Watch: Donald Trump’s hilarious assassination joke at Al Smith Dinner
The last Democrat presidential candidate to miss the event was Walter Mondale in 1984. In 2020, Trump and Joe Biden participated virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while in 2016, Trump and Hillary Clinton both gave speeches in person. Walter Mondale’s loss in the 1984 U.S. presidential election was one of the most decisive defeats in American political history. Running as the Democratic nominee, Mondale faced incumbent President Ronald Reagan, who was seeking a second term. Reagan, buoyed by a strong economy, an optimistic vision for the country, and widespread popularity, dominated the race from the outset.