Staff Reports
The White House has been caught red-handed giving President Joe Biden’s remarks about Donald Trump’s supporters a bit of a makeover, and it’s as messy as one would expect from an administration that specializes in spin. In classic double-speak fashion, the official transcript was altered after Biden had a call with the Latino advocacy group, Voto Latino, where he apparently unleashed some colorful language about Trump’s followers.
Originally, Biden unloaded the kind of rhetoric that would make even a lifelong politician cringe. He labeled Trump’s supporters as “garbage” and called their attitudes toward Latinos “unconscionable” and “un-American.” Sounds like Biden went for the full-on offensive, using language that would make you think he’s gearing up for a roast rather than discussing serious issues. However, in the new and improved transcript released by the White House, the “supporters” morphed into “supporter’s.” A rogue apostrophe turned Biden’s venomous group insult into something resembling a bad grammar lesson.
White House altered Biden’s “garbage” quote in his transcript despite the stenographer opposing.
Now there are two conflicting records.
The Stenography Office transcript (that goes in the National Archives) is now different than the transcript released by the WH Press Office. pic.twitter.com/6XYHfeAhhL
— marc josepi (@markjos05095724) November 1, 2024
Unsurprisingly, the White House press office didn’t bother responding to requests for clarification from the Washington Examiner, leaving many to speculate whether they were just too busy refining their spin cycle. A spokesperson played the classic game of deflection, claiming Biden was merely addressing some obscure “hateful rhetoric” from a comedian who took potshots at Puerto Rico. This all sounds a bit like throwing out a life raft when the boat is already capsizing.
To add to the circus, the head of the stenography office laid down the law in an email, calling out the press staff’s antics as a breach of protocol. It seems the White House’s attempt to salvage Biden’s gaffe only threw a wrench in the nuts and bolts of their own operations. The public transcript now differs from the version that went to the National Archives. Apparently, the White House didn’t get the memo that one shouldn’t simply edit out crucial details like a few bad keywords without a little oversight.
In response to this debacle, Republican figures like House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik and House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer are weighing their options for a congressional investigation. No surprise there—when it comes to Biden’s missteps, the GOP will jump on any chance to draw attention to the administration’s slip-ups, especially when they can liken Biden’s remarks to Hillary Clinton’s doomed “basket of deplorables” comment from 2016. Let the comparisons begin, as Trump’s camp is already cashing in on Biden’s blunders.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris, who likely finds herself in a political pickle due to the fallout from Biden’s comments, is trying desperately to preach unity and bipartisanship. This is an interesting tactic coming from a party that thrives on division. Harris made sure to say she disagrees with criticizing folks simply for their voting preferences. However, one can’t help but wonder if her call for unity will resonate when the Biden camp is busy labeling half the country as “garbage.”
