Vice President Kamala Harris participates in a moderated conversation on reproductive rights with model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen, Thursday, June 20, 2024, in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Carlos Fyfe)
When Americans think of political “town hall” events, they picture candidates being peppered with questions from random audience members who show up to have their concerns addressed. That wasn’t the case for Kamala Harris recently when town hall moderator, Maria Shriver, informed the audience that Harris would only take “predetermined questions.” Victor Nava reports in the New York Post:
Former California first lady and journalist Maria Shriver revealed that only “pre-determined questions” were allowed to be asked of Vice President Kamala Harris at a Michigan town hall event on Monday.
“Are we going to be able to ask a question?” a woman attending the Oakland County event asked Shriver ahead of Harris taking the stage with former Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), according to the Daily Mail.
Shriver shut her down.
“You’re not, unfortunately, we have some pre-determined questions,” the former “Dateline” correspondent replied.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to ask some of the questions that might be in your head,” Shriver added.
Video of Shriver’s response to the woman quickly went viral on social media, with several users slamming the event as a Harris campaign “production” rather than a genuine town hall — where voters typically are allowed to ask presidential candidates unscripted questions.
“That’s not a town hall. That’s called a stage production,” one X user wrote, arguing that the Democratic nominee for president is “incapable of off the cuff.”
“Some ‘town hall,’” Fox News chief political analyst Brit Hume tweeted.
Another X user referred to the event, which was packed with canned lines and talking points, as a “prepped answer show.”
Maria Shriver shooting down people’s attempts to ask questions.
“We have predetermined questions”
North Korea style of controlling the narrative.
This is the democratic party in a nutshell: vote for us, but you get absolutely nothing in return!pic.twitter.com/FiJoMsEOl2
— Marauder Magazine (@MarauderMag) October 22, 2024
That’s not a town hall. That’s called a stage production. She’s incapable of off the cuff.#MAGA https://t.co/I61BPprrLk
— Shoff (@Voluntoldyaso) October 22, 2024
Some “town hall.” https://t.co/gzweborUHc
— Brit Hume (@brithume) October 22, 2024
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