CNN anchor Anderson Cooper was criticized Wednesday for his “entitled” questioning of Kamala Harris at a town hall in Pennsylvania.
Harris initially took Trump to task for not showing up — this was originally supposed to be a second Harris-Trump debate — before being asked about immigration, abortion and her performance as vice president.
One wrote that Cooper’s questions to Harris reeked of the Vanderbilt scion’s rights.
“It’s infuriating how a white man feels entitled to interrupt the vice president while she’s trying to answer a silly question. I’m looking at you @andersoncooper.’
Some of the questions angered liberals at Cooper, who is generally seen as friendly toward progressives.
Liberals were furious with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper for her questioning of Kamala Harris at a Pennsylvania town hall Wednesday
“Anderson Cooper just asked Harris why she and Biden haven’t solved all the problems she’s been talking about over the last four years,” said Biden party colleague Chris D. Jackson.
‘Real? I mean, were you in a coma? Did you miss the part where they had to clean up a pandemic, save the economy from flatlining, rebuild crumbling infrastructure, and fend off fascism both here and abroad?”
Jackson suggested he direct the question to Trump: “Maybe you could pass that question on to Trump, the man who actually spent four years in office and somehow managed to be ranked by historians as the worst president in history. Yes, let’s hear his answer.’
Similarly, another user wrote, “Anderson Cooper has NEVER spoken to Trump in this tone and continues to push for an answer HE wants. NEVER!!’
Meanwhile, others credited Cooper for not relenting when Harris dodged questions about immigration.
“Anderson Cooper hit back hard at Harris’ answers on border security and her thoughts on the wall,” one wrote.
Another said: “Even Anderson Cooper is calling her out. But of course she didn’t answer the question at all.’
Harris dodged a question about the effectiveness of a border wall during CNN’s town hall Wednesday night with Anderson Cooper.
Harris initially took Trump to task for not showing up — this was originally supposed to be a second Harris-Trump debate — before being asked about immigration, abortion and her performance as vice president
“But you want to build a wall, right?” Cooper asked, after pointing out that funds for wall construction were included in the bipartisan bill Harris supported.
The Democratic candidate responded, “I want to strengthen our border.”
Harris had received a question from a male student about the government benefits immigrants receive.
She began answering the question by giving her usual immigration spiel, slamming former President Donald Trump for derailing the bipartisan bill that, in her words, would have been a long-term solution to immigration would have offered.
Cooper then interjected, asking why she and President Joe Biden had not sooner implemented the executive action that has drastically reduced illegal border crossings.
She responded that they hoped a long-term deal would be reached with Congress.
Cooper then pointed out that funds for the border wall were included in the bill — noting that Harris had previously called it “stupid” and a “medieval vanity project.”
“Let’s talk about Donald Trump and that border wall. So remember, Donald Trump said Mexico would pay for it. Come on, they didn’t,” she said. “How much of that wall did he build? I think the last figure I saw was about 2 percent. And then it was time for him to have a photo-op. Do you know where he did it? In the part of the wall that President Obama built.’
Harris dodged a question about the effectiveness of a border wall during CNN’s town hall Wednesday night with Anderson Cooper
Cooper interjected, asking why she and President Joe Biden had not sooner implemented the executive action that has dramatically reduced the number of illegal border crossings.
Cooper then tried to get Harris to admit that a wall was effective for some border protection, but the Democrat refused to bite.
The town hall audience will be filled with undecided voters and will take place in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, one of the swing counties surrounding Philadelphia.
Before Harris walked onto the stage, Cooper said voters had come up with the questions themselves but would still read them from slips of paper.
The questions, Cooper promised, have “not been edited in any way by CNN.”