OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that he plans to attend the inauguration of the next commander-in-chief regardless of who wins the race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“This president believes in the peaceful transfer of power, and that’s what you’re going to see this president do,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “It’s not about him. It’s about the American people. That’s what the American people need to see regardless of who wins.”
“He certainly is going to partake in that,” she added.
The administration spokeswoman did not mention that Trump chose to skip Biden’s inauguration because of personal differences between him and his running mate, then-former President Barack Obama. Trump had discovered the two of them likely plotted with various factions within the government to saddle him with a false “Russian collusion” narrative.
Some of the same factions worked against Trump throughout his four-year term, which ended with a pair of impeachments and a growing COVID-19 outbreak for which he was blamed despite its likely origin in China and his administration quickly developing a vaccine in record time.
Meanwhile, then-Vice President Mike Pence did attend the Biden-Harris inauguration.
Biden’s decision to attend the inauguration even if Trump wins is not likely to mollify his tens of millions of supporters after the president appeared to refer to them as “garbage” in remarks earlier this week.
During a rally Tuesday night in Allentown, Pa., Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio was on stage speaking at a Trump rally and informed the GOP nominee that Biden had smeared his supporters.
“Just moments ago, Joe Biden stated that our supporters are garbage. I hope their campaign is about to apologize. We are not garbage, we are patriots who love America,” Rubio said while on stage with Trump.
During a Zoom call, Biden spoke about the comedian at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday, comparing Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage.”
Biden said on a campaign Zoom Tuesday night: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his [Trump’s] supporters.”
Trump immediately responded to Biden’s remark: “Wow, that’s what [Biden] says… garbage. I think it’s worse [than deplorable].”
Trump was talking about Hillary Clinton’s famous 2016 speech in which she called Trump’s supporters during his first run for office a “basket of deplorables.”
“Please forgive him for he knoweth not what he say. Honestly he doesn’t. And I’m convinced that he likes me more than he likes Kamala,” Trump said, referring to Biden’s declining mental abilities.
“No!” the crowd shouted back at Trump.
WATCH:
MARCO RUBIO: “I have breaking news, Joe Biden just moments ago stated that our supporters are garbage… I hope the Harris campaign apologizes because we are not garbage, we are patriotic Americans!” pic.twitter.com/H0C0Nf7p8y
— Martin Walsh (@MWalshUS) October 30, 2024
“I have breaking news, Joe Biden just moments ago stated that our supporters are garbage… I hope the Harris campaign apologizes because we are not garbage, we are patriotic Americans! Rubio said on the stage alongside Trump.
In response to Biden’s remark, former 2024 GOP presidential contender and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy worked a shift as a garbage collector on Wednesday.
Also, Trump showed up to a rally in Green Bay, Wis., riding in a garbage truck that sported a “Trump-Vance” sign. “How do you like my garbage truck?” he asked reporters.
Vance slammed Biden, calling his comment “disgusting.”
“This is disgusting. Kamala Harris and her boss Joe Biden are attacking half of the country. There’s no excuse for this. I hope Americans reject it,” Vance said, sounding the alarm on more divisive remarks about Trump and his campaign.
