Psaki Says Biden “Confident” Hunter “Did the Right Thing” as NYT and WaPo Finally Confirm Laptop Story; Approval Hits 36%

On 3/3/2022, Psaki said Biden was “confident” his son Hunter had “done the right thing” after the Washington Post reported Hunter had received $4.8 million from Chinese energy companies. The story gained new urgency because the New York Times and Washington Post — which had dismissed and suppressed the laptop story in 2020 — were now confirming its authenticity. Biden’s approval sank to 36% in a new Quinnipiac poll, gas prices hit $4.22 per gallon, and analysts said the “Putin price hike” messaging was not working.

”The President Is Confident His Family Did the Right Thing”

A reporter asked about the Washington Post’s report on Hunter Biden’s deals with Chinese energy companies. “Is the president confident his family didn’t cross any ethical lines?” the reporter asked.

“The president is confident that his family did the right thing,” Psaki said. “But again, I want to just be really clear. These are actions by Hunter and his brother. They’re private matters. They don’t involve the president, and they certainly are something that no one at the White House is involved in.”

When asked directly whether the president was confident Hunter “didn’t break the law,” Psaki said: “Of course the president’s confident that his son didn’t break the law.”

Media Finally Confirms Laptop

The video highlighted the media’s reversal on the Hunter Biden laptop story. In October 2020, Twitter had suspended the New York Post’s account for reporting on the laptop’s contents. Major outlets had dismissed it as Russian disinformation or refused to cover it.

“The New York Times and the Washington Post are the Democrat papers. The Republican paper, Twitter would cancel their account. Can’t even report on this story,” a commentator noted. “It looks like the left-wing media just buried the story because it wasn’t part of their narrative, and that’s why people don’t trust the media.”

An analyst provided context for the shift. “Two years ago, this was an obvious story. Hunter Biden had used the president’s name to curry favor all over the world, was funneling money back in, was working with Chinese individuals, including to the ‘big guy’ — that being now President Biden,” the analyst said.

“At this point, I think it’s just that President Biden’s approval numbers are so low — they don’t feel like they have to protect him anymore. Everyone knows that he’s not going to run again in two years. And so this has just become a pile-on.”

Possible Indictments

An analyst raised the possibility of criminal charges. “There could be indictments handed down. The Department of Justice is not talking about this much, but it’s very clear that they’re closing in on major tax evasion,” the analyst said. “It’s ironic that President Biden continues to talk about the rich not paying their fair share of taxes, and you go into his own family who doesn’t pay his own taxes.”

36% Approval, “Putin Price Hike” Not Working

Biden’s approval hit 36% in a new Quinnipiac poll — with just one in three approving his economic handling. Gas prices had reached $4.22 per gallon nationally, up $1.34 from a year ago.

The White House had begun calling it a “Putin price hike,” but analysts were skeptical. “Gas prices started rising a year ago. So is all of this to blame on Putin?” a reporter asked. An analyst responded: “When I drive past gas stations that say ‘blame Putin’ more than they say ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ I’ll know the White House has been successful in messaging it.”

Another analyst noted: “Everything the president just said is true. It’s also largely irrelevant. There’s one number they can’t change — what the placard says at the local gas station. And that number is high.”

Afghanistan’s Long Shadow

Hillary Clinton weighed in on Biden’s struggles. Asked about the “disconnect” between accomplishments and approval, she acknowledged the Afghanistan withdrawal had been damaging. “A lot of speculation is that this trouble for President Biden politically started with the chaotic withdrawal in Afghanistan. Do you buy that?” an interviewer asked. “I don’t think it helped. I think that is obviously the case,” she said.

Key Takeaways

Psaki said Biden was “confident” Hunter had “done the right thing” after the WaPo reported $4.8 million in Chinese energy payments to entities controlled by Hunter and the president’s brother.
The New York Times and Washington Post finally confirmed the laptop’s authenticity — two years after suppressing the story and after Twitter had suspended the New York Post for reporting it.
An analyst said DOJ was “closing in on major tax evasion” and indictments were possible.
Biden’s approval hit 36% in Quinnipiac; gas was at $4.22/gallon — up $1.34 from a year ago, with prices rising before Russia’s invasion.
Analysts said the “Putin price hike” messaging was failing: “When gas stations say ‘blame Putin’ more than ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ I’ll know the messaging worked.”

Transcript Highlights

The following is transcribed from the video audio (unverified — AI-generated from audio).

The president is confident that his family did the right thing. These are private matters. They don’t involve the president.
The left-wing media just buried the story because it wasn’t part of their narrative. That’s why people don’t trust the media.
They’re closing in on major tax evasion. It’s ironic that Biden talks about the rich not paying their fair share — and his own family doesn’t pay his own taxes.
Gas prices started rising a year ago. Is all of this to blame on Putin?
When I drive past gas stations that say “blame Putin” more than “Let’s Go Brandon,” I’ll know the White House has been successful.
His approval is at 36 percent. Just one in three approve of how he is handling the economy.

Full transcript: 1238 words transcribed via Whisper AI.