The interview portion of beauty pageants has become increasingly politicized in recent years as the panel of judges hits contestants with gotcha! questions designed either to promote leftist causes or demonize conservatives. Remember the uproar in 2009 when raging lefty Perez Hilton purposefully cornered conservative Carrie Prejean with the same-sex marriage question that sank her chances of winning? But last night's Miss America 2017 contest was the most blatantly politicized yet.

As Newsbusters notes, leftist media bias was on full display in New York as the panel turned nearly the entire interview portion into a referendum on the presidential candidates. Singer Ciara, for example, asked Miss Maryland, Hannah Brewer, about liberal media bias in light of critics of Matt Lauer’s handling of last Wednesday's presidential candidate forum, making sure to let everyone know that Lauer let Trump "slide." To her credit, Brewer tried to stay even-handed and not take Ciara's bait:

Ciara: Journalists are calling out Matt Lauer for aggressively grilling Hillary Clinton and letting Donald Trump slide. Others are declaring a liberal media bias. How would you grade the media on their election coverage?

Miss Maryland: I think it’s been very equal to both parties. I think both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have received a lot of criticism for the way they are going about this campaign and I think it's absolutely ridiculous. I think we need to support both of these people. They are trying to make our country a better place and I support them both.

Actress Sara Foster got in a dig at Fox News with her question for Miss Mississippi, Laura Lee Lewis, about the Roger Ailes sexual harassment scandal:

“Miss America 1989 Gretchen Carlson just accepted a $20 million settlement from Fox News for her sexual harassment suit against Roger Ailes. Fox paid, Ailes walked. What message does this send?”

Miss Mississippi: It sends a message that we have so much further to go with equality in the work force. Women are just as equal as men in the work force and I think it's 2016, guys. We've got to focus on this and have equality in the work force. And when we start focusing on that, it's going to be great.

Mark Cuban raised the controversy about 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refusing to stand for the national anthem. "Do you sit with him or stand against him?" Cuban asked. Miss Washington wimped out on that one, essentially supporting Kaepernick's Black Lives Matter stance: "The first thing I want to say is we need to focus on how important the black lives matter issue is. All lives matter in this situation. I don't necessary support the fact that he sat out but I do respect that he took a knee and that people are joining in."

Actress Laura Marano cut right to the chase: "Donald J. Trump, what do you think of him? Twenty seconds, go." Miss New York showed her liberal colors in response:

"I think that he's a bright reminder of how our country needs to come together. If you don't agree with his message, then it's time to decide where you stand in this debate. As Americans we need to make sure that we come together and represent what it means to be American which is celebrating all people from all backgrounds, whether you're an immigrant or a Native American or an African American or an Asian American."

Gymnast Gabby Douglas continued the trend: "Hillary Rodham Clinton, what do you think?" Miss Arkansas, who walked away with the crown later that night, tried to stay balanced while running out the clock:

If you're trying to be leader of the free world, everything you say and do matters. And all of your actions are held to a higher standard. And unfortunately, the media does love to sensationalize everything. It's hard to tell what is truth and what is truly scandal. I think, going back to what the previous contestant said, both of these contestants have done a great job - or both of these candidates have done a great job - in competing but they also need to watch what they are doing and -- 

Here's a question for beauty pageant panelists everywhere to consider: How about you keep politics out of it?