Donald Trump was struggling Monday to contain a fierce backlash to racist rhetoric targeting Puerto Ricans at his weekend rally, just eight days ahead of a presidential election that could be determined by the Latino vote.
The Republican was seeking to spell out his closing pitch and energize his base with the extravaganza at New York's Madison Square Garden but made news instead for a series of crass remarks from allies giving warm-up speeches.
Residents of Puerto Rico, an American island territory in the Caribbean, cannot take part in U.S. elections but the diaspora living in the United States numbers almost six million, according to Pew Research Center, and is eligible to vote.
They could have significant sway in the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania, which has the fourth-largest concentration of Puerto Rican residents after Florida, New York and New Jersey.
"Who wants to tell these guys there are HALF A MILLION Puerto Ricans living in Battleground PA, whose votes are up for grabs?" former Trump White House aide Alyssa Farah Griffin posted on X.
During the rally, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe joked about the territory being a "floating island of garbage" and made further racist remarks about African Americans and Hispanic immigrants' sex lives.
Other speakers made sexist and crude remarks about Trump's election rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, ensuring that the rhetoric upstaged Trump's big policy rollout, a tax credit for home caregivers.
Trump's campaign -- which doesn't typically acknowledge missteps -- didn't respond to a request for comment but told U.S. media outlets the garbage joke did not reflect Trump's views, and that Hinchcliffe's set had not been vetted.
In a potent split screen, the scandal blew up as Harris was speaking at a Puerto Rican restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's largest city, where she outlined plans to boost the territory's electrical grid.
Moments after Hinchcliffe's remarks, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny -- one of the world's top Hispanic celebrities -- shared Harris's plan with millions of social media followers.
And Trump supporter and Republican Florida senator Rick Scott, who is in a tight race for reelection against a Latina congresswoman, was among Republican politicians and strategists who voiced anger on X.
"This joke bombed for a reason. It's not funny and it's not true," he posted, while the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which has around three dozen members, called the rally "shameful."
Elisa Covarrubias, 42, an activist working to get out the Latino vote in Georgia, called the Trump event a "big political mistake" and said it "makes you feel that the Republicans don't want us here, in this country."
Harris, on the campaign trail in Michigan, told reporters the rally highlighted how Trump is "focused, and actually fixated, on his grievances, on himself and on dividing our country."
"If he were elected, on day one he's going to be sitting in the Oval Office, working on his enemies list," she said.
"On day one, if I'm elected president of the United States, which I fully intend to be, I will be working on behalf of the American people on my to-do list."
Speaking to reporters as he voted Monday, President Joe Biden called the scandal "embarrassing" and "beneath a president."
© 2024 AFP
74 Comments
TaiwanIsNotChina
Trump has always wallowed in filth. Not sure why people are surprised by this.
dagon
Yeah, MAGA creates its own October Surprise, compounding the attack on Haitian Americans, by having that fool make some non joke aa Trump's MSG rally opening.
https://theconversation.com/us-election-puerto-rican-voters-could-deliver-donald-trump-an-unwelcome-october-surprise-242326
Some Puerto Ricans are conservative but don't like some pale MAGA shill making fun of them on stage.
bass4funk
And the hits and misses on Trump happen daily and the Dems are now trying this again?
https://x.com/themattbrowne/status/1850863127048462649?s=46&t=YGWP_lcRZjddiWlx4QxURQ
Doesn’t seem so
plasticmonkey
The Trump campaign should air a clip of him tossing rolls of paper towels to Puerto Ricans in 2017. To show everyone how much Trump "cares".
/s
He complained to Puerto Ricans in 2017 that "you've thrown our budget a little out of whack... but that's fine".
So the tone of the MSG rally was in keeping with MAGA's general views on people of color.
DaDude
Tony Hinchcliffe hosts a weekly show called "Kill Tony" that you can watch on Youtube. Comedians of all races, religions, genders, disabilities and political leanings spend their segments roasting each other. This show has been around for several years, filmed in a very liberal city, millions of followers and nobody ever complains about it. Why now?
bass4funk
And then?
He sure did.
