“Does the president acknowledge this little girl as his granddaughter?”
That question, lobbed by Wall Street Journal reporter Catherine Lacey, should have been easy for Karine Jean-Pierre to answer. But in the White House briefing room Wednesday afternoon, the press secretary refused to do so.
“I don’t have anything to share from here,” she said, echoing her answer in early May when posed a similar question by a reporter. That time, Jean-Pierre, sighing, said: “I’m not going to speak to that from here.”
In the enlightened era of 2023, when words like “bastard” and “illegitimate” child seem as old-fashioned as horse-drawn carriages, the Biden White House appears committed to pretending that one inconvenient little Biden doesn’t exist.
Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that an abortion extremist like President Joe Biden — who has backed legislation that would make abortion legal over all nine months of pregnancy if the mother’s health is at risk— should view a seemingly unplanned child’s life as disposable, as not demanding that he step up as a grandfather.
But it’s still shocking how brazen he has been about treating his own granddaughter, Navy Joan Roberts, like she doesn’t exist.
When Biden announced he had won the presidential election in 2020, he invited all his other grandchildren up on stage. In both 2021 and 2022, the White House hung Christmas stockings for six grandchildren, completely ignoring Navy Joan, who was born in 2018 and was confirmed as Hunter Biden’s daughter after a court-ordered paternity test in 2019.
“Remarkable that Joe Biden hangs a Christmas stocking for his dog, but won’t acknowledge his granddaughter,” tweeted Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, where Navy Joan lives with her mother, Lunden Roberts.
Remarkable that Joe Biden hangs a Christmas stocking for his dog but won't acknowledge his granddaughter.
Not an ounce of decency. https://t.co/F1uaAhOPhp
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) July 3, 2023
Last week, Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts settled their latest court case, which dealt with whether the little girl could use the Biden last name (she can’t) and how much child support Roberts would receive to raise and care for their daughter.
But based on Jean-Pierre’s answer, don’t look for the 4-year-old to start getting any public recognition from her grandfather now that the court case is settled. Furthermore, a recent New York Times report revealed that “In strategy meetings in recent years, aides have been told that the Bidens have six, not seven, grandchildren.”
That’s not because Navy Joan—or her mother—are trying to avoid being entangled with the Bidens.
“The girl is aware that her father is Hunter Biden and that her paternal grandfather is the president of the United States,” reported the New York Times’ Katie Rogers on Saturday. “She speaks about both of them often, but she has not met them.”
How cruel can the Bidens be?
Hunter Biden — who has gone on to have son Beau with now-wife Melissa Cohen (Beau is acknowledged publicly as a Biden family member) — has largely been mum on the topic of his daughter. In his 2021 memoir, “Beautiful Things,” he suggested that his time with Lunden Roberts was meaningless, describing her—not even using her name—as one of the women he’d “been with during rampages since my divorce … hardly the dating type.”
“We would satisfy our needs and little else,” Hunter Biden wrote, adding:
I’m not proud of it. It’s why I would later challenge in court the woman from Arkansas who had a baby in 2018 and claimed the child was mine—I had no recollection of our encounter. That’s how little connection I had with anyone. I was a mess, but a mess I’ve taken responsibility for.
But whatever the circumstances of Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts’ encounter, an innocent child was conceived.
She has done nothing to merit this callous treatment by President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden.
President Biden seems to be bringing the pro-abortion mindset to this scenario.
After all, abortion allows for the illusion of control. Abortion on demand ensures that even if someone has sex and regrets it, they can put the genie back in the bottle. They can snuff out the life of the baby that resulted.
While Navy Joan is alive, Joe Biden seems to think that he can just ignore her—and he won’t face any accountability. He won’t face awkward questions about whether he thinks children conceived out of wedlock are less deserving of love. He won’t have to answer as to why he thinks it’s OK that his own granddaughter can be brought to D.C., as she was last year, and not get to meet her grandfather.
Infuriatingly, he might be right that he won’t ever be held accountable.
The New York Times may have covered the story, but in the article itself, the Times suggested it was only conservatives who cared, writing that the court case between Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts “has been extensively covered in conservative media, from Breitbart to Fox News, and conservative commentators assailed the Biden family after news of the settlement.”
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
In general, there has been little appetite to cover the story, despite President Biden’s use of his other grandchildren to present himself as a family man. After all, if the Bidens really wanted their grandchildren to be off limits to the media, there’s an easy enough solution: include all the grandkids at events, or include none of them. Ditto for the Christmas stockings. And don’t tell staff to perpetuate the lie you only have six grandkids when you have seven.
Thankfully, Navy Joan seems to be being raised with lots of love in her life. Her mother’s Instagram shows her visiting the beach, playing baseball, celebrating Easter and touring Washington, D.C. “Wouldn’t trade you for the world,” Roberts captioned one post of her and Navy Joan.
In another post, shared on Mother’s Day, Roberts writes, “To the little girl that made me a mama, Navy Joan, I hope one day when you look back you find yourself proud of who you are, where you come from, and most importantly, who raised you.”
Meanwhile, Roberts’ dad, Rob Roberts, is making sure Navy Joan knows a grandfather’s love. The New York Times reported:
“I may not be the POTUS,” Mr. Roberts said in a text message, using an acronym for the president, but he said he would do anything for his granddaughter. He said she “needs for nothing and never will.”
But it’s still insane that a president can do this in 2023—a supposedly enlightened era where we recognize children should not be faulted for the mistakes of their parents, and should be loved and accepted, whatever the messiness of their conception.
Yet apparently in a world where leftists push abortion relentlessly, it’s easy to slip into a mindset of no unplanned children should be alive, their existence an uncomfortable reminder of past decisions.
When we talk about promulgating a pro-life culture, of course the first hope is for a culture where every conceived child’s right to life is acknowledged and honored. Right now, we’re on a promising trajectory toward that, with a slew of states passing pro-life laws after Roe v. Wade was struck down in June 2022 in the Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization decision.
But a genuinely pro-life culture is also a culture that celebrates life, including when it’s messy. Navy Joan may have been conceived in one of the darkest periods of Hunter Biden’s life, but she herself—a young girl who seems to love America and her family—should be a sign of hope, a beautiful reminder of how so often good is brought out of evil, of how light emerges in the darkness.
It’s too bad Joe Biden is too impoverished to appreciate that.
Article cross-posted from Daily Signal.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
One could argue that she might be safer.