Harris "strongly" disagrees with criticism of people "based on who they vote for," after Biden's "garbage" comment

Vice President Kamala Harris says she "strongly" disagrees pinch "any disapproval of group based connected who they ballot for," aft President Biden connected Tuesday made remarks in which he appeared to call Trump supporters "garbage" connected a video telephone pinch Latino activists. Republicans seized connected nan comment, while nan White House offered a different mentation of what Mr. Biden had said, and nan president tweeted a explanation of his comment.

"Let maine beryllium clear, I powerfully disagree pinch immoderate disapproval of group based connected who they ballot for," Harris told reporters Wednesday morning, erstwhile she was asked astir Mr. Biden's "garbage" comment. "You heard my reside past nighttime and continuously passim my career: I judge that nan activity that I do is astir representing each nan people, whether they support maine aliases not. And arsenic president of nan United States, I will beryllium a president for each Americans, whether you ballot for maine aliases not."

News of nan president's remark dispersed quickly soon aft Harris delivered her closing argument before a monolithic crowd adjacent nan White House Tuesday night, successful which she called for unity and vowed to activity pinch independents and Republicans, arsenic good arsenic Democrats, to thief amended Americans' lives. 

In a video telephone pinch Latino activists Tuesday evening, nan president was responding to a joke made astatine a Trump rally Sunday astatine Madison Square Garden by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, successful which Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a "floating land of garbage." 

"The only garbage I spot floating retired location is his supporters," he seemed to say, according to video of nan call. "His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable."

But nan White House denied that nan president had said this astir Trump supporters and released a transcript pinch a connection saying that "supporters" was successful truth "supporter's," and Mr. Biden was referring to Hinchcliffe and his joke. Mr. Biden clarified his remarks later Tuesday evening.

"Earlier coming I referred to nan hateful rhetoric astir Puerto Rico spewed by Trump's protagonist astatine his Madison Square Garden rally arsenic garbage—which is nan only connection I tin deliberation of to picture it," nan president said successful a statement. "His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That's each I meant to say. The comments astatine that rally don't bespeak who we are arsenic a nation."

The backlash against nan president's comments was immediate, peculiarly among Republicans and conservatives. But Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a cardinal Harris surrogate, besides distanced himself from nan president's comments. 

"I had not heard that until now, Kaitlan, truthful I'm benignant of giving you my caller guidance to it," Shapiro told CNN's Kaitlan Collins successful consequence to nan clip of nan president's comments. "I would ne'er reproach nan bully group of Pennsylvania aliases immoderate Americans moreover if they chose to support a campaigner that I didn't support." 

Trump, Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are each campaigning successful North Carolina Wednesday, arsenic early voting continues successful whitethorn states. By Wednesday morning, much than 55 cardinal Americans had voted early.

Ed O'Keefe, Weijia Jiang, Jacob Rosen, Olivia Rinaldi, Fin Gómez and Arden Farhi contributed to this report.

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• Joe Biden
• Kamala Harris
• Donald Trump