WASHINGTON - Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio said in a campaign rally on the afternoon of Nov 4 that “in two days, we’re going to take out the trash, and the trash’s name is Kamala Harris”, moments after asserting that US Vice-President Harris had “disrespect” and “even hatred” for some Americans.

       In one of his last appearances on the campaign trail in Atlanta, Mr Vance sought to strike a contrast between Ms Harris’ campaign and former president Donald Trump’s campaign, urging Americans not to discard family relationships and friendships over politics. He made that plea after referring to President Joe Biden’s remarks that denounced the racist language at Trump’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden in New York but appeared to insult Trump supporters as “garbage”.

       Mr Vance told the crowd that “here in our movement, we love every citizen of this country”. Thirty-five seconds later, Mr Vance described the Vice-President as trash. The crowd roared its approval, with many giving Mr Vance a standing ovation. Mr Vance smiled as the audience began chanting his name.

       On Nov 3 and 4, Mr Vance had deployed a similar version of the line, but without directly name-calling Ms Harris as “trash”. In Raleigh, North Carolina, on Nov 3, Mr Vance said: “None of our fellow citizens, whatever their politics, are garbage for thinking that Kamala Harris has done a bad job. In just two short days, we’re going to take out the trash in Washington DC.”

       Trump’s campaign and his supporters have embraced Mr Biden’s garbled remarks denouncing the Madison Square Garden speaker. Last week in Wisconsin, Trump sat in a Trump-branded garbage truck and gave a speech wearing a garbage collector’s orange reflector vest. Some supporters have taken to wearing garbage bags to Trump events.

       Mr Vance at first dismissed the backlash against the racist remarks at Madison Square Garden, saying “we have to stop getting so offended at every little thing in the United States of America”. He quickly seized on Mr Biden’s “garbage” remarks, however, and mentioning it became a staple of his campaign rallies.

       In a previous appearance in Raeford, North Carolina, in October, Mr Vance also said that “I think Kamala Harris legitimately is a crazy person”, moments after lamenting that he had lost friendships over politics since becoming the vice-presidential nominee. NYTIMES