Harris Does Damage Control After Biden’s ‘Garbage’ Comment Derails Her Closing Argument Speech

Vice President Kamala Harris was forced to do damage control Wednesday after President Joe Biden called supporters of former President Donald Trump “garbage” while she was giving her campaign’s closing argument speech.

While on a get-out-the-vote call hosted by Voto Latino, the president responded to a joke made by comic Tony Hinchcliffe during a Trump rally in which he equated Puerto Rico to “floating island of garbage.” Biden called Trump a “failed businessman” with “no character” before going on to say the only garbage “floating out there is his supporters.” The vice president responded to Biden calling roughly half the country “garbage,” saying he had clarified the remarks and that she did not believe in criticizing people based on who they vote for.

“Listen, I think that first of all, he clarified his comments. Let me be clear, I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” the vice president began.

“You heard my speech last night and continuously throughout my career. I believe that the work that I do is about representing all the people whether they support me or not and as president of the United States I will be a president for all Americans whether you vote for me or not. I have that responsibility and that’s the kind of work I’ve done my entire career and I take it very seriously,” she continued.

The White House attempted to quell outrage over Biden’s comments Tuesday night, posting a written transcript of his comments, modifying “supporters” (as it was understood to many) to “supporter’s,” arguing that the president was addressing Hinchcliffe.

“[Biden] referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage,’” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates wrote in a tweet alongside the transcript.

.@POTUS referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as “garbage.”

Transcript: pic.twitter.com/4ocg36lDNw

— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) October 30, 2024

But the response only fueled outrage further as pundits and social media users were quick to question the use of the apostrophe.

My write up:

I also asked the WH how they knew Biden only meant “supporter’s” as they have it in this transcript.

Did they talk to Biden to ask him what he meant? The spokesperson asked to go off the record. We declined. They didn’t comment further. https://t.co/IFLJAcyvXS https://t.co/KaQZqdoPFu pic.twitter.com/xvKdLYhBnv

— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) October 30, 2024

Apostrophe gate continued https://t.co/DbxMFNUEq7

— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) October 30, 2024

The president’s twitter account then put out a statement clarifying what he meant.

“Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it,” a post from the president’s twitter account reads. “His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.”

Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporters at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The…

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 30, 2024

The firestorm came as Harris was on stage at the Ellipse in the nation’s capital for her closing arguments in her campaign. The vice president attempted to draw on the location of her speech, the last place Trump spoke before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Riot, and the danger the former president poses to the country. Her remarks, in many ways, have been overshadowed by Biden’s comments. (RELATED: Harris Completes Pivot To Failed ‘Democracy’ Message With Speech At J6 Site)

A reporter followed up Wednesday, asking Harris if she sympathized with Americans who were offended by the president’s comments.

“I am running for president of the United States, I will be traveling to three states today to do what I have been doing throughout, which is talking with the American people about the fact that, first of all, I get it in terms of the concerns they have about challenges like the price of groceries,” Harris responded. “Second, my highest priority is to address that and to lift them up around their ambitions and aspirations and dreams and why I have a plan to strengthen the economy.”