The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner is arguably one of the country’s highlights of presidential campaigns. Now in its 79th year, the charity dinner marks a jovial time during an otherwise tense election season. It’s a night when both presidential candidates exchange political attacks and criticisms for jokes and self-deprecating humor. It started in 1960 with then-candidates Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Trump has attended the dinner twice and is going a third time. Harris’s decision to skip the dinner speaks volumes and looks cowardly.

For the last 40 years, every presidential candidate has attended the dinner. The last candidate not to attend was Walter Mondale, also a Democrat, in 1984. So, it was puzzling, to say the least, when Harris announced earlier this week that she would skip this time-honored political tradition. Then again, Harris and the Democrats also skipped the time-honored tradition of people voting for the Democratic nominee in a primary election. So, maybe no one should be surprised by the vice president’s choice to skip the dinner and take a metaphorical sledgehammer to another of the country’s treasured customs.

Many believe that Harris doesn’t want to attend because she fears the consequences of being herself in a public setting. She has regularly shied away from meaningful conversations with the public, news media, and journalists during her campaign. Instead, Harris has relied on scripted events, Hollywood-type productions with celebrities, and appearances on news networks supportive of her campaign and sharing her beliefs and ideologies. 

However, if she can’t handle the Al Smith dinner, how will she handle China, Iran, or Russia? How is she going to handle Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, the Taliban, or ISIS? The leaders of those countries and groups aren’t going to agree to talk to Harris on MSNBC, CNN, or ABC News.

Our nation’s presidents have never appeared to back down from challenges as Harris does. It’s disheartening, discouraging, and concerning. It projects an image of weakness and timidity instead of one of a strong and decisive leader. No objective person could look at the vice president’s actions and genuinely believe she is the best candidate for president or, quite frankly, even up to the task of being president. 

Conversely, for all his perceived faults, no one could question Trump’s courage. He has regularly shown no fear in his political career and projects an image of bravery and strength. Harris, meanwhile, can’t even handle cardinals and bishops, projecting an image of cowardice. Running from press conferences and interviews is one thing. Being too afraid to dine with Cardinal Timothy Dolan is another. 

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It’s hard to envision Harris as president. And after her choice to skip the Al Smith dinner, no one should want to. She has shown her true colors, and they aren’t red, white, and blue. 

Harris has just one color: yellow.