Biden's 'garbage' gaffe may be 2024 campaign's 'October surprise'
Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and Bryan Llenas provide details on the fallout after President Biden called former President Trump's supporters 'garbage' and updates from the campaign trail. Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen reacts.
Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Rep. Elissa Slotkin took issue with President Biden’s remarks calling supporters of former President Trump "garbage," arguing the gaffe was "inappropriate."
"He shouldn’t have said it, it’s inappropriate," Slotkin said during an appearance on local radio Wednesday morning. "For me, I just think that kind of talk is the last thing we need in our politics."
The comment comes after Biden joined a virtual campaign call for Vice President Kamala Harris where he was asked about comedian Tony Hinchiffe, who made jokes at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally that many argued were offensive, including one joke in which the comedian referred to Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage."
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
"The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters," Biden said in response. "[Trump's] demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it is un-American."
The remarks were quickly compared to a legendary gaffe by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her 2016 run against Trump for president, when Clinton labeled half of Trump’s supporters as belonging in "a basket of deplorables."
The White House also immediately attempted to walk the comments back, with spokesperson Andrew Bates telling Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich that Biden "referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage.’"
President Biden speaks at an election campaign event in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
LIVE UPDATES: BIDEN ATTEMPTS TO DENY CALLING TRUMP SUPPORTERS ‘GARBAGE’ DESPITE VIDEO
"The president was referencing a joke by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe in which he likened Puerto Rico to an island of floating ‘garbage’ in the middle of the ocean," Bates said.
But Slotkin, who is currently battling in a tight Senate race with former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, argued that Republicans and Democrats should be able to debate their differences without the "unnecessary" rhetoric used by Biden.
President Biden referred to Trump supporters as "garbage" during a virtual Harris campaign call. (Screenshot/CNN)
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"Most Michiganders, I think 80% of us, just want our government to function – Democrats and Republicans to debate their issues in a civil, and reasonable way" instead of getting "into name-calling," Slotkin said. "I didn’t like that, I thought it was unnecessary, but this is why I think we’re all ready for this election to be over."
The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
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