Harris 'Strongly' Denounces Criticism of Voters After Biden Flap

Vice President Kamala Harris said she “strongly” disagreed with comments made by President Joe Biden that have been seized on by Republicans as insulting to Donald Trump’s supporters, seeking to distance herself from a brewing controversy that threatens to undercut her momentum in the final week of campaigning.

(Bloomberg) — Vice President Kamala Harris said she “strongly” disagreed with comments made by President Joe Biden that have been seized on by Republicans as insulting to Donald Trump’s supporters, seeking to distance herself from a brewing controversy that threatens to undercut her momentum in the final week of campaigning.

“First of all he clarified his comments. But let me be clear, I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” Harris told reporters on Wednesday before leaving on a campaign swing through three battleground states.

Biden in a call with a Latino group on Tuesday addressed remarks from a comedian at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday who denigrated Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.”

“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been,” Biden said on the call.

The White House disputed characterizations of the remark, saying Biden intended to say “supporter’s” in specific reference to the comedian who made the derogatory comments. 

The president himself sought to clarify his remarks on X, but Trump, fellow Republicans and conservative media have pounced on his comments, using it to try and move past Democratic criticism of the rally and anger among Latino groups over the initial dig at Puerto Rico.

The controversy threatens to overshadow Trump and Harris’ dueling trips to swing states on Wednesday, as the focus shifts to mobilizing supporters to head to the ballot box. 

Voters on Wednesday also received a fresh dose of economic data, which show the US economy expanded at a robust pace in the third quarter as household purchases accelerated. 

Here’s how the presidential race is shaping up on Wednesday:

Star-Studded Rallies

Trump and Harris are holding dueling star-studded events in Wisconsin to mobilize supporters in the key swing state, with the Republican former president campaigning with NFL legend Brett Favre and the Democrat bringing popular bands to the college town of Madison.

The candidates are fanning out to battleground states on Wednesday as the focus increasingly shifts to encouraging voters to cast their ballots after Trump and Harris both delivered their closing arguments in a bid to sway the few remaining undecideds.

Harris will visit Raleigh, North Carolina; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and wrap the day in Madison, Wisconsin, where she’ll be joined by singer-songwriters Gracie Abrams and Remi Wolf, British folk rock band Mumford & Sons and indie rock favorites Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner from The National.

Trump will also be in North Carolina for a rally in Rocky Mount before heading to Green Bay, Wisconsin, with Favre, an icon in the town where he quarterbacked the National Football League’s Packers to a Super Bowl victory.

Economic Data

The Biden administration sought to take a victory lap on the latest economic data, highlighting accelerating consumer spending — which comprises the largest share of economic activity — and touting progress on tackling inflation, a major concern of voters and one of Harris’ top political vulnerabilities.

“Consumer spending is up, and so are savings on the back of good job opportunities, rising real wages and renewed optimism,” Lael Brainard, a top economic adviser to Biden, told reporters.

“It wasn’t so long ago when commentators were certain we would need a recession to beat the inflation caused by the pandemic, it but it is now clear we’ve been able to bring inflation down to rates from before the pandemic, while growing faster than projected, and that didn’t happen by chance,” Brainard added, touting efforts to strength supply chains, spur energy production and invest in cutting-edge industries.

—With assistance from Akayla Gardner and Nancy Cook.