White House officials are under scrutiny for allegedly pressuring stenographers to alter President Joe Biden’s controversial “garbage” remark, raising concerns about transparency and historical accuracy.
At a Glance
- White House press officials reportedly pressured stenographers to edit a transcript of Biden’s statement
- The alteration sought to alter the meaning of Biden’s “garbage” smear against Trump supporters
- A stenographer supervisor described this as a “breach of protocol and spoilation of transcript integrity”
- Former White House stenographer Mike McCormick stated he never witnessed such alterations during his tenure
Controversy Erupts Over Biden’s “Garbage” Remark
A storm of controversy has engulfed the White House following reports that officials pressured stenographers to edit a transcript of President Joe Biden’s remarks, specifically concerning a statement about supporters of former President Donald Trump, in which he referred to them as garbage.
According to multiple sources, the original statement made by Biden during a campaign call was, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his [Trump] supporters.” However, the official transcript was allegedly edited to suggest that Biden was referring to a comedian’s comment rather than directly insulting Trump supporters. This alteration involved adding punctuation to change the meaning of the President’s words.
Report: White House Officials Pressured Stenographers to Edit Biden’s ‘Garbage’ Smear: White House press officials reportedly pressured stenographers to cover up President Joe Biden's "garbage" smear by editing the transcript to alter its… https://t.co/YWNkwmhlqY #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/PYxeaKF7Xq
— ZBreakingNewz (@ZBreakingNewz) November 1, 2024
Breach of Protocol and Historical Integrity
The actions of the White House press officials have met with strong criticism from within the stenography office. A supervisor described the incident as “a breach of protocol and spoilation of transcript integrity between the Stenography and Press Offices.”
Mike McCormick, a former White House stenographer, expressed his surprise at the situation, stating, “I don’t recall this happening ever in my six years as Biden’s vice presidential stenographer. Nor did it happen in the one year I served President Trump or the five years I served President [George W.] Bush. What goes in the transcript is what the White House stenographer hears and transcribes.”
Political Fallout and Republican Response
The controversy has handed Republicans ammunition to rally their base ahead of the upcoming election. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was quick to respond, stating, “Just moments ago, Joe Biden stated that our supporters are garbage.” Some commentators suggested the incident will undermine attempts by Vice President Harris to promote a message of unity.
“There’s no way to spin it: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris don’t just hate President Trump, they despise the tens of millions of Americans who support him. Kamala does not deserve four more years,” Karoline Leavitt, a Republican spokesperson, said.
The White House’s response to the controversy has been muted. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre avoided directly addressing the stenographer complaint when questioned, further fueling speculation about the administration’s handling of its latest public relations crisis.
