“Enjoy yourselves, you hear? But behave. If you get rowdy, I threaten to make you sit through the rerun of last year’s speech by President Trump – plus the video from Kamala Harris.”
That was Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan’s welcome to an estimated 900 attendees at the 80th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, held Thursday, October 16, at the recently reopened Waldorf Astoria New York. The annual event, known for its mix of politics and humor, featured remarks on current and past events, also relating to entertainment and religion.
The event, hosted by Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, and organized by the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation, featured keynote speeches by former Secretaries of State Antony J. Blinken and Michael R. Pompeo. Robert K. Kraft, founder, chairman, and CEO of the Kraft Group, was presented with the 2025 Happy Warrior Award.
This year’s event raised $7.3 million, bringing to more than $35 million the total over the past five years. Emcee Mary Callahan Erdoes, vice chair of the foundation, noted early on that “the cause unites us; the humor heals us.”
The dinner, held annually on the third Thursday of October at the Waldorf Astoria, is hosted by the Archbishop of New York and the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation. Established to honor the legacy of four-time New York Governor Alfred E. Smith and the first Catholic nominee for president, the foundation raises funds to support vulnerable women and children in the Archdiocese of New York.
Former Secretaries of State honor Cardinal Dolan, Al Smith, Kraft
“Let me say this: in a divided time, in a divided city, the one thing that seems to bring all New Yorkers together is love and respect for Cardinal Dolan,” Blinken said during his remarks.
Pompeo served as the 70th Secretary of State from 2018-2021. Before becoming Secretary of State, he served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency and as a Congressman from Kansas.
In his keynote, Pompeo spoke of Kraft’s commendable philanthropic works, The Al Smith Foundation’s charitable efforts, and his friendship with Blinken, as well as the namesake of the event, “this man Alfred E. Smith and the greatness that he demonstrated, and his love for this city and this state, and the children of this country, and the joy he brought.”
Blinken served as the 71st Secretary of State from 2021-2025. He also served as deputy Secretary of State from 2015-2017 and as Democratic staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. (Blinken was born to Jewish parents, and his stepfather was a Holocaust survivor).
“Bob Kraft, congratulations on being honored with the Happy Warrior Award…Robert Kraft has spent decades building things that last…Bob’s a true Happy Warrior,” Blinken said. Blinken noted Kraft’s dedication to “causes that matter; he brings hope to others…I congratulate him on this wonderful award.” Blinken noted the societal dangers of de-humanization between peoples of opposing views. And he said Kraft is among people who “lead the fight against it.”
Kraft accepts the Happy Warrior Award
American entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and owner and CEO of the New England Patriots, Kraft accepted the award named for Alfred E. Smith’s nickname, “The Happy Warrior.”
“He (Cardinal Dolan) and I might not always root for the same teams on Sundays, but we share something far more important – we share a concern and a hope for the world that our children and grandchildren are inheriting, that’s very important,” Kraft told the audience upon gratefully accepting the award. “And I want to recognize the Alfred E. Smith Foundation for the extraordinary work that you do, lifting up the poor and giving hope to the marginalized.”
Kraft, 84, raised in a Modern Orthodox Jewish family, spoke of the importance of unity and interfaith charitable efforts. “When you hear this, you realize, we’re all in the same business, just different management…The responsibility to others is what bonds us all together.”
During the event, the audience was shown a short video honoring Kraft; the video included words of congratulations and appreciation from former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Musician Jon Bon Jovi, praised Kraft in person. Several people on the dais were presented, temporarily, with some of the New England Patriots’ six Super Bowl trophies for their leadership in charitable and unifying efforts, including Cardinal Dolan, for Most Valuable Player.
Themes of unity in divisive times
The common serious themes among speakers were the importance of charity, love, kindness, unity, faith, and service, especially during these particularly divisive times nationally and worldwide, and the significance of speaking out against hate. The Gaza ceasefire and release of hostages were noted with gratitude for the conflict’s apparent end.
In his closing remarks, the cardinal said, “My words to you this evening are ‘thank you, God’ for a beautiful evening; thank you (attendees) for your generosity. Be careful going home. Good night and God bless, and we will see you next year.”