Not even close.
plasticmonkey
Are you suggesting that Tony Hinchcliffe is a Democrat plant? And that Ray Epps was spotted backstage?
Joe
Trump is a racist scumbag and he approved that speaker so it’s on him.
plasticmonkey
Um, because he's making the "joke" in support of presidential candidate Donald Trump?
Mr Kipling
Not a Trump fan but it was a comedian speaking, it was a joke. And like many good jokes had an element of truth. But maybe not such a good idea to give the opposition some ammunition a week before the vote.
Joe
The comments of SEVERAL speakers, not just that “comedian” would have gotten any one of us fired from any company doing business with the public.
But Trump’s goober cult laps it up and since it’s “only a joke” it’s not racist /s.
bass4funk
How? His grandkids are Jewish, he dated a few Black woman in the past, his son-in-law is jewish, his best friend is Black, he had a Black woman living with him in the White House, so not sure how the left want to spin that ruse, but I'm sure they'll try and find a way
dagon
Who cares? Another worthless podcaster?
But only he was featured at Trump's blowout MSG MAGA rally attacking minorities along with xenophobic rants from others.
Coincidence ?
MAGA rhetoric is as weak as ... but to get real I am worried about the economy and that is something Harris can address fast. But will she?
A real progressive initiative will Trump Trump on the economy and his plan to reduce inflation by deporting migrants and jacking up tariffs.
garymalmgren
Elisa Covarrubias, 42, an activist working to get out the Latino vote in Georgia, called the Trump event a "big political mistake" and said it "makes you feel that the Republicans don't want us here, in this country."
Got news for you Elisa, Hispanics are just one group that "Republicans" don't want
Joe
But his team approved the speakers and loaded pre-screened remarks onto the teleprompter so it absolutely does reflect the view of Trump, his racist campaign and his racist xenophobic base of cultists.
stormcrow
Hate rally . . . The only thing missing was the audience singing a version of "Amerika Uber All" at the end. Scary stuff.
Joe
From the “Some of my best friends are (insert minority here)” school of racism denial. lol.
Trump discriminated against blacks in his housing. He had blacks removed as dealers at his bankrupt casinos and of course there was his “many fine people on both sides” deflection to the “Jews will not replace us” rally.
He’s a racist who courts racists.
And we got to see it on live tv yesterday.
bass4funk
According to whom?
It was a joke, he is a comedian, they often tell jokes that might be offensive
Not according to the polls
She can’t, she and her boss screwed it up over the last three years and as with most Marxists and Socialists money in their hands is the equivalent to putting oil and water together.
Illegal, not legal.
bass4funk
We see that this is not the case. Trump has doubled his lead with Hispanics, they already know what a joke is and that legal Americans are not the issue.
CigarLUV88
Dagon it’s only the truth that people like you hate! Tony said absolutely nothing about Puerto Ricans, but about the seriousness of the trash problem on the island.
But since the leftist media refuses to report on the problem there it’s no wonder people didn’t get the jest of the joke.
So why isn’t the media in an uproar over George Lopez’s joke.? Because the left is full of hypocrites.
funkymofo
Harris leads Trump with Hispanic voters in every single poll.
dagon
Maybe he should have been talking about the Trump Tower. That would have been funnier and less MAGA and racist.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a50060/someone-barely-cleaned-up-the-trump-dump/
Hopefully the blow-back on this is epic and tanks Trump.
Then get ready for the whining and 'stop the steal'.
bass4funk
Very true, but if she loses even 8% of either the Black or Latino vote that can be very problematic in an election as close as this.
bass4funk
It would have bombed especially the MAGA, racist and immigrant jokes given the history of Trump building the skylines,
Most likely not
We are ready for Dem outrage
lincolnman
On the defensive? More like it SURRENDERED....
Trump just gave us all a "goodbye party" at his NYC rally....he raised the white flag over the Garden....
He told us clearly that he knows he's going to lose, and his next "gig" is back to entertaining the racist MAGA-masses, who love a good 'old revival-style cross burning...
He already looks a little like Jim Bakker and all Melania has to do is add a little eye makeup to look like Tammy Faye...
