Hunter Biden and the political peril of presidential children

+ historic autoworkers strike begins; genetics and Alzheimer's disease US Edition - Today's top story: Hunter Biden is the latest presidential child to stain a White House reputation − but others have shined it up [View in browser]( US Edition | 15 September 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Is the tortured artist a creative one? Not so much]( - [Rivers, like oceans, are losing oxygen from climate change]( - [Think you can ace our news quiz? Give it a try]( Lead story Hunter Biden, as the headline on our lead story today asserts, is not the only presidential child [to make trouble for the White House](. But yesterday’s criminal indictment of Biden on federal gun charges added even more weight to the political difficulties his father, President Joe Biden, already faced. Earlier in the week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy yielded to hardliners in his Republican Party and announced an impeachment investigation of Biden, apparently based largely on the president’s alleged interactions with his son’s business ventures. Historian Peter Kastor of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis studies the presidency and sets Hunter Biden in the context of other presidential progeny, from John Quincy Adams – whose ambitions “raised accusations of nepotism in a country that claimed to have eliminated a royal class” – to James Roosevelt’s literal support of his polio-disabled father, Franklin, who leaned on him during public events, to the roles played by some, but not all, of Donald Trump’s children in his administration. Most presidents have claimed they want privacy for their families. But there’s another side to presidents’ handling of their children, Kastor writes: “Their children have always been factors in the presidents’ public lives, and presidents have sought to exploit the political benefits they can draw from their children.” But that can work two ways, as Biden father-and-son may be learning. [ [Get our Understanding AI series – four emails delivered over the course of a week, with experts explaining this confusing topic.]( ] Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy President Joe Biden and family after he was sworn in at the U.S. Capitol, January 20, 2021. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster [Hunter Biden is the latest presidential child to stain a White House reputation − but others have shined it up]( Peter Kastor, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis Politics, age and gender combine to shape the understanding of presidents’ families – and the presidents themselves. Economy + Business - [US autoworkers launch historic strike: 3 questions answered]( Joshua Murray, Vanderbilt University A work stoppage hitting the three largest American automakers at the same time is unprecedented. - [What are strike funds? A labor-management relations expert explains]( Raymond Gibney Jr., Penn State When unions amass large sums of money to parcel out to workers, it can give them more leverage in negotiations with employers. Health + Medicine - [Alzheimer’s disease is partly genetic − studying the genes that delay decline in some may lead to treatments for all]( Steven DeKosky, University of Florida Despite decades of starts and stops, new treatments and key genetic discoveries are giving researchers great hope for slowing or eventually preventing Alzheimer’s disese. Ethics + Religion - [Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are times for soul-searching, but not on your own – community has always been at the heart of the Jewish High Holidays]( David L. Graizbord, University of Arizona Community is vital in Jewish ritual and tradition, and the High Holidays are no exception, a Judaic studies scholar writes. Politics + Society - [Ransom or realism? A closer look at Biden’s prisoner swap deal with Iran]( Klaus W. Larres, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The hostage swap between the U.S. and Iran may be an important step in a new nuclear deal between the West and Iran. - [The president loves ice cream, and a senator has a new girlfriend – these personal details may seem trivial, but can help reduce political polarization]( Jennifer Wolak, Michigan State University When politicians talk more about their personal lives and less about politics, it makes people from the opposing side of the political line see them as people and like them more. Science + Technology - [Can at-home DNA tests predict how you’ll respond to your medications? Pharmacists explain the risks and benefits of pharmacogenetic testing]( Kayla B. Rowe, University of Pittsburgh; Lucas Berenbrok, University of Pittsburgh; Philip Empey, University of Pittsburgh Genetic testing can help take the guesswork out of finding the right treatment. For certain diseases. To an extent. Environment + Energy - [As climate change warms rivers, they are running out of breath – and so could the plants and animals they harbor]( Li Li (李黎), Penn State When water warms, it holds less oxygen, and this can harm aquatic life and degrade water quality. A new study finds that climate change is driving oxygen loss in hundreds of US and European rivers. Arts + Culture - [Anxiety can often be a drag on creativity, upending the trope of the tortured artist]( Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University A psychiatrist explains the many ways anxiety can hinder, color or compel creativity. Trending on site - [Humility is the foundation to a virtuous life]( - [A constitutional revolution is underway at the Supreme Court, as the conservative supermajority rewrites basic understandings of the roots of US law]( - [Wisconsin GOP’s impeachment threat against state Supreme Court justice is unsupported by law and would undermine judicial independence]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( On Sept. 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that all Americans age 6 months and up should do what? - A. Stop eating red meat - B. Wear more sunscreen - C. Get fresh COVID-19 vaccines - D. Give up [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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