President Biden handed ammo to gleeful Republicans Tuesday night when he seemed to refer to former President Trump’s supporters as “garbage.”
Why it matters: Operatives in both parties instantly viewed the remark as a flashback to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 blunder when she referred to Trump supporters as a “basket of deplorables” — which fired up outraged Republicans.
- The comment came in a video call with the progressive group Voto Latino when Biden wanted to respond to a comedian calling Puerto Rico an “island of garbage” at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday.
Driving the news: On the call, Biden said: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.”
- The White House argued that Biden was only referring to the comedian in his comments and sent a transcript in which Biden says: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter’s.”
- Asked if they had spoken to the president to ask him what he meant before sending the transcript, the Biden spokesperson requested to go off the record. Axios declined and the White House did not respond further.
- After this story was published, the spokesperson told Axios that staff did speak to Biden about what he meant to say to inform the transcript. Axios asked for more details and the White House declined.
Trump’s running mate JD Vance called Biden’s comments “disgusting,” adding that “Kamala Harris and her boss Joe Biden are attacking half of the country. There’s no excuse for this. I hope Americans reject it.”
- As the political fallout intensified by the minute, Biden posted on X: “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. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say.”
- The Trump team has already started to fundraise off the remark, sending out an email with the subject line: “You are not garbage! I love you! You are the best our nation has to offer.”
Zoom out: Biden’s comments are the latest example of why Kamala Harris‘ team has been avoiding campaigning with him.
- Biden is both unpopular and undisciplined, Harris aides told Axios.
- Harris delivered her “closing argument” speech Tuesday night in front of the White House but Biden did not appear alongside her despite being in Washington.
- Harris’ aides were frustrated last week too when Biden went to New Hampshire and said “we gotta lock [Trump] up.”
- He quickly clarified that he meant lock up Trump “politically,” but it attracted headlines the Harris team wanted to avoid.
