Josh Shapiro reacts to Biden's 'garbage' comment: 'Not words that I would choose'

WASHINGTON - Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a top surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris, reacted to the fallout stemming from President Joe Biden’s “garbage” comment on Tuesday night that many Republicans claimed were directed towards Donald Trump’s fans.

Biden’s comments come after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe said Puerto Rico was a “floating island of garbage” at the former president’s Madison Square Garden rally. Biden said during a zoom call with a nonprofit organization that the only “garbage” he saw “floating out there” were “his supporter's,” though it was not clear at the time whether he was referring to Hinchcliffe or all of Trump’s supporters. Many Republicans interpreted it as the latter.

“I would never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any Americans even if they chose to support a candidate that I didn’t support,” Shapiro said on CNN’s “The Source” when asked about Biden’s remark.

The White House had attempted to clear up Biden’s comment, saying that he was referring to the rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as “garbage.” Pressed on whether he thinks Biden needs to come out and clarify his comment, Shapiro said that the president “will decide what he wants to say.”

“It’s certainly not words that I would choose and I think it’s important that we remain focused on the contrast between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and not attacking supporters of either candidate,” Shapiro said.

Biden later posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he “referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump's supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage.”

His comment drew sharp rebuke from Trump, who called them “terrible” at a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Tuesday. Other Republicans, including Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, also criticized him on X.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Good Morning America Wednesday commented on Biden’s comment, saying that, “The president’s clarified his remark, but let’s be very clear: The vice president and I have made it absolutely clear that we want everyone as a part of this.”

Contributing: Karissa Waddick, David Jackson and Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Harris surrogate reacts to fallout from Biden's 'garbage' comment