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Joe Biden tells Anderson Cooper he likes kids 'better than people', Internet reminds him 'kids are people too'

The president was speaking to the CNN host about the latter's baby during a Town Hall special

President Joe Biden raised eyebrows on Tuesday, February 16 night after he bizarrely said "he prefers children to people" during a live TV appearance. The 46th commander-in-chief was speaking to CNN host Anderson Cooper about the latter's baby during a Town Hall special when he said "everybody knows I like kids better than people," The Sun reported.

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Biden made the remarks shortly after walking on stage at the CNN event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "Good to see you, man. Hey, folks. How are you? Good to be back, man," he told Cooper.

The CNN anchor responded, "Yeah, it’s nice to see you, sir," to which the president added, "And you know you enjoy being home with the baby more. I don’t want to hear this." Cooper appreciated the words and acknowledged that he did. "I do. Yes. He’s nine and a half months, so I’m very happy," he said. But the audience was left rather confused when Biden said, "I get it. No, no, everybody knows I like kids better than people."

Critics on social media mocked the president, with some calling him out for implying "kids aren't people." "Signing off with a final notable quote from Joe Biden during his town hall this evening: 'Everyone knows I love kids better than people,'" former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted.

"HEY JOE BIDEN. “kids ARE people TOO!!!” —-didn’t you ever watch Saturday morning TV? The best episode was when they had KISS on (granted that was probably Not good judgment. KISS was cool but Gene and his “tongue” were a bit much)" Newsmax host Greg Kelly added. "Not a good look, Sleepy," another user chimed in.

During the 2020 campaign trail, former President Donald Trump's campaign seized on a resurfaced clip of the then-Democratic presidential hopeful in which he said kids at a Delaware pool would rub his leg hair when he was a lifeguard there in his younger days.

“I got hairy legs that turned … blonde in the sun. And the kids used to come up and reach into the pool and rub my leg down so it was straight and watch the hair come back up again,” Biden recalled. He then said he “learned about kids jumping on my lap, and I loved kids jumping on my lap.” While there was nothing nefarious about the story, critics seized on it.

At an April 2019 conference, Biden joked about inappropriate touching accusations that were leveled against him by a number of women — just days after he shared a video pledging he would be “more mindful and respectful” of people’s space. The future president faced backlash when he quipped that he had received "permission" to hug a child and a woman whom he had called on stage.

Just days before, Biden had shared a video seeking to deflect the political impact of the allegations. “Social norms have begun to change, they’ve shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset,” Biden said in the clip. “And I get it. I get it. I hear what they’re saying, I understand.”