The outcry over the now infamous "floating island of garbage" joke uttered by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump Madison Square Garden Trump rally continues to make the rounds, to the point that some analysts believe it could alter tight races in states with a considerable Puerto Rican population. From boricua celebs to politicians across the aisle, condemnation from Democrats and even some Republicans came swiftly in the aftermath.
Trump himself has been seeking to downplay the episode. During a telephone interview on Fox News during the weekend, the former president accused "the Democrats" of unfairly making a "big deal" out of the joke. "Well, I guess somebody put on a comedian and he joked," Trump said, adding that he didn't know who Hinchcliffe was and summarizing the incident as "one comedian telling one little joke early in the show when nobody had even started going into the arena."
Florida Senator Marco Rubio weighed in on the infamous joke, echoing Trump's tone and seeking to avoid putting any blame on the Republican presidential candidate himself. "A comedian made a joke, and it was tasteless, but it wasn't Trump that said it, it wasn't — this guy's not gonna be in his Cabinet," Rubio told CBS News's Margaret Brennan on "Face the Nation," adding that "this comedian's not gonna be a member of his government, he's certainly not running for anything."
Rubio also added:
"In hindsight, the guy probably doesn't get invited, OK?. Especially with a joke like that."
MARCO RUBIO: There was no unforced error. A comedian made a joke and it was tasteless, but it wasn't Trump who said it.
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 3, 2024
BRENNAN: At a Trump rally
RUBIO: Yeah, he spoke two hours before Trump pic.twitter.com/uDRG7VMoWz
Rubio's comments are a stark contrast with those of Rick Scott, the other Republican Florida Senator. The day after the MSG rally, Scott posted a critique of the joke on his X account, while also praising the Puerto Rican community in the process:
This joke bombed for a reason. It's not funny and it's not true. Puerto Ricans are amazing people and amazing Americans! I’ve been to the island many times. It’s a beautiful place. Everyone should visit! I will always do whatever I can to help any Puerto Rican in Florida or on… https://t.co/b00eYWkx85
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) October 27, 2024
Florida has the highest share of people of Puerto Rican origin in the country with 5.6% of the state's total population, amounting to more than 1.2 million people. A poll conducted by the Puerto Rico Research Hub at the University of Central Florida during the last two weeks revealed that 85% of Puerto Ricans would vote for Harris, while only 8% expressed support for Trump and 6% indicated they would consider a third-party candidate.
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