# Screw the media double standard over Biden's "Garbage" gaffe **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [October 31, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508 "2024-10-31T17:48:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/1 "2024-10-31T17:48:34Z")
I realize that this doesn’t say anything everyone here doesn’t already know, but Its bugging the heck out of me and I don’t see another thread on it so here it goes. So a few days ago, Trump had his Madison square rally with the racist intro, which was going viral through the media making Trump look bad. Which means that in order to appear non-biased the media has to scrounge around to find a story that makes Harris look bad. So they settled on a gaffe that Biden made. > And just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Well, let me tell you something. I don’t — I — I don’t know the Puerto Rican that — that I know —or a Puerto Rico, where I’m fr— in my home state of Delaware, they’re good, decent, honorable people. The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter’s — his — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable OH! MY GOD! he called Trump supporters garbage stop the presses Harris must be stopped! The problems with is are obvious. 1. He didn’t actually call them garbage it was just poor wording. What he meant, and this fits the transcript, is that the only garbage is Trump’s supporters’ garbage disinformation. 2. Even if he did call them garbage, he’s not running for president, Harris is. What do we care what he thinks. 3. Trump says worse stuff than this on a practically daily basis. Not so long ago he called for using the national guard to hunt down the enemy within. But these days being a fair and balanced media means you have to have exactly as many stories about how bad one party is as you have about how bad the other party is. Just like to be a fair sports referee you have to call the same number of fouls for each team regardless of what they do on the field. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/2 "2024-10-31T17:51:20Z")
I’ve been seeing a lot of variations of this lately: [![](https://i.imgur.com/2yWx9Ph.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/2yWx9Ph.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/3 "2024-10-31T17:53:32Z")
It was pretty well discussed in a P&E thread: ``` https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kamala-harris-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-presidential-election-no-more-on-guns/1004571/2187?u=davidnrockies ``` But I can heartily endorse the pitting. I don’t know how much of it is ‘bothsidesism’ vs. the generic ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ pursuit of eyeballs. But it’s pretty bad. It shouldn’t _only_ be incumbent on Harris/Biden surrogates to explain what he _actually_ said, and how that does _not_ support the damning RW accusation, but – in general – it seems they really can’t be bothered. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/4 "2024-10-31T18:35:59Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Even if he did call them garbage, he’s not running for president, Harris is. What do we care what he thinks. [post snipped by me] The excuse that I’ve seen the MAGA contingent spout in response to this is “Tony Hinchcliffe isn’t running for office, either! Why do you care what he thinks?” ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/5 "2024-10-31T18:46:46Z")
I think it’s the sensational nature of having a sitting President describe the followers of the other party as “garbage”, not some misguided two-sides kind of thing. The real failing here is to view this as sort of like two teams going at it, when it’s not. That’s why the right looks at it like AOC saying something, means that she’s speaking for the entire party. And if Biden says anything about Trump or the GOP, he’s speaking on behalf of the entire party and on behalf of the Harris/Walz campaign. Which isn’t actually true, but that’s how some people think. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/6 "2024-10-31T18:48:38Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I think it’s the sensational nature of having a sitting President describe the followers of the other party as “garbage”, {…} But he really _didn’t_ do that, which is kind of the point. Maybe it’s yet another Rorschach Test in 21st Century American politics, but – reading the actual transcript – I don’t see it as him having denigrated Trump supporters, writ large. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/7 "2024-10-31T18:51:51Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > The excuse that I’ve seen the MAGA contingent spout in response to this is “Tony Hinchcliffe isn’t running for office, either! Why do you care what he thinks?” The difference I would say is that Hinchcliffe was speaking at a Trump rally with his remarks vetted by Trumps staff, and cheered by Trump’s crowd. Biden was having an interview that Harris had no control over. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/8 "2024-10-31T18:53:16Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I think it’s the sensational nature of having a sitting President describe the followers of the other party as “garbage” didn’t that happen pretty much every couple of weeks between 2017 and 2020? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/9 "2024-10-31T19:20:37Z")
