In his first interview since the 2024 US Presidential Election, Hunter Biden has offered a startling explanation for his father and former president Joe Biden’s debate debacle against Donald Trump. Speaking with YouTube journalist Andrew Callaghan on Monday, Hunter claimed Ambien – a prescription sleeping pill – played a key role in Joe Biden’s poor performance, the US media reported.
Sleep Medication and Stage Fright
“He is 81 years old, he is tired as s***, they give him Ambien to be able to sleep, he gets up on the stage and he looks like he’s a deer in the headlights,” Hunter spoke of his father, according to a report published by ABC News.
Joe Biden’s debate performance on June 27, 2024, drew immediate concern, with a raspy voice, seemingly unfocussed responses and visibly low energy. While his campaign staff had blamed a cold and travel fatigue for the poor show at the time, this is the first time someone with close ties to Biden has made such a reference.
Despite preparing for days at Camp David, the former president, reports suggest, didn’t really recover from the debate backlash and eventually withdrew from the race less than a month later, paving the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to subsequently become the Democratic nominee.
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George Clooney in the Crosshairs
Lambasting those within his father’s party who, he believes, turned against him, Hunter also slammed some Democrats using a rather harsh tone and strong words.
“F*** you,” Hunter said of actor George Clooney, who had publicly urged Biden to step down, CNBC reported.
“What do you have to do with f***ing anything? Why do I have to f***ing listen to you?”
Referring to Clooney’s New York Times op-ed titled “I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee”, Hunter accused the actor of undermining a man who had served the country for over five decades.
“What right do you have to step on a man who’s given 52 years of his f***ing life to the service of this country?”, he beratingly spoke, per ABC News.
Hunter Biden Defends His Sobriety
While addressing past controversies, Hunter denied accusations he had anything to do with the cocaine found at the White House in 2023 — a scandal that appeared to have had fuelled right-wing speculation.
“I have been clean and sober since June of 2019… Why would I bring cocaine into the White House and stick it into a cubby outside of the Situation Room in the West Wing?” he quipped.
Republicans Ramp up Probe Into Joe Biden’s Health
Hunter’s latest comments come as House Republicans are ramping up their investigation into Joe Biden’s cognitive health.
According to a recent CNBC report, three top Biden aides have invoked the Fifth Amendment in closed-door testimony, refusing to answer questions about the former president’s condition.
But for Hunter, the bigger betrayal seems to be from those he insists counted as allies at some point. “We watched Joe Biden turn 80 and 81 and then 82. That does not mean that you’re incapacitated,” he reportedly said.
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