California Gov. Gavin Newsom is preparing to release a highly anticipated podcast interview with Hunter Biden on Friday, offering what appears to be one of Biden’s most extensive public appearances since his father left office.

Newsom previewed the conversation Thursday by posting a short teaser on X, where he playfully welcomed his guest as “Presidential candidate Hunter Biden.”

Biden immediately joined in the joke.

“Here’s the deal. I’ll run, but only as your VP,” he told Newsom.

Explaining his mock interest in the job, Biden quipped that the vice president’s residence “is a lot cooler” than the White House.

The exchange came after Newsom referenced remarks made by President Donald Trump, who recently suggested Hunter Biden “could do well” in a 2028 presidential campaign while criticizing controversial Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner.

“I had to give you a break for just one day,” Biden joked to Newsom, alluding to the nonstop discussion surrounding the governor’s own potential White House ambitions.

In the 13-second preview clip released ahead of the episode, Biden declares: “They gave me a stage and I’m going to use it.” He then rattles off the names of several public figures with whom he has sparred, including Tucker Carlson and President Trump.

The discussion also reportedly touched on Platner, who has faced scrutiny over allegations involving toxic personal relationships and a reported Nazi tattoo. According to Politico, Biden defended the embattled candidate during the interview.

“If that’s the standard by which we are going to judge people, particularly people in elected office,” Biden told Newsom, “then I don’t think we’re going to have many people in elected office.”

The teaser quickly drew criticism online, with detractors mocking Newsom’s decision to feature a guest whose personal history has often attracted controversy.

“That’s a whole Lotta crack on one podcast…call it the Escobar files!!!” one social media user wrote.

“Is he going to talk about how he did drugs at the White House?” another commenter sarcastically asked.

Since President Biden’s departure from office, questions have persisted about Hunter Biden’s activities and public profile. In recent weeks, however, he has become increasingly visible, suggesting a renewed willingness to engage in public and political discussions.

Earlier this month, Biden celebrated seven years of sobriety through a series of social media posts. After a lengthy absence from X, he resumed posting in May and has frequently addressed criticism tied to his past struggles with substance abuse, including his long-running battles with crack cocaine and alcohol.

Those addictions became central to legal troubles that culminated in his 2024 conviction for falsely completing a federal firearm-purchase form regarding his drug use. He was also accused of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes. Both matters were ultimately resolved through a pardon issued by his father.

Other recent posts have focused on political and media controversies, including criticism of CNN anchor Jake Tapper over his memoir and attacks on plans by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump to redevelop an abandoned island off the Albanian coast.

Questions about Biden’s finances have also resurfaced. The California Post recently reported that he has been living in Southern California while facing debts exceeding $20 million. According to the report, that total includes roughly $15 million to $17 million owed to a prominent Washington legal team, approximately $5 million owed to longtime associate Kevin Morris, and another $1 million tied to a former art dealer.

Financial controversies have followed Biden for years. Reports have alleged that he spent millions of dollars on drugs, luxury clothing, prostitutes, and cosmetic dental work, expenditures that reportedly became a source of friction during divorce proceedings with his ex-wife.

He has also remained a political liability at times because of issues connected to his infamous laptop, which fueled years of scrutiny over alleged conflicts of interest involving Ukraine and cast a shadow over his father’s presidency.

Despite the controversies, Newsom appears unfazed by the criticism and may benefit from the attention generated by the interview. The California governor is widely viewed as a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.

Observers have increasingly pointed to Newsom’s podcast, This Is Gavin Newsom, as evidence that he is refining his public messaging and building a national profile ahead of any future campaign.

The show has amassed more than 250,000 YouTube subscribers and generated at least 10 million views. Individual episodes generally attract audiences ranging from tens of thousands of viewers to nearly 160,000.

One reason the podcast has drawn attention is Newsom’s willingness to host ideological opponents, including conservative commentators Charlie Kirk and Ben Shapiro, a strategy that has sparked criticism from some fellow Democrats.

Newsom has repeatedly rejected suggestions that the podcast is primarily a political vehicle, insisting that his motivation is personal growth rather than campaign preparation.

“I’m doing this selfishly because I want to learn. I want to get better in life, not just politics. And if I’m better in life, I’ll be better in politics,” the governor told Politico.

{Matzav.com}