Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the media before boarding Air Force Two to depart for Michigan, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S. October 28, 2024.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday dismissed as “nonsense” some remarks spouted at Donald Trump‘s campaign rally in New York City a day earlier, which included a racist joke by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe about Puerto Rico.
“I’m very proud to have the support of both Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez and others, who were supporting me before that nonsense last night at Madison Square Garden,” the Democratic presidential nominee told reporters.
Superstar singers Bad Bunny and Lopez, who are Puerto Rican, highlighted Harris’ support for Puerto Rico in social media posts after Hinchliffe took a swipe at the U.S. territory.
The vice president released a plan Sunday to “build an opportunity economy for Puerto Rico” by creating a task force to foster economic growth on the island.
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe speaks during a rally for Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden, in New York, U.S., October 27, 2024.
Andrew Kelly | Reuters
On Monday, Harris said, “I think last night, Donald Trump’s event in Madison Square Garden really highlighted a point that I’ve been making throughout this campaign.”
“He is focused and actually fixated on his grievances, on himself and on dividing our country. And it is not in any way something that will strengthen the American family, the American worker,” “Harris said.
“It is absolutely something that is intended to and is fanning the fuel of trying to divide us.”
Hinchcliffe spoke to the crowd at the Garden as one of the rally’s warmup acts, well before Trump took the stage.
“There’s a lot going on. I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” Hinchcliffe said.
The comedian also said: “These Latinos, they love making babies, too. Just know that they do.”
“There’s no pulling out. They don’t do that. They come inside, just like they did to our country,” he added.
Hinchcliffe made other racist cracks during his performance.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, in a radio interview on Monday morning, noted that his state is “the proud home to about a half a million Puerto Ricans.”
Pennsylvania is a key swing state in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump campaign senior advisor Danielle Alvarez said in a statement on Hinchcliffe’s comment about Puerto Rico, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” according to NBC News.