It used to be that the children were ‘hands off.’ All the opposing politicians and the media honored that. The Children did not sign up for a public life, and it was considered a low blow to go after them. Especially young ones. It’s one more thing about the political world where the standards have been dropped. Everything is fair game now. People will go after family members, looking for a scoop, and looking for a way to put a black mark on the politician’s life.
You know where this is going. Hunter Biden. But – wait, he is no kid.
Step back for a minute.
I remember Billy Carter. He loved his beer and he was a Georgia redneck. The media had a lot of fun with him. I remember Amy Carter living in the White House during her awkward pre-teen years. I felt for her. Wearing glasses and braces. Chelsea Clinton was about the same age and she went through some teenage angst, was an only child with two powerful parents. Later, I remember the Bush girls wanting to be a bit defiant too, wanting to be normal teenagers. Jenna once gave the finger out the presidential limousine window.
The Obama girls seemed to have stayed out of trouble for 8 years. That’s a large feat. Maybe they really didn’t, but the press and Congressional members did not bring up any issues about them. Growing up in the spotlight, in the White House, has got to be hard. It was understood. Give them some slack. They are just kids.
Then came the Trumps – a bunch of them! Some were already adults. But Barron was not. He stayed out of the way, thanks to his mother, and again, the press and Congress members left him alone. Almost all of the older Trump children were definitely involved in the runnings in the White House, given titles and jobs to do within the administration. They had been in their dad’s former business dealings and grew up workin with him before he got into politics. They were involved. Therefore they were easy targets. The late night hosts certainly had fun with them. At the same time, the Trump offspring all were involved in social media. They poked the beast – supporting their father’s lies, and acting as a shield at times.. The walls were taken down at that point on the separation of politics and family. Ivanka sat in on many meetings and often represented her father when he could not be at functions. As she did this she carried on her own business dealings, including her own clothing line. Ivanka’s husband Jared Kushner and his family were also closely involved, mixing politics with their personal business. I have no doubt there were times that the lines between them got gray, and it was probably questionable whether or not their actions were legal, or at least ethical. I also believe the Trump children, young and old, were never taught to be concerned about that. They did not have a role model.
Now we have the Hunter Biden saga. I believe that Hunter has had a sad life, caught up in drugs, bad behavior, and unable to get his life together as an adult. He lost his mother and sister at a young age when they were killed in a car accident. Life as he knew it immediately changed. Hunter and his brother Beau were raised by Joe and others in the family. They went through trauma, and Hunter did not handle it well. Beau was the stronger one, who went into the military, was a hero in his Dad’s eyes – and then sadly died from cancer. Family dysfunction is nothing unusual. Sibling rivalry and more. They are like so many of us.
I do think Hunter Biden used his last name and his dad’s political power to get ahead at times. I also believe he lied on his gun application and that he paid his taxes late. He was a messed up guy. He fathered a child out of f wedlock. He escaped life, his demons, at times through drug use.
But, I don’t think President Biden has done anything more than any parent would do for their only living child. A parent is always a parent. He was worried about Hunter through the years. He wanted to help him. So, Joe took his phone calls when he called,, and tried to help him get straightened out, and probably told him he was proud of him when he could.
So – When it comes to what people say about President Biden being conniving, and secretly helping his son, I think they are making way too much out of it. It’s become a political hot potato, and it’s all tied up in the meanness we see now between the two political parties. It’s about being vindictive. It’s about hurting a family. It’s about sending messages to voters, putting doubt in their minds, saying things that may not be true. The situation is in the judicial department’s hands now. Hunter Biden might likely be found guilty of tax evasion and for lying on a gun permit form. I believe he did wrong. And he will have to pay and/or serve time, depending upon the judge’s decision. But, seriously – the Republican side has hammered it all to death – it is ALL they talk about, over and over, for years now, and they use Hunter’s problems as a sign of a bad president and father. That is their intention.
Who does this help?
What are we Americans learning from all this?
Is it that Republicans really don’t care about family? That they don’t care about helping a person with drug and mental problems? That they will use a person’s downfalls to their own glory? Will they do anything to belittle the president, to try and show the world he has a bad adult son??
I’m just not sure what the big picture is – except I don’t know why any person considering a run for president would drag their family through this. Politics is ugly. It has been for a long time. But families used to be exempt from it. It’s a line that has been crossed.
Marla’s Musings 