Vice President Kamala Harris participated in a Univision town hall event on Thursday, facing a series of challenging questions from Hispanic voters — and critics pounced on one viral moment where Harris appeared to cheat and use a teleprompter to answer questions.
The event, held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was aimed at shoring up support from a demographic that recent polls show is rapidly shifting towards her opponent, former President Donald Trump.
The town hall, titled “Noticias Univision Presents: Latinos Ask, Kamala Harris Responds,” featured questions from Hispanic voters in both Spanish and English, with moderator Enrique Acevedo providing translations when necessary.
One of the most pointed questions came from Mario Sigbaum, a property manager and Uruguay native, who questioned Harris about her path to the nomination. Harris didn’t receive a single vote in the Democratic primary.
“You earned your candidacy without going through the normal process, that is primary elections or through a caucus,” Sigbaum noted. “I’m also concerned about the way I feel President Biden was pushed aside. How can you clarify this?”
“President Biden made a decision that I think history will show is probably one of the most courageous that a president could make, which is he decided to put country above his personal interest,” Harris responded. “I am honored to have earned the Democratic nomination.”
The Vice President faced scrutiny on various issues, including the struggling economy and illegal immigration. When asked about rising grocery prices, Harris reportedly referenced her own background, claiming she “came from the working class” and “was never going to forget where she came from.”
This statement drew criticism from some observers who pointed out that her parents were a scientist and a college professor.
On illegal immigration and the broken border, Harris claimed that the administration’s first bill offered to Congress was to “fix” the immigration system. However, critics argue that the administration’s early actions on border policy led to increased illegal entries.
The town hall also sparked controversy over the alleged use of a teleprompter. Take a look —
🚨BREAKING: Univision accidentally broadcast proof that Comrade Kamala used a teleprompter at her town hall 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/d8yjUeJB1H
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) October 11, 2024
Host Enrique Acevedo later denied the claim.
“The prompter displayed my introduction (in Spanish), and then it switched to a timer. Any claim to the contrary is simply untrue,” Acevedo stated Friday.
Overall, Harris’s performance at the town hall received mixed reviews. While some praised her for actually taking questions, others criticized her weak responses as inadequate or evasive.
When asked to name three positive things about Trump, Harris could only offer, “having love for his family,” adding, “I don’t really know him. To be honest with you, I only met him one time on the debate stage.”
The event comes at a crucial time for the Harris campaign. A September NBC News/Telemundo poll shows Democratic support among Hispanic voters at its lowest level since 2012, with Harris at 54% compared to Trump’s 40%.
As the election approaches, both campaigns are intensifying their outreach to Hispanic voters. Univision is expected to host a similar event with Trump next week.