Hunter Biden wants you to know that he is not a victim – though does believe he has been victimized by political foes. In a new op-ed published in USA Today, the first son laments the ways his “struggles” and “mistakes” have become “fodder for a vile and sustained disinformation campaign” against President Joe Biden and “an all-out annihilation” of his reputation.
On Friday’s show, Megyn was joined by Adam Carolla, host of The Adam Carolla Show, to discuss Hunter’s op-ed and what he gets wrong about the media and political attention he’s received.
Hunter Biden’s Op-Ed
In an opinion piece published on Thursday in USA Today titled “I fought to get sober. Political weaponization of my addiction hurts more than me,” the first son condemns what he calls the “weaponization” of his history of substance abuse. “The weaponization of my addiction by partisan and craven factions represents a real threat to those desperate to get sober but are afraid of what may await them if they do,” he wrote.
He believes his experience puts others in or seeking recovery at risk. “I am not a victim,” he said. “What troubles me is the demonization of addiction, of human frailty, using me as its avatar and the devastating consequences it has for the millions struggling with addiction, desperate for a way out and being bombarded by the denigrating and near-constant coverage of me and my addiction on Fox News… and in The New York Post.”
The piece attacks conservative media, House Republicans, and the Justice Department for investigating his possible criminal conduct, including alleged tax evasion, foreign influence peddling, and illegal possession of a firearm.
Pity Party
While Megyn joked that Hunter would clearly like his readers to “spare a tear” for him, she did not find his argument compelling. “What he’s worried about is what the coverage of his troubles is going to mean for other addicts who he thinks are looking at him thinking, ‘You know what? Fox News and The New York Post are going to come for me next,'” she noted.
Carolla said he’s got it all wrong. “As long as the other addicts aren’t embezzling millions of dollars from Ukraine, China, Russia, and all the worst dictators in the world, then they shouldn’t have an issue,” he explained. “If they’re not taking their dad’s name to enrich themselves and they’re just strung out on heroin, then they… can avoid this kind of scrutiny by not being an international embezzler.”
In his view, the media coverage of Hunter and his alleged corruption has been overwhelmingly sympathetic. “I have seen hours and hours and hours of coverage of Hunter Biden as it pertains to this issue, and every single commentator I’ve ever heard speak about it on Fox or beyond is very careful to start with, ‘He’s an addict. I have sympathy for him,’” Carolla shared.
But, at the end of the day, the job of the press is to report the facts. “We’re talking about embezzling money; we’re talking about pay for play; we’re talking about ‘10 percent for the big guy’… who’s now president of the United States,” Carolla concluded. “He is hiding behind this and it’s a common tactic. It’s what Democrats do all the time.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Carolla by tuning in to episode 662 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.