Biden was at the British embassy in Washington, D.C., to see former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg be named to the Order of the British Empire and was playing with Bloomberg's grandson when he decided to steal the toddler's pacifier from him

Joe Biden may be what the New York Post calls “a baby-kissing politician of the old school,” but the U.S. vice-president whose fondness for children is well-known still managed to surprise people when he stole a child’s pacifier.

Biden was at the British embassy in Washington, D.C., to see former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg be named to the Order of the British Empire and was playing with Bloomberg’s grandson when he decided to steal the toddler’s pacifier from him.

Distroscale

Bloomberg’s daughter Georgina posted a photo online Wednesday of Biden and her son Jasper, with the Veep sucking on her kid’s pacifier while holding the toddler in his arms.

“What’s a boy to do when the Vice President steals your pacifier?” read the caption.

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This isn’t the first time Biden has drawn attention for his hands-on approach. In February, he was derided by some as the “creepy Veep” for his lingering hands on the shoulders of Stephanie Carter during the swearing-in ceremony of her husband, Ashton Carter, as America’s new defence secretary.

At other times, he has made the children of politicians visibly uncomfortable with his familiar style, like when the 13-year-old daughter of U.S. Senator Christopher Coons shrank from him during an awkward attempt to plant a kiss on the teenager.

While some chalk it up to a certain avuncular charm, many conservative critics say similar behaviour would never be tolerated from a Republican politician.

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