For four long years, young Navy Joan Roberts was a child without a name in her grandparents' lives. A child whose existence was steadfastly ignored by the president's family, even though her mother, Lunden, fought for recognition.
The president and first lady consistently claimed to have "four granddaughters," conveniently leaving out Navy, whose presence was overlooked even in festive celebrations like Christmas. Even the family dogs were not left out, receiving stockings while Navy was left in the shadows.
It was not until the public began to question the apparent cruelty of the president and first lady's indifference that the Bidens issued an almost begrudging acknowledgment. They shared the following statement:
Our son Hunter and Navy’s mother, Lunden, are working together to foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward. This is not a political issue, it’s a family matter. Jill and I only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy.
He Finally Did It
The statement was seen as insincere and offensive to those who knew the real story. There was no legal hindrance that had stopped the Bidens from accepting Navy as their granddaughter for all those years.
The story of Hunter's reluctance to admit to being Navy's father and his ongoing legal battle against child support further fueled the outrage. Even the claim that he had been "working together" with Lunden was considered a blatant insult.
In June, Hunter finally settled the child support case, and Lunden withdrew her request to change Navy's last name to "Biden." Yet, the story remained a political matter, not a family one.
The coldness and calculations that are often the hallmark of Washington's political landscape seemed even more pronounced in this case. The Bidens' behavior towards Navy went beyond mere political maneuvering; it struck at the core of family values and personal integrity.
The sudden acknowledgment of Navy’s existence did not stem from a legal necessity or sudden compassion but more likely from political pressure and public disgust.
In a city where morality is often compromised for personal gain, even the hard-edged Washington community found the Bidens' treatment of this young girl shocking. It wasn't their political dealings or President's alleged lies about his son's business that set them apart; it was the cold-hearted disregard for a four-year-old child.
As the president prepares to hit the campaign trail, this incident may continue to haunt him. His failure to meet or even acknowledge his granddaughter is a stark reminder that for some, political interests will always trump family matters.
The final recognition of Navy may have been forced by circumstances, but it leaves a lingering question: Why did it take four years for the Bidens to do what should have been in their "best interest" from the very beginning?
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