Senator JD Vance of Ohio said in a campaign rally on Monday afternoon that “in two days, we’re going to take out the trash, and the trash’s name is Kamala Harris,” moments after asserting that Ms. Harris had “disrespect” and “even hatred” for some Americans.
In one of his last appearances on the campaign trail in Atlanta, Mr. Vance sought to strike a contrast between the Harris campaign and the Trump campaign, urging Americans not to discard family relationships and friendships over politics. He made that plea after referring to President Biden’s remarks that denounced the racist language at former President Donald J. Trump’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden but appeared to insult Trump supporters as “garbage.”
Mr. Vance told the crowd that “here in our movement, we love every citizen of this country.” Thirty-five seconds later, Mr. Vance described the vice president as trash. The crowd roared its approval, with many giving Mr. Vance a standing ovation. Mr. Vance smiled as the audience began chanting his name.
On Sunday and Monday, Mr. Vance had deployed a similar version of the line, but without directly name-calling Ms. Harris as “trash.” In Raleigh, N.C., on Sunday, Mr. Vance said that “none of our fellow citizens, whatever their politics, are garbage for thinking that Kamala Harris has done a bad job. In just two short days, we’re going to take out the trash in Washington, D.C.”
Mr. Trump’s campaign and his supporters have embraced Mr. Biden’s garbled remarks denouncing the Madison Square Garden speaker. Last week in Wisconsin, Mr. Trump sat in a Trump-branded garbage truck — and gave a speech wearing a garbage collector’s orange reflector vest. Some supporters have taken to wearing garbage bags to Trump events.
Mr. Vance at first dismissed the backlash against the racist remarks at Madison Square Garden, saying “we have to stop getting so offended at every little thing in the United States of America.” Mr. Vance quickly seized on Mr. Biden’s “garbage” remarks, however, and mentioning it became a staple of his campaign rallies.
In a previous appearance in Raeford, N.C., last month, Mr. Vance also said that “I think Kamala Harris legitimately is a crazy person,” moments after lamenting that he had lost friendships over politics since becoming the vice-presidential nominee.