Joe Biden kissing his son is ‘creepy’ and inappropriate, claims right-wing pundit. The backlash was swift
John Cardillo dubbed a photograph of Joe Biden kissing his son, Hunter, on the cheek as ‘inappropriate’. (Getty/Twitter)
Joe Biden kissing his son Hunter on the cheek is “creepy”, according to cop turned right-wing pundit John Cardillo.
Cardillo opened his window Thursday morning (October 22), saw a world rumbled by simultaneous viral, political and social pandemics, and thought: yes, today is the day I will make a weird take-down about Joe Biden and his only living son.
The former police officer, now a Newsmax TV host, took to Twitter to share his ice-cold take.
Sharing a photograph of the presidential candidate and his son, he asked: “Does this look like an appropriate father/son interaction to you?”
Does this look like an appropriate father/son interaction to you? pic.twitter.com/XDMIsgjUKI— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) October 22, 2020
He later followed up with: “Good morning to everyone except the creepy Bidens and their creepy staged pics.”
Good morning to everyone except the creepy Bidens and their creepy staged pics.— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) October 22, 2020
Trying to eke out a victory for Donald Trump by saying it’s not “appropriate” for a father to show love and affection towards his son is definitely a new one for the US election bingo card.
Cardillo’s tweet prompted two types of reaction – mockery, and those that came armed with facts.
People laid it out – toxic masculinity snarls many fathers from telling their sons that they love them.
Yes, actually, it does — that is, if you’re not distracted by toxic masculinity, patriarchal insecurity, and a deadening indifference to the affection that should prevail between father and son. We could use more of this right now! https://t.co/wbqsszvSJq— Michael Eric Dyson (@MichaelEDyson) October 22, 2020
Attempts to stigmatize displays of affection by men and between men draw from the school of toxic masculinity, which frames noncompetitive emotions as weak and non aggressive physical touching as undesirable except in a heteronormative, primarily sexual context. https://t.co/FcaZm0nfws
— feminist next door (@emrazz) October 22, 2020
Yes! And so needed. Sadly some parents believe they make their sons stronger by withholding affection. Those children will bear the scars. Being comfortable showing them love and affection at any age lets them build and model on true strength & not on the fear of appearing weak https://t.co/xA2O6er1pU— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) October 22, 2020
While many wondered why Donald Trump kissing his daughter Ivanka wasn’t being scrutinised.
I’m a trained therapist and if anyone looks at this photo and sees anything other than father + son love, I’d recommend therapy until the person knows diff bw healthy + unhealthy touching.— Kim C. Dickerson, M.S. (@kimcdickerson) October 22, 2020
pic.twitter.com/uxEcOstNrW— Meidas : #HereRightMatters #HereTruthMatters (@VoteBlue4Us) October 22, 2020
Other users reminisced about their own parents and guardians, and the way affection can have a life-long impact.
My father died when I was 16 years old. I’d give anything for him to be here now, holding me like this.— Carlos Escondido (@CarlosEscondido) October 22, 2020
I want to thank @johncardillo for, even in his sad, disgusting ignorance, sparking an important and valuable conversation about fathers and sons. Mine was my hero. Died when I was 33. He hugged and kissed me like this thousands of times. I’d give anything for one more time. https://t.co/4lO10lmo8m— Richard Marx (@richardmarx) October 22, 2020
And of course, a new meme was born.
Does this look like an appropriate father/son interaction to you? pic.twitter.com/WFmcEswVhm
— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) October 22, 2020
Does this look like an appropriate father/son interaction to you? pic.twitter.com/wpwZeMKSLb— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) October 22, 2020
Does this look like an appropriate father/son interaction to you? pic.twitter.com/PuzlEYVpdN— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) October 22, 2020
Joe Biden’s son targeted by Republican smear campaign.
Hunter Biden, 50, is the middle of three children Joe Biden had with his first wife, Neilia. She and their youngest, Naomi, died in a tragic car crash in 1972.
Hunter and his brother Beau Biden survived the accident, however Beau died due to brain cancer in 2015.
Hunter, a lawyer, has become the subject of debunked right-wing conspiracies throughout election season.
Attempts by Republican leaders to tarnish the Biden name with wrongdoing and scandal found their claims of improper influence to be false by Senate Republicans’ investigations.
John Cardillo has a long legacy of anti-LGBT+ comments, such as saying that trans people have “psychological issues” or that, no, a president shouldn’t be an “LGBT ally” as it’s not in their “job description”.
“‘Commander-in-Chief is,” Cardillo said, adding that Trump “did his job” when he banned trans people from the military.
