Shortly after former President Donald Trump answered questions from a garbage truck while wearing a reflective vest on Wednesday, CBS News anchor Norah O’Donnell criticized the Republican nominee’s “campaign stunt” and asserted that President Joe Biden’s characterization of Trump supporters as “garbage” was a “gaffe.”

O’Donnell opened the “CBS Evening News” reporting on Trump’s garbage truck press conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin, saying that it is “proof that he and his supporters are giving no grace to a gaffe by President Biden where he, in his explanation, inadvertently called Trump supporters garbage.”

The CBS News anchor, who moderated the vice presidential debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, also commended Vice President Kamala Harris for “distancing herself from the negativity.”

“Both campaigns are locking their focus on the battleground states. Vice President Kamala Harris rallied in North Carolina and Pennsylvania today and is in Wisconsin tonight. Former President Donald Trump was in North Carolina earlier, and tonight, he is also in Wisconsin,” O’Donnell said.

“He landed in Green Bay just a short time ago and then pulled this campaign stunt, speaking to reporters from a garbage truck, proof that he and his supporters are giving no grace to a gaffe by President Biden where he, in his explanation, inadvertently called Trump supporters garbage,” she continued.

“This, of course, was in response to that racist joke about floating garbage told at a Trump rally just last weekend. Vice President Harris is distancing herself from the negativity and trying to drive home her unifying message that if elected, she will represent all Americans,” O’Donnell added.

CBS's Norah O'Donnell opens the 'CBS Evening News' mad about Trump's garbage truck "stunt" and that people are "giving" Biden any "no grace" for calling Trump supporters "garbage" last night:

"Both campaigns are locking their focus on the battleground states. Vice President… pic.twitter.com/qLAfynERaG

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 31, 2024

After labeling half the country as “garbage” on Tuesday, Biden released a statement claiming that he was referring to Trump’s supporter’s “hateful rhetoric.”

“Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation,” Biden wrote.

The White House transcript of Biden’s remarks also placed an apostrophe after “supporters,” defending the president’s claim that he was talking about Trump supporters’ “demonization of Latinos” as “garbage.” The transcript was blasted by Republicans who accused the White House of “releasing a false transcript.”

“The move is not only craven, but it also appears to be a violation of federal law, including the Presidential Records Act of 1978,” wrote Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and James Comer (R-KY) in a letter to White House Counsel Edward Siskel.