Biden's incoming deputy chief of staff apologizes for calling Republicans 'a bunch of f---ers'

• President-elect Joe Biden's incoming deputy chief of staff, Jen O'Malley Dillon, on Thursday walked back her comments referring to Republicans as "a bunch of f---ers," Politico reported.
• "I used some words that I probably could have chosen better," O'Malley Dillon said about the comments she made earlier this week during a Glamour Magazine interview.
• O'Malley Dillon spoke to Glamour about the criticism hurled at President-elect Joe Biden on the campaign trail as he highlighted a need to restore civility in politics and to end partisan fighting.
• "In the primary, people would mock him, like, 'You think you can work with Republicans?'" O'Malley Dillon told Glamour. "I'm not saying they're not a bunch of f---ers. Mitch McConnell is terrible. But this sense that you couldn't wish for that, you couldn't wish for this bipartisan ideal? He rejected that."

President-elect Joe Biden's incoming deputy chief of staff, Jen O'Malley Dillon, expressed regret on Thursday for referring to Republicans as "a bunch of f---ers," according to Politico.

"I used some words that I probably could have chosen better," O'Malley Dillon said about comments she made earlier this week to Glamour Magazine. The apology came during a virtual event with Democratic consultants Stephanie Cutter and Teddy Goff, Politico reported.

O'Malley Dillon spoke to Glamour about criticism Biden had faced on the campaign trail for his vows to heal the country's divisive political landscape. The then-Democratic presidential candidate often touted his reputation as a moderate, and emphasized plans to reach across the aisle and end partisan fighting.

"The president-elect was able to connect with people over this sense of unity. In the primary, people would mock him, like, 'You think you can work with Republicans?'" O'Malley Dillon told Glamour. "I'm not saying they're not a bunch of f---ers. Mitch McConnell is terrible. But this sense that you couldn't wish for that, you couldn't wish for this bipartisan ideal? He rejected that."

She added: "From start to finish, he set out with this idea that unity was possible, that together we are stronger, that we, as a country, need healing, and our politics needs that too."

O'Malley Dillon's comments sparked intense backlash from Republicans who immediately poked at Biden's campaign promises. Axios also reported on Wednesday that some Biden advisers, who spoke anonymously, took issue with O'Malley Dillon's conduct.

"Biden talks about unity and healing, but you want to know what they really think?" GOP Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida tweeted on Wednesday. "Read how the person he wants as the next WH deputy chief of staff called Republicans in Congress a bunch of f***ers."

However, many Democrats disregarded O'Malley Dillon's comments and some Biden aides also came to her defense.

"So @jomalleydillon would be the first to tell you her mom doesn't approve of the spicy language," Biden's incoming communications director Kate Bedingfield wrote in a tweet on Wednesday. But her point is "spot on: unity and healing are possible - and we can get things done."

Hillary Clinton also tweeted about O'Malley Dillon's rhetoric on Thursday.

O'Malley Dillon became Biden's campaign manager in April and has since been selected to serve as the next White House deputy chief of staff.