Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesday that she “strongly” disagrees with criticizing people based on who they vote for, appearing to distance herself from President Joe Biden’s “garbage” gaffe. President Joe Biden took a swipe against Donald Trump's supporters on Tuesday as he reacted to the Republican presidential nominee's weekend rally at Madison Square Garden, which was overshadowed by crude and racist rhetoric. In a call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino, Biden responded to a comic at Trump's rally who called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Biden's initial comments were garbled. “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 don’t know the Puerto Rican that I know, the Puerto Rico where I’m fr -- in my home state of Delaware. They’re good, decent honorable people,” he said. The president then added: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden “referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage.’” Biden then took to social media to personally clarify what he said. “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,” he posted on X. “His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.” In referring to Trump's supporters as “garbage,” however, Biden's tone was at odds with the message that Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is seeking to present as she aims to cast a broad appeal, including to disaffected Republicans. Shortly after Biden's comments, Harris spoke from the Ellipse in Washington, vowing to be a president who would unite the country. “I pledge to be a president for all Americans,” said Harris, who is Biden's vice president. Republicans quickly highlighted Biden's remark. Trump called up Florida Sen. Marco Rubio during his rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to recount what happened. “Moments ago Joe Biden stated that our supporters, our patriots, are garbage,” Rubio said. ”He’s talking about everyday Americans who love their country.” Read more: https://www.9news.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-suggests-trump-supporters-are-garbage-puerto-rico/507-fa362739-340e-4d3a-80bb-db2b0a3ae862 Video source: CNN More local videos here: https://bit.ly/2Pa0d1l Subscribe to NEXT: http://bit.ly/2eP1GwI Stay connected: 9NEWS Website: http://www.9news.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilike9news Twitter: https://twitter.com/9NEWS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/9newsdenver/ Download the 9NEWS App: https://www.9news.com/appredirect/ Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTER: https://www.9news.com/email 9NEWS (KUSA) is located in Denver, Colorado.