‘Is Biden attempting to sabotage Kamala’ Social media rife with hypothesis President’s newest ‘rubbish’ gaffe was deliberate

Voters have accused Joe Biden of ‘deliberate sabotage’ of Kamala Harris‘s campaign as analysts warn that the President’s latest gaffe may have cost her the election.

Speculation that Biden, who during a campaign event last night called Donald Trump‘s supporters ‘garbage’, is intentionally damaging her campaign as ‘revenge’ for being forced to drop his re-election bid has flooded social media today.

Biden, 81, was blasted for ‘hijacking’ Harris’ closing argument speech at the Ellipse by stealing headlines away from her remarks. Some users even went as far as alleging that he ‘hates’ the Democratic nominee.

Trump and Harris, 60, are heading into Tuesday’s vote neck-and-neck, with opinion polls showing that the Democrat‘s lead has ‘steadily shrunk’ since last month. Several leading bookies have also cut their odds on a Trump victory to 65 percent

But analysts warn Biden’s gaffe couldn’t have come a worse time, alleging it has ‘introduced a divisive distraction’ in the presidential race and ‘undercuts her ability to unify key groups’ ahead of Election Day next week.

During a call Tuesday organized by a Hispanic advocacy group, Biden said the ‘only garbage’ he sees floating out there are Trump supporters. 

He was responding to a comic at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday who said Puerto Rico is a ‘floating island of garbage.’

Biden later clarified his remarks, saying in a post on the social platform X that he was referring to ‘hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter’ at the rally.

Both Harris and her running mate Tim Walz, 60, have distanced themselves from the remarks, but speculation has run rampant online that Biden is ‘genuinely, actively trying to sabotage’ to their campaign.

‘I’m now entirely convinced that Joe Biden is actively trying to sabotage Kamala Harris’ campaign,’ one X user tweeted after the gaffe.

‘Biden got kicked off the team so he’s sticking it to the owners… Party sabotage at its finest. Well played sir,’ another wrote, signing their tweet ‘Yours truly, floating garbage’.

‘If there was EVER confirmation that Joe Biden despises Kamala Harris and wants to sabotage her Presidential run, it is him hijacking her closing pitch by calling half of America “garbage”,’ argued another. 

One user said: ‘Kamala Harris had her best momentum with this stupid Puerto Rico narrative at a great time for her and Joe Biden just comes in like a wrecking ball to once again sabotage her campaign.’

Another added: ‘No one hates Kamala Harris more than Joe Biden.’ 

Several users suggested that Biden was seeking ‘revenge’ with his commentary.

‘Joe Biden is intentionally sabotaging Kamala’s campaign as payback for ousting him. I love it,’ one person penned.

‘Anyone who watched Biden debate Paul Ryan in 2012 knows that he is a complete and total jerk and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he is truly trying to sabotage Kamala as revenge for being forced to drop out,’ echoed another.

One user argued that Biden is a ‘politician through and through’ and ‘his garbage comment towards half the country was no mistake’. They added: ‘His diminishing mental capacity which allowed the coup also gives him plausible deniability to sabotage methodically.’

Some X users exercised skepticism, suggesting that Biden may not be intentionally hurting Harris’ campaign. One even alleged the gaffe might have been the work of a member of his staff.

‘At this point, I can’t tell if Biden’s trying to sabotage Kamala or help her,’ one person tweeted. ‘On the one hand, him sucking all the air out of her closing pitch means no one will hear it. And on the other hand, him sucking all the air out of her closing pitch means… no one will hear it.’

Another said: ‘I don’t necessarily think Joe Biden was purposely trying to sabotage Kamala’s campaign. But I absolutely think Biden’s staffers, who can’t stand Kamala’s staffers, are more than willing to put him in front of a camera and a microphone, and let the chips fall where they may.’

Harris on Wednesday said she disagrees ‘with any criticism of people based on who they vote for’, reacting after Biden’s boneheaded ‘garbage’ gaffe.

‘I will represent all Americans, including those who don’t vote for me,’ the vice president said.

She made the comment to reporters as she prepared to campaign in three states. Her words were an attempt to blunt the controversy over Biden’s rhetoric with less than a week until the end of the campaign.

Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, said Harris’ unity message wasn’t undermined by Biden’s remark and told CBS Mornings that the President ‘was very clear that he’s speaking about the rhetoric we heard, so it doesn’t undermine it.’

Harris argued the case for her candidacy in a speech Tuesday night in Washington in which she promised to be an inclusive president.

Walz was also asked about Biden’s comments when he appeared on ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ and said the president had issued a clarification.

‘Let’s be very clear, the vice president and I have made it absolutely clear that we want everyone as a part of this. Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric is what needs to end,’ Walz said.

However, analysts warn the gaffe may have a devastating impact on the race as it ‘shifts the narrative’ away from Harris’s qualifications and instead focuses on Biden’s rhetoric.

‘Just as Harris was building momentum with the fallout from Trump’s MSG rally, Biden’s remark has introduced a divisive distraction, and, in the least, levels the moral high ground the Harris campaign was hoping to maintain,’ Ryan Waite, VP of Public Affairs at ThinkBig, told DailyMail.com.

‘Instead of capitalizing on her recent traction, Harris is left managing the fallout, which undercuts her ability to unify key groups at a critical moment.’

Communications expert Adrienne Uthe also warned: ‘Harris’s chances are now intricately tied to her ability to distinguish her platform and maintain voter confidence despite these distractions. 

‘In a high-stakes situations, moments like these can indeed push undecided voters and impact critical swing states.’

Trump’s chance of victory in November rose to 65 per cent overnight, according to the latest data from Betfair Exchange, which bookies suggest is a response to the ‘garbage’ gaffe.

Just five days ago, the odds of Trump winning the White House were at 5/7 (58 per cent) but shot to 8/15 (65 per cent) after the gaffe. The odds of a Harris victory, as of Wednesday morning, were 9/5 or 36 per cent.

Bet365 and Paddy Power, two other leading bookmakers, slashed Trump’s odds from 1/2 (66.7 per cent) to 10/21 (67.7 per cent) and 4/9 (69.2 per cent) respectively.

The ‘garbage’ controversy comes after Biden appeared to undercut Harris at least four times during the critical final stages of the 2024 race.

He made a surprise White House briefing room appearance during one of her rallies and praised Ron DeSantis‘ response to the hurricanes that devastated his state, while she accused him of playing politics. 

Ten anonymous insiders earlier this month also alleged that resentment from bruised Biden aides has led to friction within the party, according to Axios.

While Biden’s inner circle is throwing its weight behind Harris to beat Trump, staffers are understood to still be wounded by how their boss was unceremoniously pushed off of the Democratic ticket.

Some Harris aides say that White House staffers are intentionally not working with Biden’s messaging and schedule to align it with what would best benefit the 2024 candidate’s campaign, according to the Axios report.

Harris’ team has also accused White House staff of dragging their feet on getting people hired to the campaign team. A White House official denied this was the case. 

Biden faced a slew of pressure from his party to drop out of his reelection campaign after his disastrous debate performance against Trump in June.

For about a month, the president pushed back on the pressure, claiming he intended to see it through to November.

But on July 21, Biden announced he was ending his bid and endorsed his No. 2 to take over the campaign.

Even Trump, 78,  has alleged there is a rift in the White House, claiming Biden ‘can’t stand [Harris] for one simple reason, she overthrew him’.

‘But she didn’t do it, the party did,’ he previously told Fox News. ‘It was really a coup. I mean, he’s a very angry guy. I think he looks better now because now we’re comparing him to her.’