Kamala Harris has attempted to distance herself from Joe Biden's comments about Donald Trump's supporters, which have attracted backlash in the final days of the campaign.
"He clarified his comments," Ms Harris said on Wednesday, local time. "But let me be clear: I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for."
On Tuesday, the president was condemning a joke made by a comedian at a recent Trump rally when he appeared to describe the former president's supporters as "garbage".
The White House argues Mr Biden was referring to "hateful rhetoric" and not the supporters themselves.
The Trump campaign has seized on the remarks.
The vice-president has tried to limit the damage to her own campaign.
"You heard my speech last night and continuously throughout my career," Ms Harris told reporters as she prepared to board a flight for a campaign event in North Carolina.
"I believe that the work that I do is about representing all the people, whether they support me or not.
"And as president the United States, I will be a president for all Americans whether you vote for me or not."
Asked if she had spoken to Mr Biden about his comments, Ms Harris said: "He did call me last night but this didn't come up."
At a Harris rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, some attendees said Mr Biden's comment was unhelpful.
"That was a terrible statement," said Justin Warren.
"It could have been a slip or a gaffe on his part.
"For those who are actually supporting Trump, I get it, I understand, but I think they're misguided."
Mia Caldonetti said she believed the vice-president wanted to "separate herself" from the president and prove she would be her own leader.
"Last week she was on a Fox News interview where she, as she's repeatedly said, she will never insult the American people.
"And I think that getting that out to their viewers, mainly Trump supporters, they'll understand that that's not Kamala Harris."
Beth Kanagy said she was tired of the vitriol she'd been hearing generally during the campaign.
"It's not how we should be as a people," she said. "But the president can say what he wants – we all have the first amendment, he can say what he wants, and he was pushing back on what he was hearing."
The former president used his own rally in North Carolina to hit back.
"Joe Biden finally said what he and Kamala really think of our supporters. He called them garbage," Trump said, as the crowd booed.
"And they mean it, even though, without question, my supporters are far higher quality than crooked Joe or lyin' Kamala."
Mr Biden made the comments during a Zoom call with grassroots get-out-the-vote group Voto Latino.
He was referring to a joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally in New York on Sunday.
Hinchcliffe said: "There's literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it's called Puerto Rico."
According to the official White House transcription of his comments, Mr Biden said: "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter's — his — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it's un-American."
Mr Biden later tweeted:
"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."
Trump's campaign argues Mr Biden was clearly calling Trump's supporters "garbage". It's made comparisons to a comment made by Trump's 2016 election opponent, Hillary Clinton, when she referred to some of his supporters as a "basket of deplorables".
Trump has also said he had "no idea" who the comedian was.
"They put a comedian in, which everybody does — you throw comedians in, you don't vet them and go crazy. It's nobody's fault," he told Fox News.
Both Ms Harris and Trump are campaigning in multiple key states on Wednesday in the final sprint to the November 5 election.
