Democratic United States presidential candidate Kamala Harris has distanced herself from comments made by US President Joe Biden after he appeared to make disparaging remarks about supporters of Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Biden addressed racist remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally in New York on Sunday, which included
But the criticism backfired when Biden responded: "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters — his demonisation of Latinos is unconscionable and un-American."
He made the comment during a fundraising Zoom call with Voto Latino, an organisation encouraging young Latino Americans to vote.
Biden says 'garbage' comment was about comedian
Biden and the White House quickly clarified that the president was talking about the rhetoric on stage, not Trump's supporters themselves.
To clarify his stance, Biden wrote on X that he was referring "to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump's supporters at his Madison Square Garden rally".
"That's all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don't reflect who we are as a nation," he said.
However, it had already caused a political uproar.
Trump posted to his social media platform Truth Social that Harris is running "a campaign of hate" and accused her and Biden of being "unfit to be president of the United States".
Trump also highlighted the comment during an event in North Carolina, one of the largest of the seven swing states in Tuesday's presidential election, saying it revealed Biden's disdain for the American people.
"Joe Biden finally said what he and Kamala really think of our supporters. He called them 'garbage'. And they mean it," Trump said.
"You can't lead America if you don't love Americans, and you can't be president if you hate the American people.
"We're 'garbage.' And I call you the heart and soul of America."
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The former president continued efforts to draw attention to Biden's comments on Wednesday by sitting behind the wheel of a garbage truck branded with his campaign logos in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Trump compared Biden's comment to Hilary
"I think this is worse, actually. For Joe Biden to make that statement, it's really a disgrace," he said, adding that Biden "should be ashamed of himself" and Harris was guilty by association.
Asked whether he owes Puerto Ricans an apology for Hinchcliffe's comments, Trump answered from the truck that he "loves Puerto Rico" and "nobody's done more for Puerto Rico than me".
He also distanced himself from Hinchcliffe, saying: "I don't know who he is...I know nothing about him."
Residents of Puerto Rico — an American island territory in the Caribbean — cannot take part in the presidential elections
Harris distances herself from Biden's 'garbage' comment
Harris distanced herself from the comment on Wednesday, saying the president had clarified his meaning.
The controversy overshadowed Harris' rally on Tuesday and threatened to undercut her message of unity less than a week before the election on 5 November.
"Let me be clear: I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for," the vice president said.
Boarding a flight for a campaign event in North Carolina, Harris said that she vowed to serve "all Americans" if elected.
Harris also posted to her X account, saying: "As president of the United States, I will always fight for all the American people."
"We have six days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime," Harris told attendees at a campaign event in Wisconsin, on Wednesday, where she was joined by musicians such as Gracie Abrams, Remi Wolf and Mumford & Sons.
"If he is elected, on Day One Donald Trump will walk into that office with an enemies list. When I am elected, I will walk in with a to-do list," she said.
According to the latest Reuters and Ipsos poll, Trump trails Harris by a single percentage point in national polls, 43 per cent to 44 per cent.
Since his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump has built broad appeal with working-class white Americans, while Democrats have consolidated their support among more affluent, college-educated voters.
With additional reporting by Reuters.
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