Democrat Vice Presidential candidate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, brushed aside the implications that recent remarks from President Biden distorts the message of unity upheld by the Harris campaign. Early on Wednesday, a tough question was posed by Tony Dokoupil, a prominent anchor at CBS News, referring to Biden’s controversial assertion made on Tuesday evening.
Dokoupil questioned the potential conflict arising from Biden’s ‘garbage’ comment and how it aligns with Harris’s sustained advocacy for unity, especially as the election date is fast approaching. Walz did not share these concerns, asserting with confidence that Biden’s comments were in fact not directed towards Trump supporters as a whole.
In a counterargument, Walz proposed that Biden was solely addressing the comedian who had made an inappropriate jest about Puerto Rico during the former President Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden, held earlier on Sunday. Biden landed himself and the Harris campaign in an unfavorable spotlight when he seemed to label Trump supporters as ‘garbage’ on Tuesday evening, likely as a response to this contentious joke.
In response to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s risky humor that mocked Puerto Rico as a ‘floating island of garbage,’ Biden appeared to retort, ‘The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.’ He continued his rhetoric by stating, ‘His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable and it is un-American,’ while addressing Latino voters during a virtual call for the Harris campaign.
A statement was released from the White House, emphasizing that Biden had said, ‘Trump supporter’s’ as opposed to ‘Trump supporters,’ although Dokoupil interpreted it as the latter in his interview with Walz. Dokoupil tried to unpack the controversy further, asking Walz for his reaction to Biden’s comments.
He wanted to understand Walz’s thoughts on the President’s divisive language and position them within a broader context, ‘Does that undercut this closing message of unity from your campaign?’ However, Walz firmly denied the insinuation that the comments impacted the underlying emphasis on unity and positivity that their campaign was promoting.
In dismissal of the anchors supposition, Walz maintained unbowed conviction for their campaign, which he described as uplifting and positive. He reiterated that his experience involved representing a diverse group of constituents, ranging from Democrats and Republicans to Independents, similar to Vice President Harris.
He endorsed Harris’s recent address in Washington, D.C., describing it as an embodiment of ‘the best of America.’ According to him, her speech focused on bridging gaps, inviting diverse voices to the dialogue, and promoting a time-honored American tradition that encourages respectful debate and disagreement.
Walz expressed that the essential ethos of the campaign was to rally folks around shared values and champion open discussion while maintaining decorum and respect. He firmly believed this would help foster unity and consistency irrespective of political orientation or personal convictions.
Determined to set the record straight, Walz also stressed that Biden’s comments were singularly directed at Hinchcliffe, not the general population of Trump supporters. He posited that Biden was calling out an individual comedian for his divisive rhetoric, endorsed seemingly by Trump, rather than the entirety of Trump’s support base.
To reinforce his argument, Walz underscored that ‘President Biden was very clear that he’s speaking about the rhetoric we heard,’ an apparent reference to the inappropriately divisive comments made during the rally. Thus, he defiantly claimed that Biden’s comments had not, in any way, jeopardized the message of unity that their campaign was promoting.
In conclusion, he emphasized that the commitment of their campaign towards unity remained unwavering, despite the questions that arose in light of recent comments. He firmly asserted that the spirit of their campaign was not undermined by comments misconstrued and propelled out of their specific context.
As per Walz, the essence of the Harris-Biden campaign to create unity in a time of division still rings true and hence, they remain unfazed and resolute with their objectives to usher in an era of cooperation and reconciliation, ultimately striving towards a ‘more perfect Union.’
CBS: You compared Trump supporters to Nazis. Biden called them “garbage.” Hillary called them “deplorables.” Doesn’t that undercut your fake “unity” message?
TIM WALZ: “No, certainly not.” pic.twitter.com/c79M9Kx6uC
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 30, 2024