An unprecedented issue in US election history; The President's son's conviction shakes voters' attitudes?

Democrats try to draw a line on 'family issues' while Republicans focus on President Biden's son's business.

Illustration of the trial of Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden. (Source: Reuters)

Hunter Biden's conviction on Tuesday on gun charges, after days of testimony about his drug habits, marked another tragic turn in President Joe Biden's family history, according to the Financial Times .

It also comes at a delicate time for the Democratic president as he races to catch up with his now-convicted Republican rival Donald Trump in this year's race for the White House.

Firm attitude

Early signs suggest voters are reluctant to let either verdict determine their choice for president, even as both parties try to exploit or minimize the rulings.

“To the extent the troubles are there, I think it's largely a combination of age, perceptions of his performance, and inflation,” said Kyle Kondik at the University of Virginia Center for Politics .

An Emerson College poll conducted the week before Hunter Biden’s conviction found that nearly two-thirds of American voters said his trial would have no impact on their vote in November. Just under a quarter – mostly Republicans – said it would make them less supportive of the president.

Democrats have tried to portray Hunter Biden’s legal problems as a private matter, stemming from the traumatic aftermath of his brother Beau Biden’s death from cancer in 2015. Hunter Biden’s addiction has long overshadowed President Joe Biden’s tenure, including his 2020 White House bid.

Many voters will again see the verdict as a “family issue,” said Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh. “Most people have family members who have struggled with drug addiction or other addictions.”

In recent days, the president has shed the image of a grieving father, emphasizing compassion for his son, who now faces 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000.

“I am president but I am also a father. Jill and I love our son,” Mr. Biden said after the verdict was announced.

Sympathize but do not change

American voters have often been sympathetic to the troubles of members of their leaders’ families, including former President Bill Clinton’s brother Roger and former President Jimmy Carter’s brother Billy. Even Mr. Trump has recently expressed some sympathy for Hunter Biden’s addiction problems.

“I had a brother who was a very serious alcoholic, and it was horrible to watch,” Mr. Trump told Fox News ’ Sean Hannity last week, referring to his late brother, Fred Trump. “He was an incredible human being with the most wonderful personality. Everything was perfect. But he was an alcoholic. So I understand the disease.”

But Mr. Trump and his Republican allies say Hunter Biden has gotten relatively easy treatment from prosecutors. Republicans in Congress have long investigated Hunter Biden’s business dealings, but have yet to uncover any serious information.

Karoline Leavitt, press secretary for Mr Trump’s campaign, said the verdict against the president’s son was “nothing more than a distraction from the real crime”, repeating accusations that Mr Biden and his relatives sold government access for “personal profit”.

Mr. Trump continues to lead Mr. Biden in most polls nationwide and in battleground states, even after his criminal conviction last month, though the advantage appears to have narrowed somewhat.

An NPR/PBS Marist poll conducted just before the Trump verdict found that just over two-thirds of voters said the conviction would not affect their vote.

Legal issues have become an unprecedented issue in the unusual US election campaign. Yet voters appear largely unmoved.

“One of the presidential candidates himself has been convicted, so the polling numbers are very small or even unchanged,” said University of Virginia expert Kondik.

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