Trump’s Air Force One Escape, Tucker & Hunter Biden Team Up & WNBA Apology Gone Wrong | PBD #843

We’ve got the Fauci texts, the WNBA mess, AOC passing Newsom in prediction markets, Ukraine’s drone advantage, and a big live debate tomorrow. First: Tucker had Hunter Biden on, the laptop came up, and John Paul Mac Isaac joined us to react.

For longer than six months, I’ve watched Hunter try to redo his history. It’s comical: court evidence from his father’s DOJ tied the laptop serial number to the subpoena. I think somebody wants a cleaner documentary narrative, and Hunter owes Kevin Morris a lot of money.

I’d heard Morris covered roughly $4.2 million, though I don’t track Hunter’s finances. At Hunter’s public appearances, Morris and a camera crew seem to be nearby. I’ve assumed these appearances are public relations for that project.

Tucker and I first messaged on October 16, 2020, after the Post story. He asked about the FBI and laptop, then went quiet. When I appeared in May 2022, I was told not to wander beyond the producer’s chosen subject.

I later learned Tucker appeared in laptop material—friends, neighbors, a Georgetown request involving his son, birthday-party stuff. That alone isn’t sinister; it’s DC. But it may explain why he never pressed this issue while demanding accountability elsewhere.

People act like John couldn’t know who dropped off the machine because he’s visually impaired. But he described someone intoxicated, struggling to speak and balance, nearly dropping it, with a Beau Biden Foundation sticker. What, some elaborate setup because they knew his eyesight?

I had zero interest in what Hunter Biden looked like before he entered my shop. My intake asks for a first and last name. I need visual aids at a distance, but I can recognize someone in front of me, and I have very good hearing. Hunter’s voice sticks with you. This claim is bullshit.

What disturbed me most was alleged inappropriate conduct involving his late brother’s daughter, plus what looked like efforts to protect Hunter while discrediting her mother. I’m careful with allegations, but what I saw looked awful. The lengths people went to shield their own were disgusting.

What’s your incentive? You’ve spent nearly six years in the spotlight because a laptop was left with you. Have you made money? How have you benefited?

I never wanted this. I’m still defending the origin, custody, and legitimacy because people keep revising it. I lost my business, I’m broke, I have to sell my home, I was swatted, and Delaware tried to disarm me. This has gone terribly, but I won’t carry the damage while others profit from a false version.

That’s what people should ask: what does John Paul gain? Then look at Tucker’s motive. Emails reportedly show Hunter helped with a Georgetown recommendation for Tucker’s son. Friends in DC aren’t automatically evil, but when you have the facts and don’t challenge a guest, people will ask why.

These aren’t regular outsiders. Tucker can do the flannel-and-tobacco everyman act, but this is elite access. A college favor gets handled through email. That populist costume bugs me: you’ve been inside forever, then act like you don’t understand the system.

If a documentary is coming, the footage and rewritten story make sense. Old Tucker clips beside new ones look like spin. I’m not trying to attack him; I’m looking at behavior, incentives, assumptions, concerns, and asks. The behavior looks inconsistent.

Then the Fever coach said she didn’t see the hit on Sophie Cunningham and didn’t think it was dirty, despite video showing she was right behind the play. This is the social-media era. The footage is everywhere; you had a better angle than half the building.

That wasn’t an apology. It was justification and excuses wrapped in emotion. A sincere leader doesn’t need to stare at a prepared page. If I owned that team: you wear our logo, sponsors are behind you, and you were caught flat-footed. We’re done.

The Fauci texts will make people furious. Privately, he reportedly raised theoretical miscarriage concerns around post-vaccination fever while publicly saying there were no warning signs for pregnant women. Bill Ackman said he and his wife endured seven miscarriages. Whatever you believe about causation, people deserve honesty about uncertainty.

I’m sick of the excuses: he’s old, he’s this, he’s that. Women made pregnancy decisions while Mr. Science publicly said one thing and apparently worried privately about another. If there’s wrongdoing, put him on trial. Powerful bureaucrats cannot escape every consequence and expect trust to return.

Fauci hypocrisy doesn’t shock me; elected officials’ silence does. They could say, “We have more information now, and we got this wrong.” Lawyers change course when evidence changes. Accountability isn’t a sin. Hiding behind an enormous preemptive pardon looks terrible.

Brad Pitt says he started drinking again after seven sober years, claiming he knows his limits. I love him as an actor, but with family stress and his kids distancing themselves, it’s rough to hear. Vinnie, you’ve been off alcohol thirty-nine months.

Once alcohol has had you, poisoning yourself isn’t the answer. Maybe he means a glass of wine with dinner, and I pray that’s all it is. But that ball rolls downhill fast. The people saying, “I can control it now,” can crash hardest. My prayers are with him.

Family turmoil can drag people backward. You dance with the devil, he bites hard. Great friends and great faith beat self-medication. Still, I respect Pitt being open enough that somebody else might reflect on their habits.

On 2028, the market has AOC ahead of Newsom. I’ve long said she could become the Democratic standard-bearer. Newsom looked ready to move center, then chased the socialist lane. AOC has loyalty and social-media influence; Newsom has debate talent, but likability and trust are killing him.

Newsom edged toward the DSA side while AOC softened a little toward the establishment. Traditional polls still show others ahead, but prediction markets may see momentum first. She’s the numerical front-runner by a whisker—for now. Polling and market signals will eventually reconcile.

Ukraine’s drone forces reportedly beat U.S. forces in an exercise, and that should wake everybody up. We’ve mastered older warfare, but modern combat means cheap autonomous machines, electronic warfare, and speed. Ukraine needs Patriots; Trump says America needs missiles too. Ukraine may be short, and so may we.

Ukraine taught America a lesson, and we learned quickly after the exercise. Russia has been outmaneuvered by a smaller country, though Ukraine survives because allies supply it. America’s interest is protecting America, and drone warfare is screaming that we’d better get ready.

Tomorrow at 11 a.m. Eastern, Candace Owens and Andrew Wilson debate live: does the evidence show Tyler Robinson killed Charlie Kirk, or was he a patsy? I’m moderating, not arguing either case. Both sides have real-time fact-check teams and think the other has an edge.

I’m not getting paid or having my flight covered. I’m doing this because the audience wanted a serious sit-down. It may run three and a half to five hours. Respect to Candace and Andrew, and to Michael Knowles and Joe Rogan for pushing this forward. Put it on your calendar. God bless, and we’ll see you next week.