Stenography Office Responds To Report
In an escalating controversy over White House transparency, it’s been confirmed that officials altered the transcript of President Joe Biden’s contentious “garbage” remark, changing the wording to shift its implications. According to emails obtained by Fox News Digital, White House stenographers originally recorded Biden as saying “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” in response to incendiary remarks made at a Trump rally.
However, when the transcript was released, the White House Press Office modified the word “supporters” to “supporter’s” with an apostrophe, subtly altering the target of Biden’s criticism from Trump’s supporters at large to a specific incident involving a comedian’s offensive joke.
The internal communications reveal growing tension between the Stenography Office and the White House press team over these edits. Amy Sands, Director of White House Stenography, reminded the press office that drafts provided by stenographers are not intended for public release and should be carefully reviewed before being shared.
In another email, a senior official underscored the need for clarity and integrity in official records, stating, “If there is a difference in interpretation, the Press Office may choose to withhold the transcript but cannot edit it independently.”
Despite this reprimand, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates downplayed the situation, pointing to a subsequent tweet from Biden to clarify his intended meaning. However, whether the White House released the edited transcript to the press or the original version intended for the National Archives remains murky. The Associated Press reported that the decision to alter the transcript was made “after the press office ‘conferred with the president,’” further complicating the White House’s explanation.
Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The…
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 30, 2024
The incident has sparked an intense reaction across the political spectrum, with Trump and his supporters quick to draw comparisons to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “basket of deplorables” comment in 2016. Speaking at a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Trump described Biden’s “garbage” comment as a major misstep, quipping, “‘Garbage’ I think is worse. But he doesn’t know— you have to please forgive him. Please forgive him. For he not knoweth what he said.” Trump further dramatized his criticism by hopping into a garbage truck at an event in Green Bay, Wisconsin, clad in an orange safety vest—a move aimed at lampooning Biden’s remarks and energizing his base.
In the face of this backlash, Vice President Kamala Harris has distanced herself from Biden’s comment, asserting to reporters, “I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.” Harris noted that Biden had clarified his words but maintained that her role as Vice President is to represent all Americans, regardless of their political leanings. Though she confirmed a conversation with Biden on Tuesday night, Harris added that the “garbage” comment had not come up during their discussion.
This transcript dispute has now drawn sharp scrutiny, with critics arguing that any attempt to adjust Biden’s comments reflects poorly on the administration’s commitment to transparency. For Biden, the fallout from this episode risks damaging his appeal to moderate and undecided voters, particularly as accusations of media bias and selective editing fuel skepticism toward the mainstream narrative. Whether this blunder will have a lasting impact on the Biden-Harris campaign remains to be seen, but the incident underscores the high stakes of maintaining a coherent and consistent message in a closely watched election season.