Biden to code-writing girls: ‘You’re as smart as any boy’

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Biden reminds girls they are 'smart as any boy in the world'

Raw video: Vice president speaks to group at 'Hour of Code' event

Don't worry, girls. "You're as smart as any boy."

That was the message Monday from Vice President Biden as he pep-talked a group of young women during a White House technology event, in a uniquely Biden way.

The veep and President Obama were both talking with students Monday for part of the "hour of code" -- an event promoting computer programming, held at the White House campus and across the country.

According to the pool report of the event, Obama and Biden talked to students scattered around four tables Monday morning.

At one of the tables, Biden was speaking to an all-girl group when he brought up the gender issue.

"You guys do understand, by the way, you're as smart as any boy in the world. You know that, right?" Biden said. "... There's not a single, solitary thing a man can do that you can't do. Just remember that."

The girls mostly were looking at their computer screens while he talked. One of them asked the vice president, "do you want to try?" and he scooted over to look at the screen.

While it was unclear what prompted Biden to tell the code-writing ladies they were as good as the guys, the VP wasn't shying away from the remarks.

After a CBS News reporter tweeted the comments, Biden's office retweeted them.

The tech industry indeed is male-dominated, despite the rise of execs like Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer. According to one recent report, Google, Facebook and Mayer's Yahoo! are still made up mostly of men.

Obama, meanwhile, encouraged the group of young Americans in Washington on Monday to pursue computer sciences.

"All across the country, people are doing code," Obama said, according to the pool report. "Not just how to play a video game, but how to code a game."