Earlier this evening President Trump and Joe Biden followed the tradition of delivering remarks during the Al Smith dinner in New York. This year the remarks were streamed virtually. The video and transcript is below. The video is prompted to the beginning of POTUS remarks.
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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: It is a profound honor to address the 75th annual Al Smith Dinner. For generations, this wonderful event has been a revered institution in New York and New York life. I fondly remember attending with my father a long time ago. I was a young man, but never forgot it. This organization’s incredible tradition of Catholic charity exemplifies the very best not only of this city, but of this country.
I want to thank Cardinal Dolan — a very special man — for his extraordinary stewardship of the Archdiocese and for his deep dedication to God and to our nation. I also want to thank him for all of the help he’s given me, and so many things and so many different ways. Thank you very much, Cardinal. We very much appreciate it.
Let me also thank Mary Erdoes and the entire Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation.
As you know, tonight’s Al Smith Dinner is unlike any other, sadly. Our country, and the entire world, have been struck with a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic. China shouldn’t have let it happen, but it did. When the virus came in from China, we saw New Yorkers respond with the same grit and tenacity, courage, and selflessness that have always defined this city that we love so much.
Doctors and nurses worked around the clock. The heroes of the New York PD — NYPD — we love them and they endorsed me, so I like them even more. But they are great. New York’s Finest. And the FDNY, the bravest — they are the bravest, they’re great; I know them all very well — and other first responders risked their lives to save others.
And of course, the Catholic community and the men and women of the New York Archdiocese answered the call and, frankly, answered it like nobody else could. In Catholic schools, hospitals, shelters, soup kitchens, and food pantries, you served with the supreme devotion to your fellow citizens.
The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation made a historic $8 million dollar gift to support the children and the families of New York. Thank you.
You showed the world the essence of the Catholic faith. I’ve known about it for a long time. I lived right next to a magnificent Catholic church. As Jesus Christ said in the Gospel, “Everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
As President, I want to thank the Catholic community for the magnificent generosity you showed in America’s hour of need.
We mourn for all of those who lost a loved one, and in their memory, we will defeat the virus. Through advances in treatment, we have reduced the fatality rate by 85 percent since just April. We are on track to develop and distribute a vaccine before the end of the year, and maybe substantially before. And I just want to say that the end of the pandemic is in sight, and next year will be one of the greatest years in the history of our country.
From the very beginning of our republic, Catholics have uplifted and enriched our nation beyond measure. Catholics like Charles Carroll helped secure American independence. Women like Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton founded a movement that created thousands of schools and lifted children out of poverty. And the great Al Smith, the original “Happy Warrior,” — that’s what he was; he was a happy warrior. I know it well. I consider myself to be a happy warrior, but it’s not so easy in these times. But he was a happy warrior of American politics. He spent his life fighting for hardworking Americans and battling the anti-Catholic prejudice that you see even today coming out of the Democrat party.
Today, this amazing group continues that proud tradition of faithful service. Your work reminds us of an essential truth: In this country, civil society—and especially our religious institutions—are an essential foundation of American freedom. Our nation is strong because of Catholics and, frankly, people of all faiths.
That is why, as President, one of my top priorities is to defend religious liberty and the cherished role of faith and faith-based organizations in our national life.
To protect your God-given rights, I was recently honored to nominate one of our most brilliant legal minds, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, to the United States Supreme Court, and that was an honor indeed. She is a proud graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School where her professor, one of the most respected anywhere in the country, said she was the single greatest student he’s ever had in his class. We will not stand for any attacks against Judge Barrett’s faith. Anti-Catholic bigotry has absolutely no place in the United States of America. It predominates in the Democrat party, and we must do something immediately about it, like a Republican win—and let’s make it a really big one.
To support the noble mission of Catholic schools, my administration is working to advance School Choice. It was my great honor to help the Catholic Church with its schools. They needed hundreds of millions of dollars nationwide, and I got it for them. Nobody else. I got it for them. I hope you remember that on November 3^rd, but I got it for them. And it was an honor to do it. I did it at the request of Cardinal Dolan and others of your leaders. They really needed it. We took care of that situation. Very important.
