Vice President Kamala Harris encountered an unexpectedly silent response during her Michigan rally on Monday when she asked supporters to shout their own names. Addressing a college-age audience in Ann Arbor, Harris tried to rally the crowd, talking about the importance of unity and individual voice. But her request for each attendee to yell their name left the audience silent and seemingly bewildered, creating an awkward pause in her speech.
“We are all here because we are fighting for a democracy and for the right of people to be heard and seen,” Harris said, setting the scene with a spirited opening. Following cheers from the crowd, she continued, “Now I want each of you to shout your own name. Do that.” Instead of enthusiasm, however, her words were met with silence as attendees appeared unsure of how to respond. Harris laughed off the moment, before quickly moving on, explaining, “It’s about all of us.”
The rally, held at the University of Michigan’s Burns Park, attracted thousands who had gathered to see both Harris and singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers, whose performance was interwoven with Harris’ speech.
Michigan has been a key battleground state for Democrats, particularly among young voters, who turned out in high numbers in 2022. Democrats are hoping to reignite that energy for upcoming elections.
Harris faced a mix of reactions during the event, which also included an interruption by pro-Palestinian protesters calling out US support for Israel amid the conflict in Gaza. The group’s chants were initially loud but were soon overpowered by counter-chants of “Kamala” from Harris’ supporters. Harris briefly addressed the demonstrators, saying, “Hey, guys, I hear you,” and acknowledged the complex issues in Gaza.
‘Single most awkward political rally’
The unusual moment at Harris’ rally quickly became a talking point on social media, with users expressing everything from humour to embarrassment.
One Twitter user posted, “This is the single most awkward political rally moment in American history. Nothing else even comes close.” Another wrote, “Kamala just asked everyone in the crowd to ‘shout their name’… AND NOBODY RESPONDED.”
Others criticised Harris’ approach as ill-advised, with one user saying, “This is just absolutely so bizarre and awkward. Kamala had the entire crowd chanting her name before she asked them to chant their own names and they had no idea what to do. Who told her this was a good idea?”