Trump supporters at a rally in Green Bay reject Biden’s ‘trash’ comment

GREEN BAY – Supporters of former President Donald Trump ahead of his Wednesday rally largely dismissed President Joe Biden’s comments this week calling Trump supporters “garbage.”

Most of the nearly two dozen people the Journal Sentinel interviewed while waiting in line outside Trump’s Green Bay rally seemed unfazed by Biden’s comments Tuesday. But a handful of others called the president’s rhetoric divisive and upsetting.

“You know, in 2016 we were called deplorables. Now we are deplorable garbage,” said Naralyn Durbin of De Pere, referring to Hillary Clinton’s remark. “Okay then. I’ll take it. It’s better than calling yourself a liberal.”

“I’m dusting it off. He’s not all there,” said Tom Gibson, a 76-year-old from Green Bay, referring to Biden. “But I’m surprised I don’t see anyone carrying a trash can today. This will probably be around here.

A reporter spotted a woman carrying a garbage bag with the words “Trump trash” written on it.

“It’s not something the president should be commenting on at all,” said Brandon Sellisen, also of Green Bay. – I mean, it happens. However, I do not think that attacking supporters of other parties will be effective.”

Biden’s remarks were made Tuesday during a virtual conversation with the Latino advocacy group Voto Latino. During the conversation, Biden was asked about a cartoon that appeared at Trump’s rally in New York on Sunday in which he called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” and made other racist remarks about Latinos.

Biden responded by calling Puerto Ricans “good, decent and honorable people,” then added: “The only trash I see out there are his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unwise and un-American.”

The White House said the president was referring to the rhetoric from Sunday’s rally at Madison Square Garden, and Biden later tried to clarify his comments in a tweet.

“I previously called hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico by a Trump supporter at his rally at Madison Square Garden garbage – that’s the only word I can think of to describe it. His demonization of Latinos is unwise. That’s all I wanted to say. The comments at this rally do not reflect who we are as a nation,” Biden wrote.

The remarks about Puerto Ricans drew condemnation from Democrats, who called the rhetoric racist and offensive. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ running mate, compared Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden to a 1939 Nazi event that took place at the same venue.

Republicans, in turn, seized on Biden’s remarks, claiming that his rhetoric is an attack on almost half of the US population

“Chief Kamala and the sitting president of the United States called tens of millions of Americans trash last night, including every Wisconsinite who proudly supports President Donald J. Trump,” the Trump campaign in Wisconsin said Wednesday.

On Wednesday, just outside Lambeau Field, some fans shared similar sentiments.

“It made me nervous,” said James Renner, who drove to the rally from his home in Marquette, Michigan. Renner noted that the comedian made disparaging remarks about Puerto Ricans.

“Joe Biden is not a comedian and he just labeled 50% or more of the country as trash. These are Americans and it’s disgusting,” he said.

Drew Domalick, 37, of Green Bay, wore a T-shirt with the words “Deplorable Me” as he walked his dog outside the rally. He said he was trying to “mute” divisive rhetoric from both parties, including Trump.

“For me, this is part of the election, the political cycle,” Domalick said. “To get into the media, you have to say something. If you don’t say anything that’s a little bit controversial, the media won’t write about you.”

“Both sides say it,” he added. “The reason I don’t support Biden is not because he said something inflammatory, but because I don’t support his policies.”

Still, many Trump supporters told the Journal Sentinel the comments didn’t bother them, with several knocking Biden because of his age and others sending a different message: “We know who we are.”

“I find it (as well as) a deplorable comment,” said Jamie Longsine of Green Bay. “It’s a badge of honor. I consider it a badge of honor. I don’t care what he thinks.”

(This story has been updated to add a photo or video.)