Alex Thompson at Axios brought out the anonymous White House insiders for a story on "Biden's Hunter trigger," how Joe Biden is distraught over his son Hunter's indictments. "In private, no issue is more likely to anger or sadden President Biden than attacks on his son Hunter, according to people close to the president who have seen his moods shift when there's bad news about Hunter."
"Only a few long-serving aides feel free to discuss Hunter's situation with the president, and only at certain moments — knowing that it can prompt both fury and dejection," Thompson wrote. "The 81-year-old president has suggested to close associates that if he hadn't run in 2020, Hunter wouldn't be facing criminal prosecutions or be the target of daily stories by conservative media — all while trying to stay sober and rebuild his life."
The president hates journalism about his boy: "Biden's temper also can flare at reporters when they ask about his son." Thompson mentioned Biden's preposterous "bunch of lies" comment (without noting the question came from the New York Post). He added in a 2019 interview with Axios co-founder Mike Allen, "Biden got chippy on the topic and shook his head in frustration, fuming about the press: "You guys are amazing."
Biden's also mad at Attorney General Merrick Garland:
People close to Biden also have fumed at Garland for appointing a special counsel in August — a move U.S. Attorney David Weiss requested after a plea deal with Hunter fell apart.
- Those close to Biden argue that Garland is trying in vain to satisfy bad-faith GOP critics — and that the special counsel is a way of deflecting a difficult decision under the guise of objectivity.
- One person close to the president unflatteringly compared Garland to former FBI Director James Comey, claiming they both have been obsessed with the appearance of having integrity rather than just trying to make the right decision — a reference to Comey's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.
Thompson said Biden aides don't know if the Hunter (and James and Joe) buckraking scandals are going to be politically damaging, but "aides fear it will be emotionally grueling."
- President Biden's bond with Hunter is particularly deep and complicated, people close to Biden told Axios.
- After Beau Biden, Hunter's older brother, died of cancer in 2015, Hunter became the only living person from the 1972 car accident that killed Joe Biden's wife and daughter. Joe Biden has clung tightly to Hunter ever since, at times referring to him as "my only surviving son."
- While Hunter was struggling with addictions — particularly from 2017-2019, after his father left the vice presidency — current and former aides described Joe Biden as despondent and worried that he'd lost both of his sons.
Hunter appears to know how the attacks and investigations have affected his father.
- "What they're trying to do is they're trying to kill me, knowing that it will be a pain greater than my father could be able to handle — and so therefore destroying a presidency in that way," Hunter told the musician Moby in a podcast released last week.
- Things could get uglier: Even some of Biden's fellow Democrats have expressed concern about Hunter's conduct. Over the weekend, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the most recent charges "legally justified."
Notice it's "uglier" to the press when Hunter is held accountable. Hunter's behavior is apparently never "uglier." The media's sympathy for Joe Biden is on display.
