Anderson Cooper: Dad 360!

CNN host Anderson Cooper announced he's a dad.

The 52-year old CNN anchor and his former boyfriend Benjamin Maisani are the parents of a son.

The two had broken up earlier but ended up reconciling when Wyatt was born.

On Monday, Cooper announced his son was born at 7lbs 2oz.

"It has been a difficult time in all our lives, and there are certainly many hard days ahead," Cooper said. "It is, I think, especially important in these times of trouble to try to hold on to moments of joy and moments of happiness. Even as we mourn the loss of loved ones, we are also blessed with new life and new love."

On social media, Cooper addressed the joy of being a father.

"On Monday, I became a father. I've never actually said that before, out loud, and it still kind of astonishes me. I am a dad. I have a son. And I want you to meet him."

View this post on Instagram

I want to share with you some joyful news. On Monday, I became a father. This is Wyatt Cooper. He is three days old. He is named after my father, who died when I was ten. I hope I can be as good a dad as he was. My son's middle name is Morgan. It's a family name on my mom's side. I know my mom and dad liked the name morgan because I recently found a list they made 52 years ago when they were trying to think of names for me. Wyatt Morgan Cooper. My son. He was 7.2 lbs at birth, and he is sweet, and soft, and healthy and I am beyond happy. As a gay kid, I never thought it would be possible to have a child, and I’m grateful for all those who have paved the way, and for the doctors and nurses and everyone involved in my son's birth. Most of all, I am grateful to a remarkable surrogate who carried Wyatt, and watched over him lovingly, and tenderly, and gave birth to him. It is an extraordinary blessing - what she, and all surrogates give to families who cant have children. My surrogate has a beautiful family of her own, a wonderfully supportive husband, and kids, and I am incredibly thankful for all the support they have given Wyatt and me. My family is blessed to have this family in our lives I do wish my mom and dad and my brother, Carter, were alive to meet Wyatt, but I like to believe they can see him. I imagine them all together, arms around each other, smiling and laughing, happy to know that their love is alive in me and in Wyatt, and that our family continues.

A post shared by andersoncooper (@andersoncooper) on Apr 30, 2020 at 6:51pm PDT

Cooper is an openly gay commentator and host of Anderson Cooper 360 and contributor to 60 Minutes on CBS.

Cooper does wish his late mother Gloria Vanderbilt would be there to see her grandson. He said his mother is smiling from above. Socialite and activist Vanderbilt died in 2019.

"I do wish my mom and dad and my brother, Carter were alive to meet Wyatt," Cooper said, "but I like to believe they can see him. I imagine them all together, arms around each other, smiling and laughing and watching, looking down on us. Happy to know that their love is alive in me and in Wyatt... and that our family continues. New life and new love."

I met Cooper when I first got an opportunity to see the debates. I missed the opportunity to see the Democratic debate between then senators Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. But I did get an opportunity to see the Republican debate. YouTube/Google and CNN partnered for people to have an opportunity to sit watch the debate.

I met John McCain, Mitt Romney (now, U.S. Senator from Utah), Mike Huckabee his wife and Chuck Norris. I also was then a huge Ron Paul fan because of his "liberty" bullshit. Had I known that Paul was freaking racist and conspiracy nut, I would have declined the offer.

But a free trip to Tampa/St. Petersburg and goodies, hell yeah.

Oh, yeah. I had to hide my progressive views because I didn't want Republicans to kick me out of the debate.