What’s in an apostrophe, anyway? Final night time, President Joe Biden referred to as all of Donald Trump’s supporters “rubbish.” Or did he?
The much-debated gaffe got here throughout a Zoom name between Biden and the progressive group Voto Latino. The president’s alleged insult of all Trump supporters got here as he was criticizing comic Tony Hinchcliffe for calling Puerto Rico a “floating island of rubbish” throughout Trump’s Madison Sq. Backyard rally held this previous weekend.
A clip of the president’s remarks appears to report a rambling Biden saying “The one rubbish I see out there’s his supporters…his…his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it is un-American.”
WATCH: President Joe Biden: “The one rubbish I see floating out there’s [Trump] supporters.” pic.twitter.com/9teSUOytqC
— Steve Visitor (@SteveGuest) October 30, 2024
Reporters’ rapid protection of the feedback additionally data Biden saying “supporters.”
Pres. Biden tonight:
“Donald Trump has no character. He would not give a rattling in regards to the Latino neighborhood…simply the opposite day, a speaker at his rally referred to as Puerto Rico a floating island of rubbish?…The one rubbish I see floating out there’s his supporters.”
— Gabe Gutierrez (@gabegutierrez) October 29, 2024
Instantly, conservative journalists and Trump himself seized on the feedback as an inappropriate demonization of Republican voters. They have been fast to attract parallels to Hillary Clinton’s notorious “deplorables” insult from the 2016 marketing campaign path.
In response, the White Home launched a transcript that recorded Biden as saying “supporter’s” singular, not “supporters” plural. The president’s “rubbish” barb was directed solely at Hinchcliffe, and never Trump voters writ massive, they argued.
Biden tonight in condemning the joke about Puerto Rico.
“The one rubbish I see floating out there’s his [supporters/supporter’s]–his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it is un-American.”
The WH says Biden was speaking in regards to the comic—”supporter’s”
The clip: pic.twitter.com/F7VRcyBFJu
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) October 30, 2024
Biden’s true remarks shortly grew to become the last word partisan Rorschach check.
Liberal commenters insisted that Biden had clearly stated “supporter’s.” As proof, they pointed to the succeeding sentence through which Biden stated that “his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable.” The singular “his” is proof that Biden’s “supporter’s” remark was additionally a singular reference to Hinchcliffe.
Appears very clear from context that Biden was attempting to name Hinchecliffe “rubbish” – that he was saying “supporter’s” possessive, not “supporters” plural
— Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp) October 30, 2024
Conservatives weren’t shopping for this in any respect, deriding Biden and the White Home’s hurried explanations as a rushed spin that asks you to not consider your mendacity eyes and ears.
Bullshit. He referred to as half of you rubbish.
Both as a result of he meant it, or as a result of he is senile.
Or each. https://t.co/8objkJSvfu— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) October 30, 2024
As a devoted nonvoter, I am completely satisfied to simply accept that both interpretation of Biden’s remarks is believable. From simply listening to the clip, and never the following arguments about it, it does in truth sound just like the president is referring to all Trump supporters. However the White Home’s subsequent rationalization is not completely unbelievable both.
My important takeaway from the controversy is that I can not await this election to be over. The polls are extremely shut and feelings are operating excessive. On this context, every part feels prefer it issues quite a bit, together with an aged, rambling Biden’s exact placement of apostrophes.
The nearer we get to Election Day, the extra persons are going to zero in on each insult, actual or perceived, and each gaffe, precise or simply alleged. As soon as we all know who the following president will likely be, maybe the nation’s political debate can barely refocus to extra substantive problems with coverage and the dimensions and scope of presidency. (That is my naive hope anyway.)
Closing Arguments: Gliding over these petty controversies final night time, or no less than trying to take action, was Vice President Kamala Harris herself.
Simply exterior the White Home, the place inside communications staffers have been hurriedly copy enhancing Biden, Harris held a rally the place she made her closing pitch to America’s undecided voters.
The Democratic nominee did her greatest to strike a unifying nonpartisan notice whereas additionally amping up the alleged stakes of this election.
“This election is greater than a selection between two events and two totally different candidates. It’s a selection about whether or not we now have a rustic rooted in freedom for each American. Or one dominated by chaos and division,” said Harris, who made heavy references to the chaos of January 6, whereas repeating some inventory biography about her middle-class upbringing.
Harris sounded hawkish notes on international coverage and the border, promising to move a border safety invoice and assure America has “the strongest, most deadly combating drive on the earth.”
On the economic system, she promised to increase Medicare advantages and tax credit for households, crack down on “worth gouging,” and, curiously sufficient, work to liberalize housing rules.
“Now we have heard excuses about why America cannot construct sufficient housing. Sufficient with the reasons. I will reduce crimson tape and work with the personal sector and native governments to hurry up constructing and get it completed,” stated Harris.
A politicized assault on the web site previously often called Twitter? Earlier this week, the Republican-controlled Home Judiciary Committee released a report detailing the Federal Commerce Fee’s (FTC) allegedly politically motivated crackdown on Twitter instantly after Elon Musk purchased the social media web site (that is since been renamed X).
For years previous to Musk’s acquisition of the positioning, the FTC, underneath its progressive chairwoman Lina Khan, had been hashing out a consent decree with the corporate that might require Twitter to show over sure requested data.
#NEWS: Judiciary Republicans launch report on how the Biden-Kamala Harris FTC continues to harass @elonmusk.
Learn it right here: https://t.co/51rdcb9Fuy pic.twitter.com/Q3aOLehHfM
— Home Judiciary GOP ???????????????????????? (@JudiciaryGOP) October 28, 2024
The Judiciary Committee discovered that FTC rushed to finalize this consent decree, citing Musk’s pending takeover as the explanation for the hurry. Within the first three months after Musk purchased Twitter, the FTC despatched the corporate 350 demands for data and paperwork.
Many of those demanded paperwork fell exterior the scope of the consent decree, says the Judiciary Committee’s report, which accuses the Biden-Harris administration of “weaponizing” the FTC towards Musk.
Scenes from D.C.: A couple of mile from Harris’ White Home rally, one other intense race was enjoying out. That will in fact be the 37th Annual 17th Street High Heel Race in D.C.’s historic homosexual neighborhood of DuPont Circle.
Drag queens sprinted down the closed-off avenue, whereas much less elaborately costumed revelers cheered them on.
???? HEEL YA!
The thirty seventh annual seventeenth Road Excessive Heel Race introduced the ???? ???? ❤️ ???? Congratulations Kenny and everybody who placed on these costumes, climbed onto these heels and raced for the ribbon! @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/2g2jc2UrH8— Tommy McFLY (@TommyMcFLY) October 30, 2024
Fast Hyperlinks
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- The U.S. failed to act on claims that weapons it supplied to Israel have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, says new report.
