We've been repeatedly told by Democrats that Hunter Biden is a private citizen and not a political figure. Yet he granted an exclusive interview with Axios published on Monday about how he plans to keep former and potentially future President Donald Trump from getting elected for another term.
Again, for someone who we're reminded is a private citizen, Hunter sure focused on talking points we've heard from elected Democratic officials, especially as they campaign for President Joe Biden:
President Biden privately has expressed worry that Republicans' daily attacks and the criminal prosecution of his son Hunter are taking a toll on his family — and could even lead Hunter to relapse, given the family's history of struggling with addiction.
Why it matters: Hunter Biden knows this. He told Axios in a rare interview that he sees his continued sobriety as crucial not only to his life — but also to ensuring Donald Trump doesn't return to the Oval Office.
- "Most importantly, you have to believe that you're worth the work, or you'll never be able to get sober. But I often do think of the profound consequences of failure here," Hunter said.
"Maybe it's the ultimate test for a recovering addict — I don't know," Hunter Biden said. "I have always been in awe of people who have stayed clean and sober through tragedies and obstacles few people ever face. They are my heroes, my inspiration."
- He added that in this case, "I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy."
While a considerable amount of the article focuses on Hunter and his family, it also can't be ignored that it's not merely Hunter going with the Democratic Party's talking points, but also the article itself. There's a note about how a "slip by Hunter would weigh heavily on the president as he seeks re-election," along with the claim that "Republicans and conservative tabloids have relished documenting Hunter's alcohol and drug addictions."
There's also the mention of an even greater concern to do with Hunter, and the involvement that Biden had with his business dealings, including when he was vice president. "Republicans seeking to impeach Joe Biden have been trying to find hard evidence that he changed U.S. foreign policy to help his family financially, but have yet to find it," the article also claims, without speaking further to what they say is a lack of evidence.
The House committees investigating the Biden family, including the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees as well as the House Committee on Ways and Means, have highlighted considerable evidence that could be used to impeach the president. Transcribed interviews with multiple witnesses who have a connection to the Biden family also speak to a connection.
🧵THREAD: Evidence of Joe Biden’s involvement in the Biden family “business.”
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) February 27, 2024
Our investigation is centered on Joe Biden’s knowledge of, participation in, and benefit from his family’s influence peddling schemes.
Here are key facts unearthed to date.
Recap👇
Fox News' Monday night episode of "Gutfeld!" mocked the Axios piece at length, with our own Guy Benson appearing as a guest. "Let's be honest, if Hunter Biden is the only thing standing between us and the future of democracy, democracy is toast," host Greg Gutfeld quipped. "But I'm sure Hunter is wondering if his dad loses, then what does he do with the rest of his life? Well, he can always teach painting, to the other inmates."
Going back to the private citizen angle, Gutfeld also offered that Hunter should be focused on his wife and children when it comes to remaining sober, rather than the country. He and guest Kennedy further suggested that Hunter "is overestimating his sobriety as an important variable."
Kat Timpf went a step further in pointing out that Hunter actually did his father a disservice with the Axios interview. "Look, if he wants to help his dad a lot, he shouldn't have done this interview where he reminded everyone yet again how much longer his sobriety date was past the day he signed the ATF form, saying he was sober to get a gun," Timpf pointed out, mentioning one of the multiple criminal charges against Hunter.
The panel also joked about guest Tyler Fischer's idea that perhaps Hunter's coke is what's keeping the aging President Biden alive, especially when he seems more with it after his various gaffes and stumbles. Guy offered he was "fascinated" with their theory that the cocaine found at the White House last July, was the president's, joking about one more way in which Joe Biden is "the big guy."
On a more serious note, Guy reminded that Hunter went with an oft-used Democratic narrative here. "I do think that what Hunter has done here is that he's taken the one Democratic Party talking point and shoehorned it into his narrative, which is 'saving democracy.'" Gesturing for emphasis, Guy pointed out "everything they do is 'saving democracy!'"
Last week's poll from The Economist/YouGov had some interesting numbers about Hunter, as it found that 60 percent of all respondents and 63 percent of registered voters have an unfavorable view of the first son. Only those who planned to vote for Biden in 2024 (49 percent favorable), liberals (41 percent), Democrats (48 percent), and respondents who lean Democratic (46 percent) had a more favorable view than not of Hunter, and it's only by a plurality.
From his time on the campaign trail leading up to the 2020 election to his time in the White House, Biden and his administration have changed the narrative on how involved he was with Hunter shady business dealings. Biden himself angrily claimed last December that reported conversations between him, his brother, his son, and their business associates was "just a bunch of lies."
This poll similarly shows bad news on that narrative. When asked if they think that "Joe Biden has personally profited from his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings," 50 percent of all respondents and 53 percent of registered voters said "yes."
The only demographics where a majority of respondents said "no," included 65 percent of those who intend to vote for Biden in 2024, 57 percent of liberals, 55 percent of Democrats, and 54 percent who lean Democratic.
When asked if they "think that Hunter Biden has personally profited from his father Joe Biden’s positions in government," a whopping 67 percent of all respondents and 69 percent of registered voters said "yes."
Even pluralities of those who intend to vote for Biden in 2024 (41 percent) and Democrats (44 percent) said Hunter benefited. Fifty percent of liberals also said he did. The most support for the "no" response came from 33 percent of those who intend to vote for Biden.
Hunter is scheduled to testify tomorrow, February 28, as part of a closed-door testimony with the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees. We'll see if he shows up, unlike last time.