Slotkin slams fellow Dem Biden for 'garbage' gaffe amid heated Senate battle

"He shouldn't have said it, it's inappropriate," Slotkin said during an appearance on local radio Wednesday morning. "For me, I just think that kind of talk is the last thing we need in our politics."

"The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters," Biden said in response. "[Trump's] demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it is un-American."

The remarks were quickly compared to a legendary gaffe by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her 2016 run against Trump for president, when Clinton labeled half of Trump's supporters as belonging in "a basket of deplorables."

"The president was referencing a joke by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe in which he likened Puerto Rico to an island of floating 'garbage' in the middle of the ocean," Bates said.

But Slotkin, who is currently battling in a tight Senate race with former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, argued that Republicans and Democrats should be able to debate their differences without the "unnecessary" rhetoric used by Biden.

"Most Michiganders, I think 80% of us, just want our government to function - Democrats and Republicans to debate their issues in a civil, and reasonable way" instead of getting "into name-calling," Slotkin said. "I didn't like that, I thought it was unnecessary, but this is why I think we're all ready for this election to be over."