White House defends Biden for touching mouth to several babies during Halloween event

WASHINGTON (TNND) — The White House on Thursday defended President Joe Biden’s decision to touch his mouth to several babies during a Halloween event.

Photos from the event show Biden putting his mouth around the leg of a baby dressed as a chicken. The leader of the free world also appeared to touch his mouth to the arm of a baby dressed in a ghost-pattern outfit and take the feet of two other babies in his mouth.

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates directed The National News Desk (TNND) to reporting by Axios when reached for comment about Biden’s conduct Thursday. A caption below an image of Biden biting one baby reads “Biden jokingly bites the leg of a baby dressed as a chicken.” Bates’s email highlighted the word “jokingly.”

“Please see the highlighted from Axios,” Bates said. He did not respond when pressed to clarify what joke the president was making.

Other images of Biden’s baby biting described the move as having been done “playfully.” One caption described the move as “kissing” while another appeared not to acknowledge Biden’s bite at all, reading “Biden greets trick-or-treaters.”

It is the second time this week the White House has been forced to defend Biden’s conduct. He appeared to refer to supporters of former President Donald Trump as “garbage” during a virtual appearance Tuesday.

“Listen, first of all, I think he clarified his comments, but let me be clear I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” Vice President Kamala Harris said of the remark.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also clarified “he does not view Trump supporters or anybody who supports Trump as garbage.”

“That is not what he views,” she added.

The bizarre scene comes as Biden, 81, draws nearer to the end of his presidency, and likely his lengthy career in Washington. Biden sent shockwaves through the political world in July when he announced his decision to exit the race after substantial pressure to end his reelection campaign.

Biden’s detractors frequently targeted his mental acuity, forcing the president on multiple occasions to defend his ability to remain in office.

“I’m old,” Biden told NBC in July. “But I’m only three years older than Trump, number one. And number two, my mental acuity has been pretty damn good.”

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