President Joe Biden’s remark that Trump supporters are “garbage” drew the fury of Republicans and forced Democrats to respond as to whether they agreed.
In an interview on Tuesday, Biden said, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” referring to former President Donald Trump. The remarks were immediately seized on by Republicans, many of whom compared it to former State Secretary Hillary Clinton’s infamous comment in 2016 when she decried Trump supporters as “deplorable.”
Democrats expressed disagreement with the statement, one of the first being Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), who appeared on CNN shortly after the comment was made.
“I had not heard that until now Kaitlin, so I’m kind of giving you my fresh reaction to it,” he told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. “I would never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any Americans even if they chose to support a candidate who I didn’t support.”
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) told Gabe Kaminsky of the Washington Examiner that he didn’t agree with Biden’s comments.
In response to this, one congressman, Democrat Tom Suozzi, tells me “No” when asked whether he agrees with Biden that Trump supporters are “garbage” https://t.co/Cx6aYgS81J
— Gabe Kaminsky (@gekaminsky) October 30, 2024
Sen. John Tester’s (D-MT) campaign said the same thing.
Republicans and Trump supporters, on the defensive for the past few days over insult comic Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, quickly seized on the remarks.
“Biden just called half of America ‘garbage,’” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said.
“This is Joe Biden’s ‘deplorables’ moment. The truth is Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and House Democrats look down their nose at anyone who wants affordability, safe streets, and a secure border. Every House Democrat enabled Joe Biden’s assault on the American Dream, and they must condemn the President’s disgusting and divisive comments immediately.” National Republican Congressional Committee communications director Jack Pandol said.
“Obama called us clingers. Hillary called deplorables. Kamala calls us fascists. And Biden just called us garbage,” Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) said. “They don’t respect us & don’t want unity. But we do. We want to Make America Great Again. Our coalition is for ALL AMERICANS. And in 7 days, we will UNITE AMERICA.”
Obama called us clingers.
Hillary called deplorables.
Kamala calls us fascists.
And Biden just called us garbage.They don’t respect us & don’t want unity.
But we do.
We want to Make America Great Again.
Our coalition is for ALL AMERICANS.
And in 7 days, we will UNITE AMERICA. pic.twitter.com/lr82iq8h4X— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) October 30, 2024
Trump was informed of the gaffe by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) while onstage at a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Trump appeared surprised by the news before joking that Biden probably didn’t even know what he was saying.
“Please forgive him, for he not knoweth what he said,” Trump quipped.
“I’m convinced he likes me more than he likes Kamala,” he added.
Biden attempted damage control following the outcry against the comment.
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“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,” the president said. “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.”
White House spokesman Andrew Bates issued a statement shortly after, saying that Biden was only referring to the rhetoric, publishing a transcript that put an apostrophe in “supporter’s,” making it seem as though Biden was referring to a single supporter’s garbage, that supporter being Hinchcliffe.