Kamala Harris: ‘Strongly Disagree’ With Biden’s ‘Garbage’ Comment – or ‘Any Criticism’ Based on Who Someone Votes For

Kamala Harris on Wednesday morning distanced herself from President Joe Biden’s comment that Donald Trump’s supporters – or supporter, depending on your read – are “garbage,” with the vice president saying she “strongly” disagrees with criticizing Americans for who they vote for.

You can read Harris’ full comment below, which she made at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland:

“First of all, he clarified his comments. But let me be clear, I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” Harris said. “You heard my speech last night and continuously through my career, I believe that the work I do is about representing all the people, whether they support me or not.”

She continued: “And as president, I’ll be a president for all Americans, whether you vote for me or not. That is my responsibility and that’s the kind of work that I’ve done my entire career, and I take it very seriously.”

And here’s the video of it, from Harris’ “Kamala HQ” X account:

Harris’ statement comes after the president angered many with his comment on Wednesday night. President Biden, while addressing comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally last weekend, said the “only garbage I see floating out there” is “his supporters.”

Here’s the joke Hinchcliffe made, which his critics are calling racist: “I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. Yeah, I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”

Here’s President Biden’s full comment, via Axios:

“And just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Well, let me tell you something. I don’t — I — I don’t know the Puerto Rican that — that I know — or a Puerto Rico where I’m fre- — in my home state of Delaware, they’re good, decent, honorable people. The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters — his — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”

The Trump campaign, Axios reporter Alex Thompson noted, used the comment immediately, sending out an email saying: “You are not garbage! I love you! you are the best our nation has to offer.”

On Tuesday night, The White House tried to walk back the president’s comment, saying he meant “supporter’s” as in Hinchcliffe, rather than “supporters.” (The possessive apostrophe, which was included in the official White House transcript, implies that Biden was referring to Hinchcliffe’s joke, not all Trump supporters.)

“The President referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage,'” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement to CBS News.

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