The Memo: Trump campaign struggles to contain Puerto Rico October surprise

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

10/29/24 6:00 AM ET


The Trump campaign is struggling to contain an October surprise of its own making, just one week from Election Day. A racist remark by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, one of many warm-up speakers for former President Trump at a Sunday rally in New York’s Madison Square Garden, is reverberating hard. Vice President Harris and other Democrats are working to make sure the gibe reaches the ears of as many Latino voters as possible — especially in the swing states that will decide the election.

Republicans, including Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (Ohio), are trying to minimize the damage — either by distancing themselves from what Hinchcliffe said or by suggesting that a remark made in jest should not spark such outrage. At the rally, Hinchcliffe referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” He also used other racist tropes including a reference to Black people and watermelons, and a crude reference linking procreation and immigration.

The comments were slammed as offensive in their own right. But they could also have serious electoral repercussions. More than 400,000 people born in Puerto Rico or of Puerto Rican descent live in Pennsylvania, the largest of the seven battleground states. The state is essentially deadlocked, with Trump leading Harris by just four-tenths of a percentage point in the polling average maintained by The Hill/Decision Desk HQ.

There are also tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans in other swing states, including Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina. Democratic operative Chuck Rocha, an expert on the Latino vote, told this column that he and a super PAC he advises, Nuestro PAC, had sent clips of Hinchcliffe’s remarks “to every Puerto Rican voter in Pennsylvania” on Monday.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4958098-the-memo-trump-campaign-struggles-to-contain-puerto-rico-october-surprise/

[Blue Owl]

1. Nothing quite like a self-inflicted October Surprise

That ends up taking a whole fucking leg off -- suck it Donny you fat fucking piece of shit!

[jvill]

2. It would be hysterical if the Trumplicans end up blaming this racist, dipsh!t clown for losing them the election.

[durablend]

3. Even better

Didn't his kid Baron have something to do with it?

[quakerboy]

4. what about it was a surprise?

Exactly what is surprising about racists saying racist stuff at a trump rally?

[kerouac2]

5. "A" racist remark? How about "a bunch of" racist remarks

Sheesh

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

12. EXACTLY!! You said the first thing I said when I read about that creep making "A" racist remark....I'm old enough to

count and it sounds to me that not only did cantaloupe caligula manage to shout himself in the face with a cannon BUT also in his right foot with a howizter, which is quite the feat considering that he's been stuffing his mouth with the same foot, up to the thigh. As I have ALWAYS said: "Evil by it's VERY nature will destroy itself due to backstabbing, avarice, jealousy, theft, lies, you name it."

[SWBTATTReg]

6. And the one important thing to remember among other things, is that who's next on their target of victims per the

republican hit playbook, who gets to play the evil boogeyman in their next lie/fib?

Thus far, it's been women, blacks, gays, the military people serving our great country, etc.

Maybe it's time for the republicans to throw this stupid playbook away.

[70sEraVet]

7. I'm only sorry that the guy's act wasn't LONGER!

He only had time to insult Puerto Ricans, other Hispanic immigrants, blacks, Jews and Palestinians. If he had been given enough time, he could have covered ALL minority groups.
Also, if this rally had happened a week earlier there wouldn't be so many people who regret their early voting pick.

[slightlv]

8. Other than places like Texas and (unfortunately for me, Kansas and Missouri)

I don't think trump is truly ahead of Harris anywhere, but any percent of a percentage. The R owned polls, and they're subcontractor polls, are skewed to demoralize Democrats into not feeling there's any use of us voting. It won't work. And especially not as long as they continue to let "trump be trump"... people of all stripes are fed up with the demagoguery and blackness he keeps trying to sell. People want some semblance of happiness and normalcy back again, all the while knowing that "normal" is never going to be what it used to be since trump came on the state. People are just sick at heart and sick to the stomach of all his dark evil deeds and words. I have no doubt we're going to win by a landslide in the popular vote; I think we'll easily win the EV. My only hesitation is what kind of chaos and violence he cooks up after he loses, and our DOJ's ability to stop it.

[70sEraVet]

9. It's the "chaos and violence" that tRump is depending on, right now.

That's why neither he nor Vance will issue an apology -- that might piss off some of their racists.

[Jack Valentino]

11. AND they will NEVER admit to having been wrong about ANYTHING

[Jack Valentino]

10. It was no "surprise"--- as I understand it, the line about Puerto Rico is

one of the 'signature' "jokes" of that comedian's act....


I suppose the Trump campaign IS surprised about how negative the reaction has been...

[Cha]

13. Racist REMARKS! The Puerot Rico one & about

the Latino Babies! that I know of.

TY

[4lbs]

14. Foot, meet gunshot.

Self-inflicted wound.