President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will not be hosting a traditional White House Halloween event this year. Work plans that include a G20 summit and a UN climate summit will be taking the First Family to Italy and Scotland over the holiday.

Of course, Joe Biden could be on the moon finding a cure for cancer and Republicans would complain. I think we all agree that Halloween is an important holiday for kids. But if you think handing out bite-size Snickers takes priority over, say, trying to ensure Florida isn’t swallowed by seawater, you just might be a member of the petulant GOP.

A spokesman for the First Lady tweeted the announcement on Wednesday:

On the evening of October 31, 2021, the north facade of the White House will be illuminated in orange in celebration of Halloween. The President and First Lady will be traveling internationally during the last days of October… (1/2)

— Michael LaRosa (@MichaelLaRosa46) October 27, 2021

and will not be hosting a specific event at the White House. The First Family encourages families and children to celebrate Halloween with trick or treating outdoors in their neighborhoods or other outdoor venues. (2/2)

— Michael LaRosa (@MichaelLaRosa46) October 27, 2021

The spokesman told news outlets that the decision not to hold an event was based entirely on the international travel plans and had nothing to do with the coronavirus pandemic. The Trumps famously did hold Halloween events last year after they personally had recovered from COVID. The Bidens have been fortunate enough not to contract the virus in the first place, likely due to the seclusion each of them practiced during the worst months of the outbreak.

Working on a kids’ holiday? Oooh, scary.

And conservatives on Twitter are acting like giant babies:

Thank God for small blessings! Nobody will be sniffing our children's hair on Halloween🎃

— Egghead Rio (@EggheadRio) October 27, 2021

Glad to see he’s doing what’s best for the children for once.

— Denny Levi (@DennyLevi) October 27, 2021

I would say I am surprised but I am not. He is staying gone from the White House more than any other president. Maybe he's too busy as he said he was for the border, to hand children candy.

— Billie S Jimmerson (@BillieJimmerson) October 27, 2021

Trump handed out treats every year he was in office!! WTF Joe

— Rolland (@Roland_Jenkins) October 27, 2021

Probably a good thing. Don’t need him sniffing children.

— peamo (@eddiem2539) October 27, 2021

The White House probably can’t afford candy this year thanks Joe

— Jeffery Moore (@JEMOORE1969) October 27, 2021

OR they can't keep an eye on him around that many children and other people's wives. JFC – Biden assaulted the girlfriend of a Secret Service Agent. Right in front of him.

— NoOne (@NoOne53893885) October 27, 2021

probably better for the children that sleepy joe ain't around to smell all their heads and squeeze them as if he's absorbing their life force…

— Ernesto Guevara (@unknwnanswrs) October 27, 2021

And both the parents and the children will be celebrating that they won't be near a dirty Pedo that'll be sniffing and touching up their kids…

Win/Win for both the parents and kids.

— C. Mervyn Graham ™® (@Daminous_Purity) October 27, 2021