CNN chief media analyst and longtime critic of former President Trump Brian Stelter admitted that Trump’s speech at Thursday night’s Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner in New York City was “funny” and sincere at points.

The CNN pundit, who recently returned to the network after his show was canceled in 2022, praised the former president’s jokes during the event, as well as his self-deprecating humor about the two assassination attempts against him.

“I thought he was funny. I thought he made some great jokes. I thought the best moment was when he talked about the assassination attempts and made light of what he went through,” he said during a CNN broadcast after the famous dinner. held to benefit Catholic Charities in New York City.

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CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter praises former President Trump’s jokes at the recent Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner.

During his speech, the former president joked, “Tradition dictates that I have to tell a few self-deprecating jokes tonight. So here goes. No. I have nothing. I have nothing. I guess I just don’t see the point in shooting at myself when other people have been shooting at me for a long time.”

Stelter continued, praising Trump for being able to joke about traumatic events he has experienced in recent months, including when he was shot in the ear in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July, and the other assassination attempt at his West Palm Beach golf course in September. In this latest incident, no shots were fired by the would-be attacker.

“I think he’s experiencing real trauma, real PTSD as a result of the shootings,” Stelter said, adding, “But he’s still able to have a moment of light in this room, and he benefited from the fact that Kamala Harris that wasn’t. there.”

He criticized Trump for mispronouncing Harris’ first name at the event, adding, “It is frustrating, however, that he is not pronouncing her name correctly.” It’s not difficult. And he goes out of his way to insult her in a way I think. is racially tinged.” Trump repeatedly referred to Harris as “Kamala” during the event, emphasizing the middle syllable.

Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the 79th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Hilton Midtown in New York, October 17, 2024, with his wife Melania Trump and Archbishop of New York Timothy M. Dolan (L) . (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY/AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Other CNN experts did not find Trump’s speech as funny as Stelter. CNN commentator Karen Finney told a “CNN This Morning” panel on Friday: “I don’t know if it was funny.” She also praised Harris for skipping dinner and said she seemed focused on her campaign instead of being in a room with “old” and “stupid” “white men.”

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“That’s a stuffy room full of insiders, the typical backroom of old New York, old, stiff, mostly white men… and she’s not one of them,” the commenter said, adding, “That’s not who she is. she comes from.”

Harris’ absence from the event marked the first time in four decades that a major presidential candidate has declined the Al Smith dinner.

In her place, the Harris campaign sent a pre-recorded video of Harris addressing attendees, which played moments before Trump’s remarks. The video also featured comedian Molly Shannon playing a bit role as her “Saturday Night Live” character Mary Katherine Gallagher, a strong-willed Catholic student.

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris arrives at Trenton-Mercer Airport, in Mercer County, New Jersey, on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, en route to a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Critics on social media and even speakers at the dinner mocked Harris for her absence, with both comedian Jim Gaffigan and Trump yanking her from the stage.

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Finney continued to defend Harris against this criticism: “You know, she’s someone – would be the first president to have served at the local, state and federal levels. She’s, you know – women and mostly women of color, we don’t participate in it. those back rooms. We’re not in those spaces.”

“So for her to go out with the people was a smarter campaign choice for several reasons. She had nothing to gain by going to that dinner. There was a lot more for her to gain in a 100-day campaign.” especially to be on the road,” the commenter concluded.