'Paisans for Kamala' event features De Niro, Pelosi blasting Trump on immigration
"Buonasera Tutti," former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio toasted as he opened a three-hour "Paisans for Kamala" virtual dinner this week in support of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid headlined by staunch Trump critic Robert De Niro.
De Blasio co-hosted the event with Paul Mercurio, a comedian who works on Stephen Colbert’s CBS late-night program.
During the livestream event, which featured several high-profile Italian Americans, many dinner guests lauded Harris while criticizing former President Trump’s immigration policies from the viewpoint of children or grandchildren of Italian immigrants.
De Blasio noted he had made an intentional visit to the childhood home of one such prominent Italian-American official.
"We just did a little pilgrimage… [to] Little Italy in Baltimore — to the home of Nancy D’Alesandro-Pelosi; where she grew up," he said, as the former mayor also highlighted the visit on X, posing at Pelosi’s former home alongside Maryland State Sen. James Rosapepe, D-Laurel.
"A dinner expresses who we are — we want to be a family as Italian-Americans — [and] bring everyone together for these amazing candidates," de Blasio said.
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Mercurio went on to tell De Niro that Trump has "tapped into something" within his base that have bonded them to him.
De Niro, who once expressed a wish to "punch [Trump] in the face," replied that he has indeed listened to some of Trump’s supporters.
"I could very well see that there is a way, with them, that's more for them than with Trump, because Trump doesn’t offer anything," the actor said.
"We've seen this before in other countries and other societies... they think they can control someone like him... God forbid he becomes 'the boss,' all the people who thought they could control him, they'll find out differently."
Later, former Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, who said his maternal side is "fully Italian," joined the dinner sporting a "White Dudes for Harris" hat and spoke about the values he believes Harris brings to the table.
De Blasio soon displayed a slice of pizza and proceeded to eat it with a fork — in an apparent homage to a 2014 controversy that erupted when he dined in the same fashion in Staten Island.
De Blasio argued he remains correct that it is the proper way to eat a pie.
Former CIA Director Leon Panetta later appeared and said he supports Harris because Trump appears to support isolationism, remarking that such behavior "didn’t work before World War II."
"[There is] the importance of presidents standing up to tyrants… not appeasing them," he said.
Later, actor Steve Buscemi said Harris struck the right tone as a descendant of immigrants.
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"Most immigrants are just looking for a better life, better opportunities, and they don't deserve to be punished for pursuing that dream," Buscemi said. "Kamala Harris is smart, strong, kind and inclusive."
When Pelosi appeared at the dinner, she recounted how her family lived for multiple generations in the Little Italy neighborhood of Baltimore that de Blasio visited.
"My grandfather and his contemporaries came here thinking the streets would be paved in gold — little did they know they would pave the streets when they got here," said Pelosi, whose father and grandfather, both named Thomas D’Alesandro, were mayors of Baltimore.
"It is an important race because of [Trump’s attitude toward immigrants] and so many other reasons. We must not take this election for granted," she said.
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Pelosi went on to cite a speech by former President Reagan, highlighting the fact she was quoting a Republican, and saying that he understood in the speech that the Statue of Liberty is a "beacon of hope."
She claimed to have recited the quote to Republicans, who did not applaud: "I said, ‘They don’t applaud for Ronald Reagan?’"
Near the close of the dinner, one of Trump’s former officials — who notably broke with the president years ago — appeared.
Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci quipped, in addressing de Blasio, "Can you imagine me, you and [former Republican Vice President] Dick Cheney getting together to support Vice President Harris?"
"Yes, I can imagine it because each of us understands the systemic danger involved with the potential reelection of Donald Trump," he said, before pledging $5,000 to Paisans for Harris.
"I bet they didn't discuss Kamala's support for ending Columbus Day, a very important national holiday for Italian Americans, named after the Italian explorer who discovered the Americas!" Karoline Leavitt, Trump campaign national press secretary told Fox in a statement.
"While Kamala Harris is supported by these disconnected California elites who wouldn't know their Sunday dinner costs 21.5 percent more thanks to Kamala's economic policies, President Trump will continue to earn the support of everyday Americans who want to lower costs, secure the border, and Make America Great Again," Leavitt added.