Harris distances herself from Biden over his criticism of ‘garbage’ supporters

Kamala Harris has distanced herself from Joe Biden after the president’s apparent criticism of Donald Trump’s ‘garbage’ supporters, saying she would not attack people for how they vote.

Kamala Harris has distanced herself from Joe Biden’s comments appearing to refer to Donald Trump supporters as “garbage”.

Kamala Harris has distanced herself from Joe Biden’s comments appearing to refer to Donald Trump supporters as “garbage” by saying she strongly disagreed with “any criticism of people based on who they vote for.”
The Vice President made the comments on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews the morning after her address at the Ellipse in Washington DC where she branded Mr Trump a “petty tyrant” and urged Americans to “turn the page” on an era of fear and division.

“Listen, I think, first of all, he (Mr Biden) clarified his comments, but let me be clear: I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for. You heard my speech last night and continuously throughout my career,” she said. “I believe that the work that I do is about representing all the people whether they support me or not.”

On a video call with Latino voters on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT), Mr Biden was responding to Mr Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally where comedian Tony Hinchcliffe likened Puerto Rico to a “floating pile of garbage”.

Mr Biden appeared to take aim at Americans who were voting for Mr Trump, with the president declaring that “the only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters”.

The remark drew a sharp response from the Republican candidate who was campaigning in Allentown Pennsylvania on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEDT), with the former president drawing a comparison to Hillary Clinton’s statement in 2016 that Mr Trump’s supporters fit into a “basket of deplorables”

“Remember Hillary? She said deplorable, and then she said irredeemable, right?” Mr Trump said. “Garbage, I think, is worse, right?”

White House spokesman Andrew Bates sought to clarify the President’s comments, saying that Mr Biden had “referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage’.”

A transcript released by the White House also suggested the president had said “the only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter’s” - with the inclusion of the apostrophe suggesting the comment was meant to reference Hinchcliffe’s demonisation of Latinos as being garbage.

Ms Harris’ running mate Tim Walz also responded to the comments from Mr Biden, telling Good Morning America that the “president’s clarified his remarks.”

“But let’s be very clear, the vice president and I have made it absolutely clear that we want everyone as a part of this. Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric is what needs to end. He called this a garbage country and continues on from the enemy within.”

With less than a week until the November 5 election, Ms Harris will travel to several key states on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) including attending rallies in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Mr Trump will also be campaigning in North Carolina and Wisconsin.