Biden's reelection bid fell apart after he admitted ‘only thing' he cared about was Hunter avoiding jail
According to an excerpt of 2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America, published in the Wall Street Journal, Biden was 'distracted' by his son's legal battles, which coincided with a key moment in his doomed campaign.
The former president was said to be 'devastated' by Hunter's legal troubles and months later, as one of his last acts in office, made the stunning move to pardon his son after his conviction on federal gun charges.
June 2024 was a key period in Biden's reelection campaign - but the then-president suffered enormous setbacks that eventually derailed his bid for a second term.
The former president didn't recognise his long-term friend and ally George Clooney at a star-studded fundraiser mid-way through the month, according to a tell-all book on his decline. The interaction, in part, is said to have influenced the actor's decision to pen an op-ed in calling for him to drop out the race.
Then, two weeks later, Biden's disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump caused further concern within his own party.
While all of that was going on, the book's authors — The Journal's Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager of the New York Times, and the Washington Post's Isaac Arnsdorf — claim that Biden confided in a close friend: 'The only thing I care about is that my son is not convicted.'
However, Hunter was equally concerned by his father's performance against Trump.
'Hunter watched the debate from his home in Los Angeles, and his reaction was 'What the f***?',' the book claims. 'He had never seen his father so out of it, and worried about his well-being. A few days later, when Hunter arrived at Camp David for a visit, he told his father, 'I love you' and 'Get some sleep.''
The next morning, Hunter's 'concerns had softened,' the book says. 'He thought Biden had just been exhausted during the debate…No one discussed Biden dropping out of the presidential race.'
However, a few weeks later, as Biden was recovering from Covid and holding meetings to determine his future, Hunter called and said he would support whatever decision was made, but 'would sure love having' his father back, according to the book. The next day, the book claims, Biden dropped out of the race.
The account is said to be based on interviews with 'more than a dozen prominent Democrats' working on Biden's campaign and within White House.
The book, out next week on July 8, follows another explosive publication detailing the alleged cover-up of Biden's mental and physical decline while in office written by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson. It was released around the same time Biden announced that he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
On December 1 last year, Biden issued a pardon to his son, who he said had been 'selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted' by the Justice Department. In a lengthy statement, he said he hoped the American people would understand his decision as a father.
It came less than two weeks ahead of Hunter's sentencing for his conviction on federal gun charges.
The pardon was a full reversal of the stance he took six months prior, when he announced publicly he would not pardon Hunter if he was convicted.
It prompted widespread outrage amongst Republicans and Democrats, with many calling it 'an improper use of power.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
a few seconds ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Premiers Smith, Moe disappointed by Trump's tariffs
REGINA - The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan say they're disappointed by higher tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump but pleased the majority of their exports won't face duties. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement remains in place, allowing 95 per cent of his province's exports to move into the United States tariff-free. He says the agreement staying in effect is very significant and provides Canada with an advantage over other countries facing steeper levies. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the vast majority of her province's products also remain tariff-free, because they also fall under the agreement. Read more from the Canadian Press here.
Business Insider
a minute ago
- Business Insider
Trump said he will fire Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner hours after disappointing July jobs report
Following a disappointing jobs report on Friday, President Donald Trump said he plans to fire the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner. Dr. Erika McEntarfer was appointed to the BLS in January 2024 by former President Joe Biden. "We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. "Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes." The US economy added 73,000 jobs in July, missing the expected 106,000, and revisions showed that there were far fewer jobs created in May and June than initially reported. Revisions to the jobs figures are not uncommon as BLS collects additional data in the months after the initial estimates, although the Bureau noted that this month's revisions were "larger than normal." Unemployment ticked up to 4.2%. Labor force participation also declined, falling to 62.2% in July from 62.3%. Trump wrote that the Friday jobs report was a "major mistake" and "The Economy is BOOMING under "TRUMP."' The White House and Department of Labor did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
CNN
a minute ago
- CNN
Corporation for Public Broadcasting will shutter after Trump funding cuts
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced on Friday that it will wind down its operations due to the successful Republican effort to defund local PBS and NPR stations across the country. The announcement came just over a week after President Donald Trump signed into law a rescissions bill clawing back congressionally approved federal funds for public media and foreign aid. Of the $9 billion in canceled funds, $1.1 billion was earmarked for the CPB. 'Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,' CPB president and CEO Patricia Harrison said in a statement. 'CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.' Officials at the organization, which was founded more than 60 years ago, said they are focused on helping local stations figure out how to cope with sudden budget shortfalls. Harrison has warned that some stations, particularly in rural areas, will have to shut down without federal support. Most larger stations have numerous other funding sources, including viewer and listener donations, to soften the blow dealt by Congress. Still, public media executives have warned that the interconnected system will be weakened in various ways without federal funding as a foundation. Most of the corporation's roughly 100 staff positions will be eliminated when the money runs out on September 30. The CPB will maintain a small transition team through January to guarantee 'a responsible and orderly closeout of operations,' it said in a statement. On Friday, the CPB also filed a voluntary dismissal of its lawsuit against President Trump for his attempts to remove three of five board members from the organization. The Trump administration's cuts to the CPB were the culmination of the president's months-long effort to defund public broadcasters, which the president has alleged are 'biased' against conservatives.
