Democrats couldn't wait to make Donald Trump's conviction in Manhattan into a campaign issue -- especially Joe Biden. Just four days after the jury returned its verdict, Biden told donors at a campaign event in Greenwich CT about the danger that having "a convicted felon" in the White House would bring:

Look, folks, this campaign has entered uncharted territory.  Last week, for the first time in American history, a former President is convicted — a convicted felon.  He’s now seeking the office of the presidency.

Biden repeated this attack nearly verbatim at a campaign event  on June 18, and reformulated it in his post-debate appearance at a Raleigh campaign rally last Friday. This time, Biden phrased it more aggressively:

Look, he lied about how great he was on crime. I had to remind him that he oversaw a record increase of murder rates in 2020. And on my watch, violent crime has hit a 50-year low. There’s more to do, but 50-year low. (Applause.)

And then, I pointed out that the only convicted criminal on the stage last night was Donald Trump.  (Applause.)

When I’ve thought about his 34 felony convictions, his sexual assault on a woman in a public place, his being fined $400 million for business fraud, I thought to myself, “Donald Trump isn’t just a convicted felon.  Donald Trump is a one-man crime wave.”  (Applause.)  And he’s got more trials — he’s got more trials coming up.

Is that an unfair attack? Not really; for the moment, it's at least factual, until appeals can be heard anyway. Trump did get convicted of felonies, and he does have more trials coming up. 

And you know who else that describes? Hunter Biden. 

Now, normally that would be a non-sequitur, although Donald Trump certainly used it effectively to shut down Biden's "convicted felon" attack in the debate. It's factual that Hunter got convicted of felonies in federal court, and that he has more felony trials coming up. But Hunter's not running for president or seeking to control the executive branch of the federal government.

Or ... is he?

Late yesterday, NBC News reported that White House staffers have been shocked to see Hunter sitting in meetings with his father while policy gets discussed. This took place after the family meeting on Sunday, when Hunter appears to have set the strategy to keep his father in the election (via Off the Press):

Hunter Biden has joined meetings with President Joe Biden and his top aides since his father returned to the White House from Camp David, Maryland, on Monday evening, according to four people familiar with the matter. 

The president’s son has also been talking to senior White House staff members, these people said.

While he is regularly at the White House residence and events, it is unusual for Hunter Biden to be in and around meetings his father is having with his team, these people said. They said the president’s aides were struck by his presence during their discussions.

 NBC emphasizes that this this is a very recent change -- as in, since the Sunday meeting apparently run by Hunter for damage control after the debate:

One of the people familiar with the matter said Hunter Biden has been closely advising his father since the family gathered over the weekend at Camp David after Thursday’s debate. This person said Hunter Biden has "popped into" a couple of meetings and phone calls the president has had with some of his advisers.

Another person familiar with the matter said the reaction from some senior White House staff members has been, “What the hell is happening?”

It seems pretty clear what's happening. Hunter has decided to take charge, and is essentially acting as a regent for an increasingly incapacitated president. Until now, Jill Biden has seemingly taken on that role but without inserting herself into actual policy formulation, or at least only doing so discreetly. This looks like an effort to prop Joe up to get through the election, and possibly to set up a Biden Inc takeover of the White House as Joe slips further into senility after winning a second term.

And this means that a "convicted felon" already has access -- at least -- to US policy at the highest levels. And not just a convicted felon, but also a former crack addict and an alleged tax evader, not to mention a potential unregistered foreign agent. If his last name wasn't Biden, Hunter wouldn't even be allowed inside the building, let alone into high-stakes policy discussions of the most sensitive nature. 

Hunter has zero expertise in public policy, governance, or even political campaigning. There is no reason why Hunter would be included in such discussions other than to exert control through his father, and to boost the cover-up about Joe's increasing incapacitation. The timing of Hunter's sudden access to these discussions makes the intent obvious.

NBC's reporter in the White House tried to get an explanation from Karine Jean-Pierre yesterday about why Hunter was suddenly being included. The best she could do? "He's close to his family," KJP suggested. Ahem. Democrats and this administration own the "convicted felon" attack line. Now they'd better learn to defuse it better than this.

Also, the latest episode of The Ed Morrissey Show podcast is now up! Today's show features:

•  Debate Debacle Leaves Dems and Media in Dire Straits
•  We could say we told you so, but we know one thing -- the media didn't. 
• Andrew Malcolm and I discuss the shocking way in which the media has conspired with Democrats to gaslight the American electorate. 
• What comes next for Biden? Can Democrats pull a switcheroo? 

The Ed Morrissey Show is now a fully downloadable and streamable show at  Spotify, Apple Podcasts, the TEMS Podcast YouTube channel, and on Rumble and our own in-house portal at the #TEMS page!