FACT CHECK: Was Kamala Harris Caught Using A Teleprompter During Her Recent Interview With Oprah?
A video shared on Facebook claims that 2024 Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris was purportedly caught using a teleprompter during a recent interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey.
Verdict: False
While a teleprompter was used during the interview, it was positioned behind Winfrey, not Harris, according to both the original video of the interview and Lead Stories.
Fact Check:
Harris’ campaign office in Arizona appears to have sustained “gunfire damage” as a result of a Sept. 23 incident, according to NBC News, citing a statement from the Tempe Police Department. The incident precedes Harris’ upcoming visit to the state, the outlet reported.
The Facebook video claims Harris was purportedly caught using a teleprompter during a recent interview with Winfrey. “Apparently Kamala Harris Was Caught Using Teleprompter During Interview With Oprah,” the video’s caption reads. The video shows Harris and Winfrey on the set of the interview, and a teleprompter is visible.
Besides Facebook, the claim circulated on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, where it amassed over 13 million views.
The claim is false, as the teleprompter is for Winfrey, not Harris. A post shared on X indicates the teleprompter is positioned behind Harris where she is unable to read it. Likewise, the original video of the interview also shows that the teleprompter is positioned behind Harris. The teleprompter can be seen on the left side of the interview set just below a screen showing virtual audience members who have joined the interview remotely. The teleprompter is visible at the video’s 1:30:18 mark. (RELATED: No, Kamala Harris Was Not Intoxicated During Her Speech)
Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find the claim referenced on Harris’ 2024 campaign website or her verified social media accounts. Winfrey also has not publicly commented on the claim.
In addition, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. Actually, the opposite is true. On Sept. 23, Lead Stories reported the claim was false. The outlet reported that while a teleprompter was used in the interview, it was positioned behind Winfrey and not Harris. The outlet also indicated that while Harris did turn her head in the direction of the teleprompter twice during the interview, her comments “were not the kind that would require a crib sheet.”
Check Your Fact has contacted a Harris spokesperson for comment.