White House Alters Transcript of President Biden's Remarks Amid Controversy

ICARO Media Group
Politics
01/11/2024 20h03

**White House Modifies Transcript of President Biden's Remarks on Trump and 'Garbage'**

In a bid to clarify President Biden's recent statements regarding the Trump campaign and "garbage" comments, the White House made unauthorized changes to the official transcript. These alterations were intended to address accusations that the President's words had been taken out of context.

The controversy centers around an apostrophe, inserted by the White House press office without the official permission of the White House Stenography Office, the nonpartisan entity responsible for maintaining the official records of presidential remarks. The head of the stenography office noted that this deviation from protocol was first brought to light by The Associated Press, highlighting the gravity of the situation given the close proximity to an upcoming election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump.

President Biden made the comments on Tuesday night during a video call with Latino supporters. He responded to derogatory remarks by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, a known Trump supporter who referred to Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage." Initially, the official transcript prepared by the stenographers quoted Biden as saying, "the only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters - his, his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it's un-American."

Republicans quickly capitalized on this statement, accusing President Biden of disparaging all Trump supporters. In an attempt to mitigate the backlash, White House officials emphasized that the President's criticism was specifically aimed at Hinchcliffe's comments. Despite efforts to consult with the supervisor's office, the press office proceeded with the changes without receiving authorization, as confirmed by sources familiar with the facts.

This situation demonstrates the sensitivity and high stakes surrounding political discourse and official communications, underscoring the critical importance of maintaining accuracy and adherence to established protocols in the transcription of presidential statements.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

Related