CNN host Kaitlan Collins lambasts top Dem for trying to downplay Biden's 'Trump supporters are garbage' slur

CNN's Kaitlan Collins fire back at Democrat Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro for trying to downplay President Joe Biden's statement saying that 'Trump supporters are garbage.'

In an interview with Shapiro, Collins asked him about Biden's response to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe calling Puerto Rico a 'floating island of garbage' at Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday.

While speaking with a Latino advocacy group on Tuesday, Biden said 'the only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.'

Shapiro said that was the first time he heard Biden's comment.

'I would never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any Americans even if they chose to support a candidate that I didn't support,' he said.

'I think the real issue here is Donald Trump and his inability to simply say comments like that are wrong - to simply stand up for his fellow Americans. He is incapable of doing that.'

The governor then shifted the conversation to Trump and how he 'divided' people, describing the Republican presidential nominee as 'dangerous.'

Collins questioned the White House's attempt at damage control following the remark by releasing a transcript stating the president said 'supporter's' - referring to Hinchcliffe - instead of 'supporters.'

'It's hard to really look at that when you can listen to it for yourself,' Collins said of the transcript. 

She then asked Shapiro: 'Do you think the president needs to come out and clarify that comment?'

The governor responded: 'I think President Biden will decide what he wants to say.

'It's certainly not words I would choose. I think it's important that we remain focused on the contrast between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and not attacking supporters of either candidate.'

The Trump campaign has broken its silence over Hinchcliffe's controversial comment, with spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt telling Fox & Friends: 'It was a diverse group of people. The joke fell flat.

'Look, it was a comedian who made a joke in poor taste.

'Obviously, that joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or our campaign.'

Trump fired back at Biden on Tuesday for the president's remark.

'Wow, that's what [Biden] says… garbage. I think it's worse [than deplorables],' he said at a rally, referring to Hillary Clinton's now-infamous 2016 rant about the 'basket of deporables' who supported Trump during his first run.

'Please forgive him for he knoweth not what he say,' Trump added. 'Honestly he doesn't. And I'm convinced that he likes me more than he likes Kamala.'

Collins is known for her frequent clashes with Fox News and top Republicans.

Earlier this month, she called out Fox's Bret Baier for how he conducted an interview with Harris. 

Collins took particular issue with how her broadcast news colleague presented Trump's claims that the 'enemy within' the U.S. is more dangerous to him than external and foreign threats.

She has previously been criticized for being too easy on Democrats making disputed claims about Trump. 

In an August interview with Gov. Shapiro, Collins asked him about Trump's claim that antisemitism caused Shapiro to be passed up as Harris' running mate. 

'Donald Trump has absolutely no credibility to speak on that issue,' Shapiro said. 'He is a person who has acted bigoted, he is a person who spreads hate.' 

He brought up Trump's reaction to the Charlottesville riot in 2017, saying that Trump responded to neo-Nazis chanting 'Jews will not replace us' by saying 'there are good people on both sides. There were not good people on both sides!' 

Collins was slammed after interview for not pushing back on Shapiro, particularly because fact-checkers have proven Trump's remark was taken out of context.