In an attempt to douse a raging controversy stoked by President Joe Biden with his “garbage” remarks, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris said she would represent all Americans if voted to power.
"I will represent all Americans, including those who don't vote for me," the vice president said on Tuesday, adding that she strongly disagrees with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.
Biden had stirred up a political storm after he allegedly termed supporters of Republican candidate Donald Trump as “garbage”. The President’s rhetoric was in response to the offensive statements made by Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump rally on Sunday, where the comedian called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage”.
“The only garbage I see floating out there are his supporter’s’,” Biden said, according to a transcript of his speech released by the White House.
The White House later issued a clarification, saying Biden was referring to Hinchcliffe, not Trump. But the speech had already drawn social media backlash, with many equating them to the remarks of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 that half of Trump’s supporters were “deplorables.”
With the elections just a week ago, Harris sought to blunt the controversy, saying he disagrees with what the President said.
“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," she told reporters.
“I am serious; what I mean when elected president, I will represent all Americans, including folks who don't vote for me and address their needs and their desires,” she was quoted as saying by USA Today.
Biden, too, took to X issuing an explanation. “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 comments at that rally don't reflect who we are as a nation,” he said.
Meanwhile, in response to a CNN query, the White House insisted that Biden had meant “supporter’s” rather than “supporters”.
“The President referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as garbage,” CNN quoted White House spokesman Andrew Bates as saying.
Harris is prepared to campaign in three more states, with the latest polls giving her a slight edge over Trump.