Mr. Rogers was trending Thursday night after Mercedes Schlapp, a senior adviser for President Donald Trump's reelection campaign, compared Democratic nominee Joe Biden's town hall to the beloved show.
"Well @JoeBiden @ABCPolitics townhall feels like I am watching an episode of Mister Rodgers Neighborhood," Schlapp tweeted, misspelling TV icon Fred Rogers' last name.
Schlapp was criticizing the different tones between the Biden town hall, hosted on ABC, and the Trump town hall, hosted by NBC. Critics insisted ABC moderator George Stephanopoulos went easier on Biden than NBC moderator Savannah Guthrie went on Trump.
In Miami, Guthrie grilled Trump for 18 minutes before opening the forum to audience members' questions. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Stephanopoulos went straight to voters' questions and allowed the former vice president to give sometimes long-winded answers.
Schlapp was criticized for comparing the Biden to Mr. Rogers, with some calling it a "self-own" as the children's television host was known to be patient, inclusive, and kind.
"Pretty telling that this crew thinks Mr. Rogers is the bad guy," tweeted Democratic strategist Zac Petkanas.
April Reign, the activist who created the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, called it the "worst self-own I’ve seen this political season" especially given "the universally beloved Mr. Rogers was from Pennsylvania, where Biden was tonight