CAMBRIDGE, Md. - It is not every day that a network news town hall event takes place right here on Delmarva. On Thursday evening, CBS News set up shop at the historic 'Packing House' in Cambridge for an interview with Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
It served as the starting point for the network's new 'Things That Matter' series, bringing important and difficult conversation to a national audience. CBS News Special Correspondent Norah O'Donnell served as Moderator for the hour long event.
"There was so much work, months and months making sure we had people from Cambridge and this area who would be here in the audience that could ask questions that matter to this community," she said.
"We have titled this town hall series Things That Matter because we realize a discussion about the issues, even if they're controversial, even if they may be heated, even if there are tough questions, it's what people want to talk about," O'Donnell told WBOC's Hunter Landon.
In an excerpt from the town hall released by CBS News on Thursday evening, President Trump took center stage.
O'Donnell asked Moore about President Trump's decision to disinvite him from a National Governors Association event at the White House. He responded: "I do want to be clear to the President respectfully, you do not determine my worthiness, God determines my worthiness, the people of Maryland determine my worthiness. They are who I answer to."
Things were just as heated outside of the venue, with 'Yes to Wes' and 'No Moore' demonstrators lining the street. Demonstrating that the Governor's very presence in Dorchester County was polarizing.
"His gerrymandering to try to make to the Eastern Shore disappear to have no representation, the list goes on and on and on, we could all talk for a while so there's a lot of reasons why Wes Moore is not our candidate," said Shari Wilcoxon.
John Beloved said "We're all out here supporting not just because he's a black Governor, but in the words of Governor Moore, he's in the room because he's qualified, not because it's a social experiment."
O'Donnell says it's crucial to approach this event with fairness. "There's a number of Republicans in this state who may not like the Governor and have tough questions for him, don't like the way he's leading and we want to incorporate those voices in this town hall. That will include tough questions by me."
She says debating ideas is what this series is all out. "That's at the heart of what America has been doing for 250 years as we celebrate America's 250th birthday. That's what a democracy is about, that's what freedom of the press is about, that's what freedom of speech is about," said O'Donnell.
O'Donnell and the audience questioned Moore on a range of topics, from immigration and affordability to the Epstein files.
Cambridge and Governor Moore began this series for CBS News, with future events planned with Vice President JD Vance and Open AI founder Sam Altman.
You can watch the CBS News Things That Matter Town Hall with Governor Wes Moore, from the Packing House in Cambridge, Sunday night at 8 p.m. following 60 Minutes on WBOC.