A White House attempt to downplay President Joe Biden’s unscripted comments about Donald Trump’s supporters has been met with skepticism, with aides refusing to confirm whether they had spoken to Biden before issuing a clarification. According to Axios, a White House spokesperson declined to answer on the record when asked if aides had spoken to Biden about his remarks.
Biden’s comment, which referred to “the only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” was initially interpreted as a reference to Trump’s supporters. However, White House aides claimed that Biden was actually targeting comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who made a joke during a Trump rally. The White House released a transcript of Biden’s remarks in an effort to support this claim, but the move has been widely criticized as a flimsy attempt to spin the president’s words.
The White House’s handling of the situation has raised questions about how Biden’s aides could have accurately understood his intent without speaking to him directly. The fact that they refused to confirm whether they had spoken to Biden adds to the confusion, and the already tenuous official explanation of his comments has been further undermined.
Vice President Kamala Harris has remained silent on the escalating scandal, which has overshadowed her Tuesday night rally and threatens to derail her campaign. The controversy has drawn comparisons to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 comment about Trump’s supporters being a “basket of deplorables,” which was widely criticized and may have contributed to her defeat.
