Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America correspondent
In sports, “garbage time” is a reference to the ending moments of
a game, when the teams are still playing but the winner is clear.
The last few days of this presidential race, where the outcome is
still very much in doubt, are redefining the term.
Joe Biden’s “garbage” gaffe, coming on the heels of a political
firestorm over a comedian’s reference to Puerto Rico as an “island of garbage”
at a Donald Trump rally, has given Republicans an opportunity to shift
the political conversation and put Democrats on the defensive.
The political potency of this garbage exchange comes, in part,
because it seemingly confirms what many in each party think about their
opponents – with Democrats believing Trump’s side demeans ethnic minorities,
while Republicans are convinced the left views the former president’s
supporters as worthless.
Biden has a history of verbal stumbles, the growing number of
which were one of the reasons the party pressured him to abandon his
re-election bid.
In recent weeks, Biden’s usefulness as a political advocate has
been a subject of concern for the Harris team, as they have reportedly been
reluctant to offer him high-profile campaign events despite his desire to go on
the stump.
This should settle that debate – and give Democrats another reason
to be grateful they made the switch to Harris in July.
The Democratic faithful will be quick to point out all the
derisive comments Trump has made at his rallies and in interviews, such as
referring last Friday to America as “the garbage can for the world”. But in the
last week of the campaign, and with the margins between the two candidates
seemingly so narrow, even small political twists can be amplified to a deafening
roar.
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Publish date : 2024-10-31 06:45:00
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