Chuck Todd blasts podcasters for platforming Hunter Biden, 'spectacle' hurting Democrats

Former NBC News anchor Chuck Todd condemned media outlets for platforming former President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, arguing he is a hazard to himself and the Democratic Party.

As Democrats struggle to chart a new course after their defeat in the 2024 election, the one thing many can agree on is that the Bidens should step away from public life.

Hunter Biden was in the news again after he spoke on Andrew Callaghan's "Channel 5" podcast last weekend and Monday’s episode of former DNC chair Jaime Harrison's "At Our Table" podcast, making headlines for wild tirades defending his father and blasting his critics. 

Todd responded on his own podcast by declaring, "I will never book Hunter Biden," and explained why. "Number one, he's not the candidate. He wasn't on the ballot. Anything he says in defense of his father, I don't know whether it's true or not, but it doesn't matter. He's a son defending his father," he said. 

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Todd reserved his full ire for those who platform Hunter, saying, "I have a real problem with the folks that are booking him. If you've chosen to book Hunter Biden, you've chosen to book spectacle. You're not interested in - and you know, the two interviews that have gone viral were both designed to get attention, not to surface new facts, not to give you a better understanding of what may have happened. It was just, ‘Let's give him a platform to settle some scores that maybe he wants to settle.'"

He continued, "I don't think this does Hunter Biden any good. I don't think this does Joe Biden any good. It certainly doesn't do the Democratic Party any good. That's why it's surprising to see the former DNC chair start a podcast and decide that the best way to market it is Hunter Biden."

"It's a choice who you book," he argued. "I make choices. Everybody makes choices. It's a choice who you book. If you're putting Hunter Biden on, you know what you're doing. Look, I think there's a lot of things going on there."

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"I don't like it when politicians use the media or campaigns or voters for their own therapy." Todd added he's a big advocate of going to therapy, "but let's not do it in public. Try to deal with your issues amongst yourself."

"This is ultimately why I was critical of Joe and Joe Biden for running in the first place, because their family wasn't ready for this," he added. "And I think Hunter Biden's behavior now post-election is more proof the family wasn't in a position… this is why running for president can do major damage to a candidate's family."

After surviving the death of his first wife and daughter in 1972, the death of his eldest son Beau in 2015 hit Biden very hard and Todd argued the family didn't take enough time to grieve and recover from it before he launched his 2020 presidential campaign. 

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In the past, the Bidens seemed to be "the poster child" of balancing public service and supporting one’s family to Todd. "But that was a family in crisis internally," he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the "Channel 5" podcast, the "At Our Table" podcast, representatives of Joe Biden, and the legal representation of Hunter Biden, and did not receive an immediate reply.

Inter Miami owner rips MLS over decision to suspend star Lionel Messi: 'That's not right'

Jorge Mas, the owner of Inter Miami, blasted Major League Soccer's decision to suspend Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba for one game. 

Messi and Alba will be sidelined for Inter Miami's match against Eastern Conference-leading Cincinnati FC Saturday.

Both players skipped Wednesday's MLS All-Star game in Austin, Texas, despite receiving enough votes. The major league All-Stars defeated the Liga MX All-Stars 3-1.

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But Mas asserted the league's decision was a "draconian" punishment.

"They don’t understand the decision," Mas said Friday. "They don’t understand why not attending an exhibition match leads directly to a suspension."

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Messi, the captain of Argentina's 2022 World Cup champion team, cited the need to rest instead of competing in the All-Star game. Meanwhile, Alba was dealing with a previous injury.

Mas said the club made the decision for Messi and Alba to sit out of the All-Star Game.

According to MLS rules, any player who doesn’t participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in his club's next match.

Messi and Alba practiced with the club Friday in anticipation of playing in Saturday’s match before MLS announced the suspension.

"I know Lionel Messi loves this league," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "I don’t think there’s a player — or anyone — who has done more for Major League Soccer than Messi. I fully understand, respect and admire his commitment to Inter Miami, and I respect his decision.

"Unfortunately, we have a long-standing policy regarding participation in the All-Star Game, and we had to enforce it. It was a very difficult decision."

Garber added that the league will reevaluate the policy and work with players to "determine how the rule should evolve."

Mas said Inter Miami expressed its disagreement over the suspension and the rule. Mas also noted there were six MLS games Friday night, less than 48 hours after an All-Star Game.

"That’s not right," Mas said. "That’s not right to the players."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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