Just call his next show "The Deplorables"...
DaDude
Didn't seem to bother for the past several years he has been having on of the top comedics in the country. Why haven't you been in Austin, Texas front lines protesting this show if you are so disturbed by it?
ok1517
The damage has been done!
Read from a prompter - so approved b Trump and others like him.
Besides tis wasn't the first time that he and his buddies insulted others!
They are so good at that - insulting, instigating, dividing and so on!
dagon
Havw you been attending?
' You know, I had a few Pina coladas in San Juan. Thought there was some trash there but then spent a night at Trump Tower! Let me tell you!'
Joe
Nope. They were ranting about Latinos in general and not undocumented immigrants. They were also slagging on PR who are Americans.
But trying to split hairs is what his racist xenophobic base does.
bass4funk
I beg to differ
Oh, Really?
And the left continue to try so, so very hard
Underworld
bass4funk
Harris leads Trump with Hispanic voters in every single poll
And so you would think not making Latino or Black racist jokes at your rally would be a good thing.
ulysses
Yes sir, Puerto Ricans are very happy to get insulted, so do other Latinos, African Americans, who doesn’t like insults????
Sir, it says Donald’s campaign is out of money, is that true?????
ulysses
Sir, it’s a sad day when you need to beg, but then MAGA is going through hard times!!!
Yes sir and they are succeeding , I am outraged!!!!
Underworld
bass4funk
Trump is a racist scumbag and he approved that speaker so it’s on him.
The old "I have a black friend, so I can't be racist" trope.
Peter Neil
sheesh. high school students wouldn’t vote for someone as class president who ranted and raved, lied, spread false information, fomented hate and division and called their opponents vile childish names.
when high school students have more common sense and brains than yahoo adults, the country is in real trouble.
CigarLUV88
Tony was funny and the crowd let him know that joke wasn’t funny but most of them had no idea what the context of the joke was actually about.
I love seeing Puerto Ricans coming out today and supporting Trump and letting people know they were not offended by the joke because they know how corrupt the democratic lead government of Puerto Rico really is!
Underworld
Donald Trump was struggling Monday to contain a fierce backlash to racist rhetoric targeting Puerto Ricans at his weekend rally, just eight days ahead of a presidential election that could be determined by the Latino vote.
Trump never apologizes, but now he's scrambling to control the damage.
lincolnman
After the manic and panic from our MAGA-friends yesterday, it seems reality is finally dawning on them today...
The light has come on and they are resigned to Trump imploding and giving up in the last days before the election...
Their posts today lack the usual extreme faux bluster and fake chest-beating...
That will help them cope with their blowout loss in Nov 5th...at least for some...
Blacklabel
Actually no it didn’t. Home caregivers heard the message from Trump.
the left just trying to deflect from policy to emotional response, as always.
he packed MSG in deep blue NYC without lying that Beyoncé was going to perform.
That such an amazing achievement regardless of what some other speakers said.
they aren’t running for President, Trump is. And emotion doesn’t pay the bills, policy does.
Jimizo
Very unusual for them to do this. MAGA going all ‘woke’.
Trump needs to be more selective in his choice of celebs.
Should’ve called Chachi.
ulysses
Loud and clear sir, but most say they don’t believe donald!!!
Very emotional sir, donald’s lack of emotion and intelligence is legendary!!!
Sir, donald is better than Beyoncé, have you seen him dance???
Amazing beyond belief sir, people say donald is hemorrhaging votes after the rally!!!
Sir, donald cannot run, but boy can he waddle !!!
wallace
Can the Trump campaign sink any lower?
Some dude
Can the Trump campaign sink any lower?
They'd probably take that as a challenge.
Ken
Don't forget how he tried to pit Hispanic and black people against one another with the "they are taking black jobs" but the more recent wake up call is letting people see Trumps true colors. No apology came from Trump for any of that but he wants voters from the Hispanic and black community? He must be as good at being a jester as he is being a conman
lincolnman
You really have to watch the video or read a transcript of this clown doing his jokes...I won't cite them here as I'm sure they would be removed - they're that bad...but you can read them at this link...
https://www.yahoo.com/news/fox-friends-immediately-walks-back-135057195.html
It's beyond the usual Trump cesspool stuff - really dark, degenerate-level hate speech...
