Former "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd unleashed sharp criticism of President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, calling their decision for Joe Biden to run for president selfish.
But he wasn’t talking about 2024.
Todd was actually talking about 2020, during a period when their son Hunter Biden was reportedly turning their grieving daughter-in-law into an addict.
Todd’s remarks came during a Zoom interview with former CNN personality Chris Cillizza, who shared an excerpt of the call on his Substack. The conversation delved into the Biden family’s struggles, particularly against the backdrop of Joe Biden’s controversial decision to pardon Hunter for basically any possible crime he may have committed over an 11-year period—not just the tax and gun charges he was previously convicted of.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more damning take from Todd on Joe Biden than what he said on Monday. He expressed dismay at how the Bidens managed the fallout of personal tragedy following the death of his older son, Beau Biden. He highlighted testimony from Beau’s widow, Hallie Biden, who became romantically involved with her brother-in-law, Hunter, and, according to Todd, was “turned into a crack addict” by him in 2017 and 2018. In the midst of this chaos, Todd noted, Joe and Jill Biden still chose to pursue a presidential campaign, a move he suggested showed a lack of judgment and prioritization during a fraught time for their family.
“I followed the Hunter Biden trail very closely. I read every transcript, all the testimony because that’s what, you know, all that was made public,” Todd began. “And there is — you want to read, you want to get angry just as somebody and just all these mixed emotions. You read the Hallie Biden transcript—and that’s Beau’s widow—and essentially he turned her into a crack addict.”
Todd continued, “And this was all happening in 2017, 2018. And Joe and Jill Biden were so concerned about their family that they decided to run for president.”
“Yup,” Cillizza concurred.”
"I just … so when you talk about the word selfish, I... it’s almost like the word doesn’t — I mean — their decision to run for president put the entire Democratic Party and the United States of America in the position that it’s in now.”
I talk to @chucktodd every Monday for my newsletter.
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) December 3, 2024
It's always a good conversation.
But, I thought Chuck NAILED it today on why the Hunter Biden trial really mattered when thinking about the Biden presidency and the pardon.
Watch the whole thing at the link in my bio. pic.twitter.com/FzBUBKM1cI
It’s funny how a few months ago, the chorus from the left was in sync: Joe Biden wasn’t just selfless and patriotic for dropping out of the race; he had a successful and consequential presidency. All of that faux praise is being replaced by scathing criticism, and now Chuck Todd isn’t just saying that Joe Biden shouldn’t have sought reelection; he’s saying he shouldn’t have run for president back in 2020. This isn't just a reaction to the fallout of Biden's presidency, but a direct refutation of Joe Biden's carefully crafted image of a devoted family man.
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Are Todd’s criticisms a reflection of a broader shift within the Democratic Party? Todd attributed the nation's fractured state and the Democratic Party's disarray to Biden, accusing him of prioritizing his political ambitions over the well-being of his family. This isn’t just criticism of a single decision—it could be a sign that the left is systematically distancing itself from Biden and his entire presidency.
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