White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was in full damage control mode Wednesday, trying to spin President Biden’s comment on Trump supporters as anything but what it plainly was.
During a virtual call with Voto Latino on Tuesday, Biden took a shot at Trump’s rally in Madison Square Garden—particularly comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s off-color joke about Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” But Biden wasn’t content to leave it there; he went on to say, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”
Predictably, the backlash was swift, and by the next day, Jean-Pierre was trying to put out the fire. She insisted to reporters that Biden hadn’t actually called Trump’s supporters “garbage” and repeated the now-standard line that Biden sees himself as “a president for all”—a sentiment he somehow forgets every time he decides to insult the other side. She claimed Biden’s comment was about Trump’s “un-American demonization of Latinos.” But here’s the thing: there’s video evidence of what Biden said. He wasn’t talking in hypotheticals, and he didn’t stutter.
The public wasn’t buying it, and critics didn’t hold back. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee didn’t mince words, writing, “Breaking wind from BSNBC! 5-alarm fire at the WH when KJP’s pants catch fire… She does know that we can see the video for ourselves?” Tarrant County GOP chairman Bo French was equally blunt: “It amazes me more people aren’t appalled by the outright lies these people tell.”
Video journalist Nick Sortor chimed in, pointing out the absurdity of the situation, noting Jean-Pierre’s statement was delivered with all the credibility of “a piece of Laffy Taffy” trying to convince America they didn’t see what was right in front of them.
Breaking wind from BSNBC! 5 Alarm fire at the WH when KJP’s pants catch fire in spontaneous combustion after she claims Joe didn’t really call Trump supporters “garbage.” She does know that we can see the video for ourselves? That we aren’t as clueless as her boss is? https://t.co/2R9YnxEeYU
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) October 30, 2024
For those watching, Jean-Pierre’s deflection likely did more harm than good, leaving many to wonder if the administration thinks the public has the memory of a goldfish. And in what may have been the understatement of the day, podcaster Matt Bilinsky summed it up as “a gift to Trump.” In trying to paint over the gaffe, the White House has handed the Trump campaign yet another example of how the current administration keeps speaking out of both sides of its mouth.
It amazes me more people aren’t appalled by the outright lies these people tell. We watched the video. He clearly called us garbage. I have a feeling the swing voters are done with this kind of BS. https://t.co/HacTX0EMjR
— Bo French (@Bo_French_TX) October 30, 2024
If Biden and his team think they’re helping the “unity” message by tossing out insults and then rewriting history, they might need to rethink their strategy. Jean-Pierre’s latest spin job only reminds people that the administration seems more committed to sweeping up after Biden’s insults than delivering on the unity he so often promises.