At least three Repubs, to include Trump toady Sen Rick Scott have denounced it - not surprising given the number of Latinos in Florida...
Once again, this is Trump telling us all that this was his "swan song" - he's given up winning and is now back to being an "entertainer"...specializing in "racist humor"...
Some dude
*At least three Repubs, to include Trump toady Sen Rick Scott have denounced it - not surprising given the number of Latinos in Florida...*
I come across this guy quite a lot on my social media feeds. He's horrendous even by republican standards, a noted fraudster. If HE's speaking out against a Trump event, things really are going the wrong way for them.
(Give it a few days: "Rick Scott? Who? Oh, him. I think I met him once")
Bob Fosse
When we look back next week and say “I told you so” this will be just one of many incidents that sunk maga.
I wonder how they will give their lives meaning when 45 is gone. Conspiracies and revenge fantasies I expect.
Attilathehungry
I guess since the whole "Nazi rally" thing didn't stick, the Democrats are moving on to their next pathetic smear. It is obvious that the Harris campaign has abandoned "joy" as their message, and have moved on to "fear". I guess it is inevitable, given that they have no record worth defending and no policies worth explaining.
Ken
So you're admitting to making extra accounts to continue trolling people on here?
Jimizo
Well, you can, like, put across more than one message.
These eggheads, eh?
To be fair, it would be stupid not to capitalize on something woke MAGA itself sees as something it needs to distance itself from.
On that note, the march of wokeism is unstoppable. Even MAGA can’t resist.
Interesting.
Blacklabel
people don’t vote against the economic interests of themselves and family.
no one gonna lose a tax credit or decide to pay tax on their Social security, overtime pay or tips cause of a joke.
George Lopez made a racist and disparaging joke that Mexicans are thieves at a TT rally. Racist white leftists laughed and laughed.
It’s ok…he can say it as true, .cause he is Mexican too and he knows, say the left.
new left policy: it’s fine to be racist against your own group while people laugh.
Ken
People who became president also don't pay off porn stars nor do they tell inhumane jokes about people from other countries or play flirty with Russian dictators
Ken
George Lopez hasn't been relevant for more than 10 years and maybe you misunderstood the joke, you don't have an ounce of cultural understanding so of course you couldn't wrap your head around his joke. "Why can he say that but I can't boohoo blah"
Blacklabel
I guess the EPA and DOJ are racist too:
“The EPA and the DOJ filed a lawsuit against the municipality, alleging that the landfill posed serious threats to human health and the environment due to its poor operation of the landfill, lack of controls, steep slopes, uncovered waste, and inadequate management of leachate”
PR does in fact have huge problems with garbage and landfills.
but please continue the outrage.
ok1517
Bass,
don't know where you get your information concerning (not only) Hispanic / Latino voters.
But according to a civic engagement group (independent, may I say) it looks like this:
"In August, Harris had the support of about 60% of Latino voters compared to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s 29%, according to the poll. Both candidates increased their support of that voting bloc in October, with Harris at 64% and Trump at 31%.
The poll found that Harris’ growth has come from young Latino voters, ages 18 to 29.
In the swing states of Arizona, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, the poll found that Harris outperforms with Latino voters compared to Biden’s estimated wins among Latinos in 2020. In Arizona, Biden had 61% of the Latino vote four years ago, and Harris now polls at about 66%, the survey said.
In Pennsylvania, Biden had 69% of the Latino vote compared to Harris now polling at 77%, and in North Carolina, Biden had 57% of the Latino vote compared to Harris’ support of 67%, the poll said."
Quite the opposite of what you try to convey. But it's like Trump's great crowds, his best economy, his concepts, his family values (may I remind you, he d-xed twice so far), and so on.
