Thousands of Kamala Harris’ supporters fell silent at a campaign rally in Michigan on Monday, when the US vice president and Democratic presidential candidate urged them to chant their own names. “Her lack of connection with the audience,” one commenter wrote, “is cringeworthy.”
During the speech in Ann Arbor, Harris’ supporters broke into applause and chants of “Kamala, Kamala.” After listening for a moment, Harris addressed the crowd, telling them, “now I want each of you to shout your own name, do that!”
Apparently confused, the crowd immediately fell silent, with some lowering their signs and placards.
Harris burst into laughter, before saying “because it’s about all of us, it’s about all of us,” and continuing her speech.
Supporters of Harris’ opponent, former President Donald Trump, mocked the awkward moment on social media. “Classic Kamala,” one wrote. “Her lack of connection with the audience is cringeworthy.”
“She has the worst political instincts I’ve ever seen,” another commenter jeered.
Throughout her short presidential campaign, Harris has been mocked for changing accents, freezing when her teleprompter apparently malfunctions, and delivering the same speech verbatim at almost every campaign rally.
Trump, a more experienced public speaker, has nevertheless produced awkward moments of his own. The former president was panned by the left for pausing a town hall event in Pennsylvania earlier this month to listen to music for almost 40 minutes with the crowd, and for inviting comedian Tony Hinchcliffe to address a rally in New York on Sunday. Hinchcliffe offended liberal pundits and got a lukewarm reaction from the crowd when he compared Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage.”
With a week to go until the election, Trump and Harris are both campaigning intensively in the swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Trump has a narrow lead on Harris in all three states, and is beating the vice president by 0.1% nationwide, according to an average of recent polls compiled by RealClearPolitics.