Democrats appear to believe President Joe Biden’s “garbage” smear of Trump supporters could ruin Vice President Kamala Harris’s chances of winning the election.
Demonizing supporters of a political opponent is not a strategy to win over independents or drive turnout among Democrats, especially during the period of early voting with less than a week until Election Day.
“He was not calling Trump supporters garbage,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed Wednesday. “This is why he wanted to make sure that we put out a statement that clarified what he meant and what he was trying to say.”
Jean-Pierre did not admit Biden’s smear was a mistake or say whether the president apologized to Harris, who quickly claimed Wednesday morning that Biden clarified his statement and stated she disagreed with demonizing “people based on who they vote for.”
Democrats outside the White House tried to protect Harris.
“This is a lot of nothing.” a former Obama pollster told the New York Times. “I got a feeling they are focused on more consequential things.”
Jim Manley, a longtime top adviser to Senate Democrat leaders, also downplayed the smear.
“I don’t think these comments by the president are going to matter much at all come Election Day, but it’s incredibly frustrating to watch as the Harris campaign has to spend precious time and energy clarifying what the president was trying to say,” he told the Times.
“We are way past the need to be concerned about the president’s feelings,” he added. “After all, he dealt her a pretty bad hand when he only finally agreed to drop out with months to go. If the Harris campaign feels the need to distance themselves, they should feel free to do so.”
“Democratic anxiety is understandable because of the threat of a Trump second term, but there’s a lot to feel good about related to Kamala Harris and Democrats up and down the ballot coming down the stretch,” Democrat strategist Joel Payne told the Hill. “Harris is closing strong with big energy moments and rising momentum.”
WATCH: Too Late! Kamala Accuses Trump of Dividing Americans Day After Biden Calls MAGA Voters “Garbage”
Trump, meanwhile, characterized Biden’s statement as an ongoing Democrat theme that underscores the elites’ contempt for citizens.
“Joe Biden finally said what he and Kamala really think of our supporters,” Trump said Wednesday at a rally in Wisconsin. “He called them garbage. And they mean it.”
Trump arrived at the rally in a garbage truck wearing an orange garbage collector’s vest, a moment that nearly broke the internet once again.
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former RNC War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.