We are once again standing with Catholic charities and healthcare providers such as the Little Sisters of the Poor. We’ve been with them all in the way in this long fight. We are fighting for Catholic adoption agencies and fighting hard. And we are defending the sacred right to life. Remember that when you vote,. That’s so important, and so important to the Supreme Court. Every child, born and unborn, is made in the holy image of God.
Few institutions in history have done more for New York, more for America, or more for people of the world than the Catholic Church. From the parishes of this city came the soldiers who fought to end slavery, the workers who raised up the towering skyline of Manhattan, the chaplains who landed on the beaches of Guadalcanal, the nuns who marched for civil rights, and the police officers and firefighters who we love so much, who ran into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Now more than ever, our nation needs a renewal of the values that this organization promotes and that the Catholic faithful live out each and every day in peace. We love the Catholic people. We love the Catholic religion. And above all, we respect it greatly.
As President, I will always support you in your effort to serve our fellow citizens and to lift up all humanity. I will protect the Catholic Church, and I will defend the rights of religious believers of every race, religion, color, and creed.
Thank you once again to the Al Smith Memorial Foundation. God bless You, God bless New York, and God bless America.
THAT’S MY PRESIDENT!!……remarks that are beautiful, eloquent, appropriate and timely!!! #TRUMP2020
testing!
#TrumpLandslide2020
Hope hicks tested positive.
President trump will simply take hydroxychloroquine/zinc lol!
I bet he’s already been doing it.
Yes
sending prayers for Hope Hicks’ swift recovery
Inspiring as always.
lovely speech…..just lovely..
Remarks are great.
But, these virtual events need to end. It’s like pretending to have a life, something Joe Biden’s quite familiar with, living in his basement and having virtual contact with a virtual world (which, when you think about it, has its plus side – virtually no Biden to disrupt life in the real world).
I don’t think Trump would be there if it was a normal, in-person event.
Have to disagree with you on that one. He would be there, especially with the Democrat Party and ALL their supporters declaring Catholics as evil in an elections year and especially his Supreme Court pick.
It is highly hypocritical for Biden to attend after the democrats and their storm troops have desecrated Catholic Churches, denigrated Catholic beliefs and insulted the Supreme Court nominee.
Trump attended in 2016. His remarks outshone those of HRC.
For me, the greatest moment of the 2016 campaign was the Al Smith Dinner. He and HRC were seated with Cardinal Dolan between them. She made her remarks, smugly secure that (soon to be) PDJT wouldn’t dare skewer her in such a place.
His comments started warmly, humorously, with Trump laughing at himself and gently at Hillary. She couldn’t help but feel alive and at home, with Cardinal Dolan seated nearby. But slowly, relentlessly, Trump did not relent. He, politely but firmly, laid out her horrific affronts to all Catholics, Christians, and human beings. There was nothing she could do, but sit there and take it. There was nothing any of those other High Society Catholics could do, but sit there and either stew or be convicted.
The incomparable picture of Trump in a white-tie tuxedo? That was the night. Here is the speech
Oh, and it came the night after their second debate, which Trump related, “they said that was the most vicious debate in the history of politics.” I couldn’t wait to see: was the vitriol just kabuki, and out of the limelight they were still pals? Well, out of the limelight, in a room full of Clinton supporters, he really let her have it.
For a blast from the past, (a much gentler time), read about the outrage in
The New Yorker, https://www.newyorker.com/news/amy-davidson/a-not-so-funny-dinner-with-clinton-and-trump
His speech/roasting at the 2016 Al Smith Dinner when he pointed out Hillary’s anti-Christian pro-abortion stances was AWESOME! The expressions on the face Maria Bartiromo (seated a few rows up the dais from Trump) were the same expressions we ALL had (an expression of “FINALLY!! Someone pointed out the Empress had no clothes!!)
Excellent speech!
great speech.
Thank you, President Trump, for defending the Catholic faith! And the sanctity of life!
Trump defends the Catholic Faith more than Francis does … … way more !!!
