President Biden won’t acknowledge his youngest granddaughter. It turns off even some supporters
Louis Snipe admires President Joe Biden, but his opinion of “Grandpa Joe” Biden is quite different. As a Lyft driver with a background in pool table repair, Snipe credits Biden for rebuilding the economy and restoring dignity to the White House. However, Snipe struggles with supporting Biden due to one particular family decision – Biden’s refusal to acknowledge the existence of his four-year-old granddaughter living in Arkansas, who was fathered by his son, Hunter Biden, out of wedlock.
Snipe, a 70-year-old grandfather of five, finds it astonishing that Biden does not recognize his seventh grandchild, given that he believes his children’s children are also his own. This sentiment is shared by others, such as Beth Binns, a 78-year-old grandmother of seven who typically votes Republican. She sees Biden’s actions as a disgrace, questioning how someone who identifies as a Christian and a Catholic could ignore his own grandchild.
While Biden’s image as a family-oriented man who values decency and compassion has been central to his political identity throughout his five-decade-long career in public office, this issue has caused some criticism. Even some Democratic supporters in Philadelphia, where Biden won over 80% of the vote in 2020, are uneasy with his handling of the matter, particularly fellow grandparents who can empathize with the president’s position.
When interviewed, most Biden supporters dismiss the situation as a “personal decision,” while some are unaware of it altogether. However, a few Biden backers, like Herron Miller, a 66-year-old grandfather of two, express disagreement with the president’s approach, believing he should acknowledge his granddaughter. Still, they acknowledge that this issue might not be of great importance to national policy.
The situation revolves around Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts, the child’s mother, who settled a child support dispute. Despite the settlement, Biden’s refusal to acknowledge his granddaughter remains a sensitive subject, with the White House avoiding questions on the matter.
Biden has made public statements that seem to omit the existence of his seventh grandchild, and even during his first Christmas in the White House, only the names of his other six grandchildren were displayed on stockings. First lady Jill Biden’s 2020 children’s book also mentions only six grandchildren by name.
Some of Biden’s supporters believe that his unwillingness to recognize his granddaughter is hypocritical. However, others argue that this issue won’t significantly impact his support, and they appreciate his more relatable and human side, recognizing that family problems can happen to anyone.
While Republican candidates have used this issue to attack Biden, some of his supporters are willing to engage in a morality contest with figures like Donald Trump, the former president, who faced serious legal and moral controversies during his tenure.
In conclusion, Louis Snipe admires President Joe Biden and believes he has positively impacted the economy and restored dignity to the White House. However, Snipe, along with other critics, finds it problematic that Biden does not acknowledge his granddaughter from Hunter Biden’s previous relationship. The issue has stirred some disagreement among Democratic supporters as well, with some feeling that Biden should recognize his seventh grandchild, while others consider it a personal matter with little relevance to national policy.
