"Mr. Rogers" trended on Twitter Thursday night into Friday after one of President Donald Trump's campaign advisers compared ABC's town hall with rival Joe Biden to an episode of the beloved educational television series.
Fred Rogers, who was a Presbyterian minister turned television host, famously hosted "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" from his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The series was known for teaching children on sometimes controversial topics with singing and puppets.
Rogers was portrayed by actor Tom Hanks in the 2019 film "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood."
"Well @JoeBiden @ABCPolitics townhall feels like I am watching an episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood," senior Trump campaign adviser Mercedes Schlapp tweeted 15 minutes in to last night's debate.
Twitter users quickly fired back at Schlapp with some even thanking her for "saying such a nice thing about Joe!"
"Only in Trumpworld is Mr. Rogers anything but a good guy, a great teacher, and a unifier," one Biden supporter tweeted.
On Friday, Schlapp tried to defend herself during an appearance on Fox News calling the town hall a "therapy session" between moderator George Stephanopoulos and the former vice president.
“We love Mister Rogers, but I gotta tell you, those puppets were always a little freaky when I was growing up,” she said.
Biden's Philadelphia town hall on ABC was at the same time as the president held one on NBC from Miami.
Both town halls were during the time of the canceled second presidential debate and offered a different format for the candidates to present themselves to voters.