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Molly Butler / Media Matters

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Right-wing media spread false claim that Kamala Harris used a teleprompter during town hall

Written by Gideon Taaffe

Published

After Vice President Kamala Harris’ Univision town hall, right-wing media incorrectly claimed that Harris was using a teleprompter. Even though the host of the town hall and the Univision News president quickly debunked the claim, the lie spread rapidly among prominent right-wing media personalities.

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  • Kamala Harris did not use a teleprompter during her town hall

    • Right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson claimed that “Univision accidentally broadcast proof that Kamala used a teleprompter at her town hall.” He made this claim alongside a clip from the town hall that showed a teleprompter in the shot that then went blank. [Twitter/X, 10/10/24]
    • Univision’s Enrique Acevedo, who moderated the town hall, quickly responded to Johnson and called any claim that Harris had used the teleprompter “simply untrue.” Acevedo posted on social media: “The prompter displayed my introduction (in Spanish) and then it switched to a timer. Any claim to the contrary is simply untrue.” [Twitter/X, 10/10/24]
    • Univision News President Daniel Coronell also confirmed that the teleprompter was for the host and not Harris, noting that the text was in Spanish. Coronell: “That’s not true. The teleprompter that displays a text written in Spanish was a support element for the town hall moderator. I can tell you this with first-hand knowledge because I was in charge of the television program.” [Twitter/X, 10/10/24]
    • The Trump campaign social media account Trump War Room spread this misinformation by posting a clip from the town hall with the caption “The teleprompter👀” [Twitter/X, 10/10/24]

  • Right-wing media swiftly spread the lie that Harris used a teleprompter

    • In an apparently since-deleted post, Fox News host Sean Hannity falsely claimed: “Kamala uses teleprompter for ‘unscripted’ townhall.” [Twitter/X, 10/11/24, 10/11/24]
    • Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk posted: “Kamala was just caught using a teleprompter at her Univision town hall!” He claimed: “Producers panic and turn off the prompter midway through her answer. Why did Univision allow this?! This is egregious journalistic malpractice.” [Twitter/X, 10/11/24]
    • Newsmax host Sharla McBride suggested Harris used a teleprompter during the town hall, saying, “So she's talking and you can clearly see a teleprompter right in front of her.” She added, “Not a good look.” [Newsmax, Wake Up America, 10/11/24]
    • Former Fox News producer Kyle Becker claimed: “When the camera pans around the Univision ‘town hall,’ you can see that Kamala Harris has a teleprompter.” He added, “Everything about the Harris campaign is fake including the candidate herself.” [Twitter/X, 10/10/24]
    • Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones spread the false claim that Harris was using a teleprompter during her town hall. Jones: “Using a teleprompter for a town hall is like using a respirator to breathe. In any other circumstance Kamala would be declared incompetent and would be placed under a conservators care.” [Twitter/X, 10/11/24]
    • Far-right blog The Gateway Pundit spread the claim in the blog post: “Watch Univision Panic When They Realize They Showed Kamala Harris’s Teleprompter Live On Air During Town Hall.” The blog claimed: “Of course, Kamala Harris had to use a teleprompter because she has no clue what she’s talking about.” [The Gateway Pundit, 10/10/24]
    • Right-wing influencers the Hodgetwins posted: “She got caught staging photo ops with hurricane supplies and got caught using a teleprompter at Town Halls.” They added: “Kamala is done.” [Twitter/X, 10/10/24]
    • Conservative reporter Greg Price posted: “Kamala is using a teleprompter during her ‘town hall’ with Univision lmfao.” [Twitter/X, 10/10/24]
    • The Federalist co-founder Sean Davis, posted to social media: “Yes, that is a teleprompter Kamala Harris is looking into during her totally unscripted Univision infomercial.” [Twitter/X, 10/10/24]
    • Right-wing social media influencer Ian Miles Cheong commented: “How embarrassing that Kamala Harris needs a teleprompter to deal with the audience.” [Twitter/X, 10/11/24]