When CBS aired its nationally broadcast Things That Matter Town Hall with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, viewers saw a polished, controlled, reassuring conversation.
- The Question That Shifted the Room
- Immigration and Public Safety: The Question That Wasn’t Asked
- Redistricting and the Definition of Democracy
- Energy Prices and Accountability
- Education: Progress or Repackaging?
- Charisma Is Real. So Is Accountability.
- Not Everyone Saw It the Same Way
- What CBS Showed — and What It Didn’t
We saw something else.
Because we were there.
Hosts from Pop & Politics, Christian Conservative, and Just the Guys Podcast were in the room — not reacting from a couch, but watching in real time as what was billed as a “town hall” unfolded into something far more curated.
Questions were submitted in advance.
Only a handful were selected.
There were no spontaneous follow-ups.
No open exchange.
No meaningful back-and-forth.
Logic from Just the Guys Podcast said what many of us were thinking:
“When you hear someone say you’re invited to a town hall, you expect some type of town hall-esque discussion. There was none of that. It was just a very polished campaign stop.”
That wasn’t said in anger. It was said in recognition.
This wasn’t chaos. It wasn’t hostility. It was choreography.
And choreography is not dialogue.
The Question That Shifted the Room
One of the defining moments of the night came when KJ asked the Governor a question that cut to the core of the frustration many Marylanders feel:
“As a lifelong Marylander and a former Democrat and a Black woman, I left the party because I got tired of hearing racial framing on every issue that didn’t solve real problems — like crime, failing schools, high taxes, and cost of living. How will you earn back voters like me who want results, not racial narratives?”
It was a respectful question. A direct question. A fair question.
The response pivoted to enlarging the party base and showing up in red counties.
But the deeper tension — results versus rhetoric — lingered.
Showing up is not the same as solving.
Marylanders are not asking for symbolism. They are asking for measurable change.
Immigration and Public Safety: The Question That Wasn’t Asked
When immigration policy surfaced, it exposed another divide — between national framing and local reality.
Sheariah Yousefi, candidate for Delegate and daughter of a legal immigrant, had submitted a question that was never selected. Her frustration was clear:
“That is disingenuous at best.”
She was referring to how the removal of Maryland’s 287(g) ICE cooperation program was described as protecting public safety. In communities like hers — where high-profile violent crimes have shaken residents — the policy feels like the opposite.
Her unasked question cut deep:
“How can I trust you to prioritize my family and my community’s safety when your administration has consistently prioritized criminals over victims?”
That question never made the broadcast.
But it was in the room. And it mattered.
Redistricting and the Definition of Democracy
Governor Moore defended potential redistricting changes as a defense of democracy, warning against election manipulation elsewhere.
But critics in the room saw irony.
Maryland already has one Republican congressional district. Proposed changes would make even that seat less competitive.
BJ Hall, candidate for Delegate, responded candidly:
“Anytime these politicians are accusing somebody else of something, it’s probably exactly what they’re doing.”
That line drew nods from attendees.
Democracy is not strengthened by eliminating competition. It is strengthened by real choice.
And when “democracy” becomes a slogan instead of a standard, people notice.
Energy Prices and Accountability
Marylanders are feeling the squeeze of rising energy bills. The Governor pointed to PJM, the regional grid operator, as a key driver of cost increases.
But policy does not operate in a vacuum.
Maryland has enacted aggressive renewable mandates, reduced in-state generation capacity, and pushed electrification policies that increase demand.
Michelle from Christian Conservative put it bluntly:
“When you run off power plants because you bought into the Green New Deal and then act surprised at the bill — that’s policy-driven.”
The frustration isn’t that energy policy exists. It’s that trade-offs are rarely acknowledged.
If policies raise costs, say so.
If mandates limit supply, explain it.
What frustrates voters is not change — it is deflection.
Education: Progress or Repackaging?
Governor Moore touted rising graduation rates and improvements in reading scores.
Rosalind Hanson, chapter chair for Moms for Liberty in Montgomery County, challenged that narrative:
“Only 10 to 11 percent of our African American students are proficient in math. It is abysmal.”
She also pointed out that graduation standards have changed in recent years — meaning higher graduation rates do not automatically equal higher proficiency.
The difference between statistical improvement and substantive improvement is not academic. It is generational.
Parents are not asking for better press releases. They are asking for better outcomes.
Charisma Is Real. So Is Accountability.
There was one thing nearly everyone in the room agreed on:
Governor Moore is charismatic.
He is composed. Confident. Polished.
Michelle described the tension many felt:
“He’s charismatic. But that doesn’t make it truth.”
Charisma can inspire. It can persuade. It can comfort.
But it cannot substitute for clarity.
When education metrics are cited, show the full data.
When immigration is debated, address enforcement and compassion honestly.
When energy costs rise, connect policy to price.
That is not hostility. That is accountability.
Not Everyone Saw It the Same Way
It’s important to note that not every attendee was critical.
Mayor Lajan Cephas-Bey of Cambridge offered a different perspective:
“My perspective is different. I’m not waiting for him to show me what he’s going to do. We reach out to his office and we get the funding.”
That view matters.
Access can shape perception. Experience can shape evaluation.
But the broader question remains: Does the average Marylander feel heard in the same way?
What CBS Showed — and What It Didn’t
The broadcast captured a smooth exchange.
What it didn’t show:
- The limited number of audience questions
- The pre-screening process
- The absence of organic follow-up
- The visible frustration in the room
This was not a meltdown. It was not a protest.
It was something more subtle — and perhaps more concerning.
It was management.
Maryland is not a backdrop for national ambition. It is home to families navigating rising costs, parents wrestling with education systems, and communities demanding safety.
Those questions do not disappear because they were edited out.
They remain.
And so does the responsibility to answer them.
