(LibertySociety.com) – President Joe Biden stirred controversy one week before the election by dismissively referring to Trump supporters as “garbage” in an off-the-cuff remark that quickly overshadowed Vice President Kamala Harris’s major closing argument speech.
Harris delivered her final campaign pitch outside the White House on Tuesday night, but Biden’s comment about Trump supporters took center stage. According to the Associated Press, Biden explained his absence from the event, saying he wanted it to be “her night” and planned to watch it on television. However, he went on to react to remarks made at a Trump rally, where comedian Tony Hinchcliffe reportedly referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” Biden responded by saying, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” specifically targeting those backing Trump.
NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reported that Biden elaborated, saying, “Donald Trump has no character. He doesn’t give a damn about the Latino community…just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage?…The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”
This remark came in response to Hinchcliffe’s comment during Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden, where he disparaged Puerto Rico. Hinchcliffe’s comments stirred controversy given Puerto Rico’s status as part of the United States and home to millions of American citizens.
After Biden’s remark went public, the White House attempted to walk back the comment, claiming he was specifically referring to Hinchcliffe, not all Trump supporters. However, the statement had already sparked backlash.
Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, strongly condemned Biden’s comment, calling it a divisive attack. “This is disgusting. Kamala Harris and her boss Joe Biden are attacking half of the country. There’s no excuse for this. I hope Americans reject it,” Vance said in a statement. Other Trump allies quickly joined the chorus, denouncing Biden’s words as inflammatory.
The exchange has cast a shadow over the final days of the campaign, with some questioning whether Biden’s remarks will shift voters’ focus away from Harris’s message at a critical moment.
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