Joe Biden recently became a great-grandfather, with his news evidently more centered on personal affairs than pressing national concerns. Demonstrating a comedic lapse in memory, Biden first declared that his eldest granddaughter gave birth to a ’10-pound baby girl’. It was only after realizing his blunder that he corrected his statement to ‘baby boy’. Thus, his well-attended gathering in California primarily revolved around his great-grandfather status, conveniently timed with his politically motivated visit to a Santa Monica firehouse.
The Santa Monica visit was a part of a two-day trip, curiously aligning with the season of deadly wildfires in the region. Critics could argue that this alarming coincidence might signal an overt attempt at garnering sympathy amidst tragic events. This kind of political maneuvering could be seen as a strategic play by the President to draw attention away from his controversial policy decisions.
However, overshadowing the underlying political motivations for his visit, the news predominantly revolved around Biden’s great-grandson. Bowing to the private, the event seemingly became more about Biden’s family than it was about the challenges faced by local residents. The First lady, Jill Biden, took to Instagram to share a picture of the newborn, named William Brannon Neal IV, in what some critics might interpret as another attempt to distract from matters of national urgency.
In the Instagram photo, the baby, swathed in a blue-striped blanket, was introduced to the world. The baby’s grandfather, his wife, Melissa, and their son, Beau, were photographed alongside the baby. Interestingly, reporters noted the visible wildfires from the hospital which the Bidens visited, indicating that once again, the more pressing issues were relegated to the background.
The newborn baby marks the first offspring of Naomi Biden Neal and Peter Neal, who notably tied the knot at the White House less than a year ago. Undeniably, this newly forged line of the Biden lineage was in the limelight, central to media narratives.
Naomi Biden Neal, whose name remembers the President’s first-born daughter tragically killed in a car accident in 1972, is now onset a different chapter in her life. The great-grandson’s arrival invokes Biden’s own family story that has been frequently used as a tool for his political narration.
Earlier in the week, Biden shared to reluctant reporters his granddaughter’s planned cesarean section. The President uncharacteristically indulged in this intimate information, detracting from hard-hitting issues. Rather than addressing national concerns, his response was, ‘I’m about to be a great-grandfather’.
Biden’s focus on his family, showcasing a narrative around his private life, ended up taking center stage. This has raised some eyebrows among critics who question whether Biden should be devoting his energy to dealing with national crises rather than featuring his family’s milestones.
The reception of the family gathering paints a certain picture. The family-oriented event was used as a chance to display a more personable side of President Biden, a diversion critics argue takes away from discussing groundbreaking issues such as the wildfires that coincidentally overshadowed their gathering.
In a time when Americans are facing many crises and struggles, Biden utilized this personal family occasion to publicize his image. This method could draw criticism from those who argue that Biden’s focus should be on more pressing matters affecting the nation.
The news serves another reminder of the interesting fact that Biden has seven grandchildren, all of whom have received occasional press coverage. However, such personal news being at the forefront begs the question whether this depiction of Biden as the patriarch is more of a PR strategy than genuine familial celebration.