Harris breaks with Biden's 'garbage' remarks about Trump supporters

“First he clarified his comments, but let me be clear: I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” she told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. Harris pointed to her speech at the Ellipse on Tuesday night where she promised to be a president for all Americans while courting undecided voters.

“I have been very clear to the American public that I respect the challenges that people face,” she said. “I mean what I mean, if I'm elected president, I will represent all Americans, including the people who don't vote for me, and respond to their needs and wants.”

Biden on Tuesday addressed offensive comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at Trump's rally on Sunday, where he called Puerto Rico a “floating island of trash.” Biden said during a virtual event with Voto Latino that he denied those comments and continued: “The only nonsense I see going around out there is that of his supporters – his – his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable and un-American,” it said in a transcript released by the White House.

The president and the White House quickly clarified that Biden was speaking specifically about Hinchcliffe.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Harris said she spoke with Biden after her speech last night, but the two did not discuss his “garbage” comment.

Harris has come under fire for her reluctance to spell out how she will differ from Biden's presidency. During an interview with Fox News' Bret Baier earlier this month, Harris was pressed to outline how her presidency would differ from Biden's.

“Let me be very clear: my presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,” Harris told Baier. “And like every new president who takes office, I will bring my life experiences, my professional experiences and fresh new ideas.”

Latino protesters in PA don't give as warm welcome to Donald Trump

Latino protesters gathered outside a Trump rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in response to racist jokes made at a recent event.

In her speech on Tuesday, Harris further clarified how her administration would differ from the current one.

“My presidency will be different because the challenges we face are different,” she said, adding that she and Biden focused on ending the pandemic and containing the economy four years ago. “Our biggest challenge now is to reduce costs, which were already rising before the pandemic and are still too high.”

The fallout from Biden's comments came days after Trump received backlash for his rally at Madison Square Garden, which was marred by racist phrases and hate speech from speakers like Hinchcliffe. Trump and his campaign have distanced themselves from Hinchcliffe's comments after intense backlash, particularly among Puerto Ricans and other Latino voters.

Democrats, including Harris, criticized the language Trump uses to describe people who don't support him, often referring to them as “the enemy within.”

“This is not a presidential candidate thinking about how to improve his life,” Harris said Tuesday night, referring to the former president's comments.