Ken
The context of the comedians words made it seem like the only reason why Puerto Rico exists is just to serve as a trash site. Respectfully, you are older than me so you really should quit pretending to be special Ed like you need each and everything explained to you in the most simple terminology. We could have actual debates on here instead of this cycle of trying to explain things to someone with Alzheimer's
Blacklabel
this Tony guy has never been relevant and maybe you misunderstood the joke. Unless you are suddenly culturally Puerto Rican?
odd way to try to excuse one but not the other.
Moderator
Readers, this story will be closed for discussion for about two hours.
Underworld
Blacklabel
This isn't about the left. It's not about any policy.
It's about Trump scrambling because people who he wants to vote for him are upset by a comedian at his rally.
How stupid could he be to turn off voters days before the election.
dagon
I think there would have been a lot of 'misunderstandings' if Tony had gone with the Trump Tower dump
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a50060/someone-barely-cleaned-up-the-trump-dump/
And you know George Lopez is Mexican, not Puerto Rican right?
Just like Puerto Rico is part of the homeland of the US right?
Maybe like Don Jr.s GF you think Puerto Ricans are immigrants.
https://www.businessinsider.com/kimberly-guilfoyle-rnc-speech-puerto-rican-immigrant-us-citizenship-2020-8
The MAGA foolishness never ends.
Joe
Trump-level stupid.
And what policies?
Immigration and tariffs that will cause stagflation that made Jimmy Carter look like an amateur?
Hand maiden’s tale forced birth?
”a concept of a plan” for heath care?
Bending over for fascist thugs?
He’s a narcissistic sociopath and a stupid one at that.
And he let his goobers’ collective racist mask slip because he's addicted to adulation.
lincolnman
Wanna know how bad this debacle was for Trump - even his own campaign is now trying to do "clean up on isle 3"....
"The Trump campaign, too, has distanced itself from the comedian’s rhetoric. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, said on “Fox & Friends” on Monday that “it was a comedian who made a joke in poor taste.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-voices-frustration-disgust-over-trump-msg-rally/ar-AA1t5mAL?ocid=windirect&cvid=1f597e467b254d28b1838071dc162614&ei=54
So that's the new narrative our MAGA-friends here now need to repeat...all those previous posts trying to defend this clearly racist tirade is obsolete - now it was "in poor taste"...
Of course, the campaign knew what this guy would say before they would ever let him take the MAGA stage...
So we get another example of MAGA-world crashing, burning, then trying to gaslight everyone...
Joe
He doesn’t represent us or our thinking. We only gave him a prime slot and loaded his pre-approved remarks on the teleprompter!”
Yeah, that’ll fly…
And let’s not even begin to unpack Cucker Tarlson’s unhinged rant.
Trump is a racist scumbag and we all say it on live tv.
ulysses
Enlightening sir, you can be only offended by racism only if you are thr target of racism, you sir are brilliant!!!
Excuse what sir????
Joe
And his half-empty rally with people walking out in numbers just 30 min in.
”Overwhelming support”, ROFL.
https://x.com/BlueATLGeorgia/status/1851002864765993253
Chabbawanga
It was stupid to get Kill Tony to do a bit at a presidential rally. The guy is funny though, absolutely no filter.
ulysses
That is so great of them sir, inviting a racist to a racist rally and apologizing when the racism backfired spectacularly. I would award the ‘Noble ‘piece prize if i could!!!
Very true sir, except that he is not gaining in polls!!!
ulysses
Which polls sir????
I suggest you keep away from betting! It makes millionaires out of billionaires!!!
ulysses
Donald’s campaign is out of money, they can’t buy any more attendees
He has overwhelming support amongst proud boys!!!
Joe
Trump’s empty rally post Madison.
Maybe the entire upper deck just all needed to use the bathroom at the same time, lol.
https://x.com/BlueATLGeorgia/status/1851002864765993253
Joe
this will be their excuse for insurrection if they lose.
This is no more than laying the groundwork for political violence.
bass4funk
Amazing, the left still thinks that people believe that lie, the truth is that a lot of people at the Kamala rally walked away, because they thought they could do a beat and switch on them, and the people were expecting Beyoncé to perform and she didn’t and that kicked off a lot of people and many people left because of that, that’s the truth.