President Joe Biden set a "wonderful example" when he left a supportive voicemail message for his son, Hunter Biden, in October 2018, according to the CEO of an organization that helps people recovering from addiction.
Fox News host Sean Hannity aired the nearly four-year-old voicemail on his show on Monday. It was originally obtained by The Daily Mail and was reportedly left on October 15, 2018—three days after Hunter Biden allegedly made a false statement while purchasing a gun.
In the message, then former Vice President Biden told his son: "It's Dad. I called to tell you I love you. I love you more than the whole world, pal. You gotta get some help. I know you don't know what to do. I don't either."
Hannity described the recording as "sad" and asked his audience to "replace the name Biden with Trump and imagine how the mob and the media would be covering all of this."
The Washington Post reported last week that federal agents investigating Biden believe there could be enough evidence to bring charges against him for the gun purchase as well as alleged tax crimes.
The Fox News host faced criticism from many on social media for airing the voicemail, while others shared their own stories of struggles with addiction.
Hunter Biden has been open about his past use of drugs, while the president has said he's proud of his son for overcoming addiction.
Organizations that deal with addiction and recovery told Newsweek that Biden's voicemail reflected the experiences of many other Americans.
Talking to Loved Ones
"What the president did is exactly what millions of parents, siblings, neighbors, coworkers and friends across the world are doing every day," said Patty McCarthy, CEO of Faces & Voices of Recovery.
"They're showing compassion and concern for their loved one experiencing addiction," McCarthy told Newsweek. "It's the right message at the right time during the deadliest drug crisis in history. The shame and stigma people with substance use disorders face is the number one reason people in need don't access treatment."
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McCarthy added that she commended Biden for "celebrating the 23 million Americans in recovery in his State of the Union Address, and the work of his administration to deploy resources for prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery."
"President Biden's message to Hunter is a wonderful example of how to talk to your loved ones who need help," she said.
Pain and Anguish
Gary Mendell, founder and CEO of Shatterproof, another group dedicated to fighting addiction, shared his personal experience in a statement to Newsweek.
"My son, Brian, faced addiction for 10 years," Mendell said. "Like President Biden, if you know someone who has struggled with addiction, you know all too well the pain and anguish of watching a loved one in the clutches of this disease and feeling helpless and isolated. My son took his own life in 2011 at the age of 25 after having not used a substance in more than a year. He felt shame related to his addiction."
Mendell pointed to figures from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) that show more than 40 million Americans were living with a substance use disorder in 2020.
Not a Moral Failing
Mendell said that one of the ways for parents and loved ones to address addiction in the home is to show "empathy in addition to love. Tell your children or loved ones with a substance use disorder, 'This must be hard for you.'"
"Addiction is not a moral failing, a choice or a character flaw. Addiction is a disorder of the most complex human part – the brain," Mendell said. "It is an illness as all major health experts agree, including the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization.
"Addiction is a treatable, preventable and curable chronic disease and with a standard of care and evidence-based quality treatment coupled with love and compassion, we can help our loved ones recover," he added.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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