@OffCourseNation: That’s because he’s an anti-pope and not because he’s awful but because Pope Benedict did not renounce in accord with Canon 332.2. The evidence of his declaration from Feb 11, 2013 is not being examined just as the Nov 3rd election results will not be examined. Check here: https://fromrome.info/2019/11/26/an-index-to-pope-benedicts-renunciation/
And thank you, President Trump, for supporting Catholic schools!
My family is not Catholic, but had *excellent* experiences with a very small, comfortable and supportive Catholic parochial school. Mom insisted because this school taught all the things she wanted for us (including prayers in the morning, before lunch, after lunch, before leaving to go home…) We had Geography, penmanship, English grammar, Latin chants with a nun with a beautiful soaring voice who led us in choir…
great memories, with a strong academic foundation. Good schools change so many lives for the better! Another yuge, good thing you did!
I really, really want Maria Bartiromo to attend the next Smith dinner in person and reprise her elegance and allure as once before…
After that, maybe I’ll pay attention to the speeches.
When they go live and in person for the next Al Smith dinner, can they get Maria Bartiromo back in the picture again?
Did Joe have any comment on the statement put out by Cardinal Burke yesterday stating that he should not take communion as long as his stance on abortion is contradictory to that of the church? No….huh, what a surprise!! (NOT!)
he should be excommunicated and drop kicked out of the church!
“Make no mistake: God is not mocked, for a person will reap only what he sows”
Galatians 6:7
I enjoyed reading the transcript. I love watching him deliver his speech because it’s entertaining. But when I read his speech, I love and respect him even more.
Was Bartiromo there? She is such a….smart….lady….
Strongly recommend that we all keep our President and his family in our prayers.
Trump, a true giant and historical President. Amazing what this one man has done to change the arc of history.
Let Trump be Trump. God bless him and his kind and generous family.
Our President Trump- a class act all the way.
The President was right about new therapeutics coming on line, good news?
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/5-serious-virus-patients-cured-in-experimental-drug-trial-in-jerusalem/
May the Lord bless and keep us
Yes and we haven’t heard much about the good Dr. Zelenko who came out early with the therapy he had developed. Dr. Zelenko had to have surgery? and had to move out of Kiryas Yoel which was political… prayers for his health and healing and success also.
Joe’s remarks are the same old same old. Many empty chair. Trump could up that to the many that can’t see the loved one because of the pandemic in nursing homes. Or just those that died because the cities lack law and order and have been snuffed out.
I’ll bet Paul Ryan wishes he were in Biden’s shoes now….I mean…his brain isn’t addled like joes…cocaine joe…oops..mitch….
Too bad ryan wont get the credit for taking down trump…at least not in ‘the news’…..but in my book?
Ryan will always be the one who turned coat on America….
He could have stopped the fall if President Trump loses to the regressives….
Thanks, Paul Ryan…for all you are not……(sarc x 100)…..
I see you, Paul Ryan…I know who you are…….Lobby much>
…plus boehner…..and the 40 years of rino’s preceeding them…
sad state the nation has come to….our legislators took the bribes…..
What does that even means, “,,, ryan wont get the credit for taking down trump…”
No one is taking down Trump, he will have a huge victory, and to the victor goes the spoils.
Which means definitely four more years and a glorious extra two years, once his second four year tenure…
Paul Ryan will have his comeuppance, in the very near future…
free…it will be a MIRACLE if the voter fraud can be overcome in this election…if it isn’t a Trump landslide….it will be America…in a landslide….going straight down into socialist hell…
..at least 90% of legislators…repub or dem….want Mr. President Trump to lose…..I have no illusions that the outcome could be exactly that…
Our government is not on our side…..our climb to victory is steep indeed….
I pray that I am wrong and that you are right……
****Breaking news****
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1311859538279239686
Pray the President isn’t affected…
Yes, Al Smith, the day has come where a woman can say her beads in the courthouse.
The intro and colloquy between that witch and the fat dude in drag was one sided in favor of Bribem and insulting to PDJT. I love my RC friends, but the corrupt institution, especially the hellish alliance with Demonrats can only anger and disgust. Thank God for PDJT bringing light into this otherwise dark, exploitative event.
Hey Cardinal and nasty witch– your tolerance and support of Bribem and every other Demonrat makes you complicit in mass murder of innocents! Repent!
WordPress issues anyone?