There really isn’t a better way to start this piece than with perhaps the oldest bit of internet slang in existence: LOL.
With literally just days until the forthcoming general election, Vice President Kamala Harris — the Democratic presidential nominee — was served an objectively hilarious (maybe not for her) “October Surprise” by her own boss.
With momentum clearly and firmly tilting in favor of the Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, it appeared Harris was handed something of a life vest after a Sunday Trump rally at Madison Square Garden sparked controversy.
Namely, roast comedian Tony Hinchcliffe cracked a joke comparing Puerto Rico to a floating island of garbage, and the Democrats pounced on that specific joke to accuse Team Trump of denigrating swathes of potential voters.
Alas, we’ll never know if the Democrats could’ve turned that into a winning message.
Because here’s the punchline to all of this: In trying to capitalize on that Hinchcliffe joke, incumbent President Joe Biden turned around and promptly denigrated about half of the country.
Speaking on a Zoom call Tuesday evening, Biden addressed the Hinchcliffe joke with this obvious non-joke: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”
Is Kamala Harris trustworthy?
Despite the White House’s best efforts to spin that verbal blunder, the widely accepted interpretation of Biden’s comments is that anyone who supports Trump is garbage.
Of course, all manner of Dem mouthpieces are trying to argue that he was talking about Hinchcliffe (as the singular, possessive “supporter” in question), and not attacking half the country.
One somewhat important Democrat who had been mum on the issue? Harris.
And judging by the nonsensical answer she gave when she finally did address Biden calling half the country “garbage,” it probably would’ve helped her campaign chances had she stayed mum.
“Uh… listen,” a clearly exasperated Harris began after the topic of Biden’s commentary was broached Wednesday.
She would continue with the cookie-cutter answers one would expect: “I think that, first of all, he clarified his comments. But, let me clear, I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.”
Harris went on to claim that she would be an American president for all Americans, whether you support her or not.
Vice President Harris responds to President Biden’s ‘garbage’ comments: “He clarified his comments. Let me clear, I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.” pic.twitter.com/kmUfjIrytz
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 30, 2024
Had Harris just left it at that, perhaps we could all just move on to the next outrage du jour leading up to Nov. 5.
But no, as she is wont to do, Harris propensity for word salads led her to make a highly dubious claim that actually has some interesting implications.
After a reporter asked Harris if she had spoken to Biden about his highly viral remarks, the vice president responded, “I did, uh, he did call me last night, but this didn’t come up.”
Really?
With just days to go until the big election, a phone call after the incumbent president makes wildly incendiary remarks about Americans doesn’t include that topic?
It’s only the most powerful man in the country declaring half of it is filth while his underling tries to win an election despite not garnering a single primary. Surely that’s worth bringing up, no?
That leaves us with just three possibilities:
- Harris is lying. There is a very high likelihood of this.
- Harris didn’t bring it up because she and her campaign are living in such a reverberating echo chamber, they just don’t think calling half the country “garbage” is problematic.
- Biden didn’t bring it up because he’s actually going senile. Reminder: He’s apparently fit enough to serve now, but not quite fit enough to run for re-election.
It’s the (insert sports cliche here, this writer likes “bottom of the ninth”) with the election right around the corner.
Sure, if you want to be hyper-critical, it’s fair to wonder if Hinchcliffe’s joke so close to election day was wise. It probably wasn’t, although the damage of the comments are likely blown way out of proportion.
The Democrats could’ve still generated some momentum with it, though.
Instead, the figurehead — already accused of being a doddering fool — of the party decided to squander that chance with his own poorly-chosen and poorly-timed quip about half the country. And the vice president — also accused of being a doddering fool — doesn’t have the vocabulary, honesty or mental aptitude to properly explain it.
How can anyone not laugh out loud at that?
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