Maggie Haberman Says Ritzy Al Smith Dinner ‘Very Hospitable’ For Trump — ‘Zero Cost’ To Kamala Harris For Skipping

New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer that the Al Smith Dinner was a “very hospitable environment” for ex-President Donald Trump — and that there would be “zero cost” to Vice President Kamala Harris for skipping it.

Trump headlined the annual Al Smith charity dinner with a set that impressed his fans but was poorly received, while the VP contributed a filmed sketch as she campaigned in Wisconsin during the dinner.

On Thursday’s edition of CNN’s The Situation Room, Blitzer asked Haberman about Harris’s decision to skip the dinner in order to hit the trail, and what the dinner would be like.

Haberman noted the irony of Trump rubbing elbows with “the kind of elites who he trashes all the time” and predicted Harris would not suffer politically for ditching the dinner:

BLITZER: It’s obviously shaken him up. But as you know, Kamala Harris is out there campaigning in Wisconsin today. I want you to listen to what the Wisconsin GOP, the Republican chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party, said about Harris’ visit there. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN SCHIMMING, CHAIRMAN, WISCONSIN REPUBLICAN PARTY: Kamala Harris coming into Wisconsin to do three cities in one day out of nowhere, they’re seeing the same polling we are, and that is they are in trouble in that blue wall, and that blue wall is not built right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: So, is the Trump team, the campaign, confident they can retake Wisconsin and other states in the so-called blue wall?

HABERMAN: I wouldn’t say that they’re confident that they can retake them. They are very hopeful that they can retake them. They’re feeling good about their chances in all three. They think in particular Wisconsin and Michigan right now look good for him. But we are still 19 days out from Election Day and a lot can change.

BLITZER: And not necessarily Pennsylvania?

HABERMAN: Not necessarily Pennsylvania. That is a tough one and it really is. It’s tough for both of them, frankly, but they are feeling very good about Michigan and Wisconsin at the moment.

BLITZER: He’s going to that Al Smith Dinner in New York tonight. What do you think we should be looking for?

HABERMAN: For him to make all kinds of jokes at the expense of some of the people sitting in the room with him and for him to say things about Kamala Harris that are similar to what he says on the campaign trail. But, I mean, that is very much — it’s a mixed room, politically, but it’s a pretty hospitable environment for Trump. The irony is that it is filled with the kind of elites who he trashes all the time.

BLITZER: Kamala Harris decided to not attend.

HABERMAN: And there is, I think, zero cost to her skipping this despite complaints otherwise.

BLITZER: All right, we’ll monitor that as well.

Watch above via CNN’s The Situation Room.