Do you mind another rant tonight? I’m angry. Today the Washington Post had an article that in effect said Biden’s compassion for his son “blew up in his face.” I think just the opposite: the Republicans vicious, vengeful investigation of Hunter Biden has made them look ridiculous.
That’s not to say the younger Biden
hasn’t done some pretty awful things in the past—no need to detail them here
because MTG already did a good and appalling job of that. Although he flaunted
father’s power and reputation, there has been no proof found that he ever compromised
the president, whether that is due to the son’s caution or the father’s wisdom,
we may never know.
I know liberals who say they
have no sympathy for Hunter because he was raised with wealth and privilege and
still “went bad.” That seems to imply wealth and privilege will protect you
from a bad drug habit, though I think just the opposite is often true. There is a judgmental Puritanical thought in that thread about strength and courage
will always lead you to make good choices. I’m not sure that’s true either. I like
to remember that Jesus pardoned the sinner, especially the repentant sinner.
But let’s go back to wealth
and privilege. Hunter was born in 1970, the year his father was elected to the
Senate. I don’t think there was a lot of wealth then. When Hunter was two, he
and his older brother, the late Beau Biden, were seriously injured in a tragic
accident that took the lives of their mother and younger sister. The boys were
hospitalized for some time. Who can calculate the damage done to a two-year-old
by such trauma? After that, theirs was probably not a normal childhood—their father
was in the Senate and they no doubt had nannies, though it is to Joe Biden’s
credit that he rarely stayed in DC but went home to Delaware each night to be
with his boys.
I have not researched Hunter’s
life enough to know when and why he turned to alcohol and drugs but apparently
those problems increased after the 2015 death of his brother, Beau. Today,
though, Hunter seems to be trying to put his life back together again. He has
paid his back income taxes. (Tax experts tell us that people almost never go to
prison over delinquent taxes these days, so no, James Comer and Gym Jordan, he did not
get a sweetheart deal—he was treated like any other citizen.) That his plea
bargain on the gun charge has to be negotiated does not appear to be
politically motivated. He has acknowledged his out-of-wedlock child and is
apparently trying to be a good father to all his children. And he has the firm
support of his father and stepmother.
What Republicans Chuck Grassley
(that old man who ought to retire and who has said he doesn’t care if the
accusations are true or not), James Comer (new to the national spotlight and so
anxious for his five minutes of fame) and Gym Jordan (always a pain, but karma may
get him yet—lots of athletes remember Ohio) have done is to target Joe Biden at
his weakest point. Hunter’s former business partner, Devon Archer, pretty much
laid their hopes to rest this week, but they blunder on with accusations. It is
a shameful spectacle.
Throughout all this, Joe Biden
has remained in the background, at least on this specific issue. As a parent, I
can only imagine the urge to retaliate, to deny, to speak out in anger
must be strong. But as Biden has done with other attacks on his age, his
integrity, his ability, he has kept his head down and gone about the business
of governing the United States. I think such rectitude indicates great strength
of character, and I admire him.
And, personally, I am rooting
for Hunter. I hope he stays on the straight and narrow, finds his calling, and
goes on to a successful life. Gulp, he’s a year younger than my oldest son and
the same age as my oldest daughter. and I know how I feel about them. I could
never be as restrained as Biden.
