Six days from the White House election, the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has been trying to move past an uproar sparked by President Joe Biden appearing to refer to Trump supporters as r0;garbager1;.
The vice-president told reporters when asked about Tuesdayr17;s remark by her boss that she would r0;strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote forr1;.
As his comment drew backlash, Biden posted on X, formerly Twitter, that it was directed at a comic who made a controversial joke at a Donald Trump rally, not tens of millions of Americans.
Trump, the Republican candidate, seized on the furore by getting into a garbage truck as he campaigned in Wisconsin, saying: r0;Biden should be ashamed of himself.r1;
During a fundraising Zoom call with a Latino votersr17; group on Tuesday evening, Biden was initially quoted as saying: r0;The only garbage I see floating out there is his [Trumpr17;s] supporters.r1;
The White House released a transcript saying that the president was only referring to one supporter r11; a stand-up comedian who called Puerto Rico r0;a floating island of garbager1; during a routine at a Trump rally in New York City on Sunday.
Asked about Bidenr17;s remarks before flying from near Washington DC to campaign in swing states, Harris noted that Biden had already sought to r0;clarify his commentsr1;.
r0;But let me be clear,r1; she added. r0;I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.r1;
In response to a question from the BBC, she said that if she won next Tuesdayr17;s election she would be r0;a president for all Americans, including those that donr17;t vote for mer1;.
Harris sought to turn focus back to her rival, Trump, saying that US voters were deciding whether they want to r0;attempt to unify and break through this era of divisivenessr1;.
The controversy over Bidenr17;s remarks made headlines in an unwelcome distraction for the Harris campaign as she delivered her final pitch to voters in Washington DC.
At the spot from which Trump spoke shortly before a riot by his supporters at the US Capitol on 6 January 2021, she urged Americans on Tuesday night to r0;turn the page on the drama and the conflictr1; in US politics.
Back at the White House aides were still trying to draw a line under the r0;garbager1; controversy on Wednesday.
At the daily news conference, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters: r0;He [Biden] does not view Trump supporters or anybody who supports Trump, as garbage. That is not what he views.r1;
Trumpr17;s backers have seized upon Bidenr17;s comments, making comparisons with a controversial remark by Hillary Clinton in 2016 during Trumpr17;s first run for office, when she said half of his supporters were r0;deplorablesr1;.
At his rally in North Carolina on Wednesday, Trump said Bidenr17;s words are r0;worser1; than what Clinton said.
He told the crowd: r0;Joe Biden finally said what he and Kamala really think of our supporters. He called them r16;garbage.r17; And they mean it.r1;
Later he flew to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he got into a bin lorry with a Trump campaign sticker on the side.
r0;How do you like my garbage truck?r1; Trump asked reporters.
A woman holding a rubbish bag
Trump supporter Anne Driessen, carrying a bin bag
Waiting in line for the rally in Green Bay was Anne Driessen, who was carrying a black bin bag in reference to Bidenr17;s comment.
She told the BBC: r0;Wer17;re accustomed to this from the other side. Her17;s [Trump has] been called Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini r11; why donr17;t they just call him Satan?
r0;They lump us all together too.r1;
Another woman in the queue for the Trump rally r11; she gave her name as Ash r11; told the BBC: r0;Itr17;s not OK to use words like garbage.
r0;Wer17;re not all the same, and a lot of us are politically moderate. But I feel like more of the insults are coming from that [other side].r1;
Meanwhile, Harris supporters attending her rally in Wisconsin told the BBC they were still upset at the comedianr17;s original comparison to garbage.
r0;As a Latina, itr17;s disgusting,r1; said Mallory Malvitz. r0;Itr17;s hateful that thatr17;s what people think about people like me.r1;
Ms Malvitz added that she does not consider those with opposing views r0;garbager1;, saying that some members of her own family are Trump supporters.
During his campaign, Trump has himself been criticised for calling the United States a r0;garbage can for the worldr1; and describing political opponents as r0;the enemy withinr1;.
While Trump has acknowledged that r0;somebody said some bad thingsr1; at his New York City rally on Sunday, he also said he did not think the comedianr17;s gag was r0;a big dealr1;.
He said the Madison Square Garden event was a r0;lovefestr1;.
In Philadelphia, in the key swing state of Pennsylvania, members of the 90,000-strong Puerto Rican population told the BBC they would not forget the joke.
Residents of Puerto Rico r11; a US island territory in the Caribbean r11; are unable to vote in presidential elections, but the large diaspora in the US can.
SOURCE : KTAF NEWS Breaking News & Top Stories | Latest World, US & Local News
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