Quick Hit:

Vice President Kamala Harris's Michigan town hall is drawing scrutiny after moderator Maria Shriver revealed that only pre-determined questions would be allowed, sparking accusations that the event was staged rather than a genuine engagement with voters.

Key Details:

• Maria Shriver, the event’s moderator, informed a Michigan voter that only "pre-determined questions" were allowed.
• A video of Shriver’s response quickly went viral, leading to criticism on social media and accusations that the event was a "stage production."
• Harris took only three questions from the audience during the hour-long event, which also featured former Congresswoman Liz Cheney.

Diving Deeper:  

At a Michigan town hall on Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris came under fire after it was revealed that only pre-approved questions would be allowed from the audience. Moderated by journalist and former California First Lady Maria Shriver, the event sparked immediate backlash when a woman in the audience asked if attendees would have the opportunity to ask their own questions. Shriver responded, “You’re not, unfortunately, we have some pre-determined questions,” adding that she hoped to address some of the audience’s concerns herself.

This revelation, reported by the Daily Mail, drew swift criticism from viewers and political commentators alike. Video of the exchange went viral on X (formerly known as Twitter), with many users slamming the event as scripted and contrived. “That’s not a town hall. That’s called a stage production,” one user wrote. Fox News political analyst Brit Hume echoed the sentiment, calling it “some ‘town hall.’”

Shriver’s defense of the format, in which Harris fielded only three questions over the course of the event, did little to calm critics. The Vice President, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, was joined on stage by former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney. Shriver described Cheney as an “incredible, courageous public servant” and praised the event as an example of putting “country over party.”

Many were quick to point out that the format appeared to shelter Harris from unscripted moments. Chad Gilmartin, a former Trump White House aide, remarked that “everything is scripted” with Harris. Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung also weighed in, stating, “HOLY S–T! They’re not even hiding it anymore.”

This Michigan town hall followed a similar event Harris held in Wisconsin, where anti-Trump commentator Charlie Sykes served as moderator. It remains unclear if that event also featured pre-determined questions. Despite the outcry, the Harris campaign has not commented on the controversy.