Share on FacebookPresident Joe Biden made headlines Thursday when he picked up a baby at a White House event and joked, “I like babies better than people.”
The moment, which happened during a celebration marking the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, drew laughter from the audience.
The comment came as an infant in the room started crying during his speech. “It’s OK, it’s all right,” Biden reassured, before making the remark that quickly gained attention. After his speech, he held the baby, who seemed to be the source of the noise.
White House Rushes to Clarify a Different Comment
While the baby moment was lighthearted, the White House was still working to correct a different statement Biden made the day before. During a Women’s History Month event, the president mistakenly said he wanted to “keep guns out of the hands of domestic political advisers.”
Realizing the mistake, White House officials quickly clarified that Biden meant to say “convicted domestic abusers.” The official correction was sent to reporters just before the president took the stage on Thursday.
A Nod to Obama and a Look Ahead
During his remarks, Biden also mentioned a recent conversation with former President Barack Obama, saying, “We did a little thing together.” He didn’t give details, but he called the Affordable Care Act an “extraordinary achievement” by Obama.
With a potential 2024 re-election campaign on the horizon, Biden continues to make public appearances and highlight policy successes. At 80 years old, he is already the oldest sitting U.S. president and would be 86 at the end of a second term.
While his remarks sometimes require clarification, Thursday’s event showed that Biden remains active, engaged, and—at least when it comes to babies—a little sentimental.
