to travel as much possible to get away from our families.”

Gaffigan then turns to Trump: “I want you to know if you are re-elected, I always liked you. And I’m not saying that because I don’t want to be sent to a labour camp. Well, I guess that’s the reason, sir,” Gaffigan says.

He invites Trump to the stage.

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The crowd boos that joke. Someone to Gaffigan’s right said, “We talked about leaving that out.”

“I was gonna leave that out,” Gaffigan says, to laughter.

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“As I watched that I couldn’t help but think now I know how my kids felt when I face-timed into a piano recital they were at,” Gaffigan says.

The crowd cheered – not hugely enthusiastically, but more than just politely – following Harris’s appearance.

Gaffigan says, “Shortly I will introduce President Trump, who will likely talk about how vice president Harris’s absence likely proves she hates Catholics, Americans, and babies. Then CNN and MSNBC will say he went to far, and Elon Musk and Fox News will say he was pitch perfect.”

Gaffigan turns to Trump’s baseless claims about immigrants eating cats and dogs. “You know this is the second time grabbing a kitty has been a campaign issue,” he says.

He is referring to Trump’s – much talked about in the 2016 election – “grab em by the pussy” comments.

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As Harris turns to face the screen, she says the dinner “provides a rare opportunity to set aside politics”.

She lists various philanthropic activities achieved by the church.

“In the spirit of tonight’s dinner, let us commit to reaching across the divide,” Harris says.

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“It is a very important dinner, and an important tradition to be a part of,” Harris says in her video.

Actress and former SNL cast member Molly Shannon appears, playing her fictional Catholic school pupil character Mary Katherine Gallagher.

She makes a speech from House of Dragons, about the need for a woman leader.

Harris asks for advice: Shannon-as-Gallahgher suggests she doesn’t lie, as it is a sin.

Harris says you shouldn’t lie, especially, about “thy neighbour’s election results”.

She would never insult Catholics, Harris says – taking another jibe at Trump: “that would be like insulting Detroiters when you’re in Detroit.”

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Harris’s video appearance is being played now at the dinner. Here it is:

Kamala Harris speech at Al Smith dinner
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“The Democrats have been telling us Trump’s re-election is a threat to democracy. In fact, they were so concerned of this threat, they staged a coup, ousted their democratically elected incumbent, and installed Kamala Harris. In other words, all her dreams have come true. It really makes me consider the power of prayer, right Cardinal. Sometimes prayers takes three and a half years and a George Clooney op-ed,” Gaffigan jokes.

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“This is of course a historic race for many reasons. If vice-president Harris wins this election, not only would she be the first female president – a Black woman would be occupying the White House, a former Trump residence,” Gaffigan says.

Addressing Trump, he adds, “Obviously, you wouldn’t be renting to her. I mean that would never happen anyway.”

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“Harris’s trajectory has been astounding. In the course of just a couple of months, she went from a mediocre vice-president to everyone’s mamala,” Gaffigan says, to a very muted response.

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Harris will be the first to (virtually) address the room, he says.

“You have to admit, the Democrats have done an amazing job rebranding vice-president Harris. The term joyful warrior was used so many times at the Democratic convention I felt like I was at a yoga retreat,” Gaffigan jokes.

“Let’s start off in a joyful warrior pose, and go straight into a downward-facing Doug Emhoff pose. Now laugh uncontrollably.”

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“We live in divided times, and I hope whoever is elected in November, they establish an initiative to heal the divide that exists in this country. And I have a great name for this. It could be called, ‘Project 2025’,” Gaffigan jokes.

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The media has begun discussing the phenomenon of secret Trump voters. I don’t know if you’ve heard about this: people who publicly say they would never vote for Trump, but when they go in the booth, they do. It’s a small group, it’s called the Biden family,” Gaffigan jokes. That one gets a pretty big laugh, including from Trump.

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This election is “being left up to American voters and four billionaires”, Gaffigan jokes.

“There is one group that baffles me. And I think it baffles most everyone in this country. And I’m talking about the undecided voter. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? You don’t know who you’re voting for?” Gaffigan says.

“You don’t see a difference between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Like nobody has ever thought, ‘Wait, is that a Trump quote or a Harris quote?’”

Here is Gaffigan, with Trump and Melania Trump seated to his left.

Comedian Jim Gaffigan speaks at the 79th annual Alfred E Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York City. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters
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“I feel like Donald Trump would probably be less loyal to RFK [Jr] than he would be to KFC,” Gaffigan says.

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