Trump supporters _are_ garbage. They’ve seen everything he has done, heard all of his bullshit lies, naked desire to be an autocrat, stream-of-consciousness gibberish, and threats against political opponents, and have decided to support him anyway. Biden clearly had a ‘senior moment’ in which he stumbled over his words and accidentally said the unvarnished truth out loud, but he’s not wrong even if he didn’t mean to say it so plainly. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/10 "2024-10-31T19:29:22Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Trump supporters _are_ garbage. Whoa there, now you’ve done it. If you hadn’t been so _gosh darned rude_, certainly they would have voted for Harris. So now they’re basically _forced_ to vote for Trump! Which they totally wouldn’t have before! ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/11 "2024-10-31T19:35:07Z")
Totally agree with everything said in this thread, but also: fer cryin’ out loud Biden, can’t you just keep your mouth shut for another week? (Kinda like Bannon getting out of prison the other day: couldn’t you have kept him in just a week longer?) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/12 "2024-10-31T19:41:15Z")
I’m so over the media, at this point. They clearly have priorities that clash with normal peoples. Trump news, whatever it is, is covered big-time. Because it makes people watch. When I saw Trump in the orange vest in the garbage truck, I lost respect for CNN. Even PBS is doing it. You still have to wait all day to see their coverage. I’ve turned CNN off til election day. I can’t deal with it. If something real bad happens, I’ll read it in the paper or on here, eventually. I’ll say it loud and proud, Trump is a piece of garbage and so are his stoopid MAGAs. I don’t care if they know it and are offended. I just don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/13 "2024-10-31T19:44:24Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > They clearly have priorities that clash with normal peoples. I dunno. I wanna make as much money as I can with the least amount of effort or professionalism. Oh wait. I’m not normal. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/14 "2024-10-31T20:09:15Z")
MAGA has spent 10 years constantly telling us what Trump really meant when he said something stupid/evil. Now they are telling us what Biden really meant, when it’s obvious what he actually meant. I guess according to MAGA they are the ultimate arbiters of the meanings of things people say. Or they seem to think they are. It’s amazing that they don’t see this pattern. Or they just don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/15 "2024-10-31T20:51:55Z")
This is why I think it’s a cult. They display all the symptoms of being endoctrinated. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/16 "2024-10-31T21:10:35Z")
As someone who calls herself PoliticsGirl named [Leigh McGowan said on CNN](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJC3fFVycpk): > I think it’s weird that we’re asking Kamala to answer for what Joe Biden said, but we’re not asking Trump to answer for what Trump says… ---
**Author:** ![Eric1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3bc359/32.png) [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/17 "2024-10-31T22:07:53Z")
I’ve been wondering what the proper term is for the administration during this election cycle, where an incumbent Harris is running, incumbent Biden’s not and former Trump is running? The administration isn’t strictly lameduck but I can’t figure how one characterizes it properly. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/18 "2024-10-31T22:29:35Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’ve been seeing a lot of variations of this lately: > [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://i.imgur.com/2yWx9Ph.jpeg) I never saw GoT (too cheap to pay for HBO), but enough detritus sheds from that show that I was able to enjoy a good chuckle. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/19 "2024-10-31T22:39:17Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > This is why I think it’s a cult. > > They display all the symptoms of being endoctrinated. Something about this typo (or misspelling) tickles me. Like there’s some kind of genetic therapy that can alter a patient’s endocrine system. (Like the ant zombie virus, or the parasite in cat feces that makes mice not afraid of them) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508/20 "2024-10-31T23:37:46Z")
So sorry…I kinda knew it was mis-spelt. I let spell check lure me into a false sense of correctness. I’ll endeavor to improve. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-media-double-standard-over-bidens-garbage-gaffe/1009508.md?page=2)