Biden sets off firestorm with response to Trump rally comedian's Puerto Rico comments
The president appeared to refer to Trump supporters as “garbage,” although he and the White House said he misspoke and was referring to the comedian’s remarks.
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden ignited Republican fury Tuesday night when he weighed in on racist jokes at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally Sunday.
At the event, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage.” He also made crude, offensive and racist comments about Latinos and Black people.
On Tuesday, during a video call for Latino voter outreach, Biden defended the Puerto Rican community and appeared to criticize either Trump supporters or Hinchcliffe.
“They’re good, decent, honorable people,” Biden said, referring to the Puerto Rican community. “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done.”
The White House quickly turned to damage control mode, with spokesman Andrew Bates saying in a statement that Biden “referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as garbage.”
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