Republican political strategist Scott Jennings set the record straight on President Joe Biden’s treatment of his seventh grandchild during a CNN panel on Sunday.
"It's not Republicans, with all due respect, who made Hunter Biden into a complete scumbag on this and other issues," Jennings said on CNN’s State of the Union. "The ignoring his own daughter, for four years! And the president of the United States hanging up a stocking for the dog, and not for his seventh grandchild!"
Jennings was responding to his fellow panelist, former Biden senior aide Michael LaRosa, who criticized Republicans for "weaponizing" the president's grandchild. CNN anchor Kasie Hunt said that Joe Biden has made "being a family man a central part of his political identity." She later interrupted Jennings to tell him to "keep this conversation respectful," saying we can "have sympathy for people who are struggling with addiction."
The discussion comes after the president finally acknowledged his seventh grandchild late Friday in a statement to People magazine. After years of refusing to acknowledge his granddaughter’s existence, Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden "only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy," the daughter of Hunter Biden and his former mistress Lunden Alexis Roberts.
The statement followed mounting pressure on Joe Biden to recognize Hunter Biden’s lovechild. A New York Times profile on the child and her mother published earlier this month preceded a piece by columnist Maureen Dowd declaring, "It’s Seven Grandkids, Mr. President."
Jennings reminded Hunt, "Where I’m from, a lot of families deal with addiction."
"You know who ends up picking up the pieces?" Jennings said. "The grandparents. And in this case, the grandparents would not acknowledge this little girl. It is offensive."