This story sort of popped up out of the blue this week and I'll be the first to admit that it sounds a bit preposterous on the surface. Could Hunter Biden actually be the mastermind behind whatever is going on in the White House right now? Instead of his Mother Jill being the driving force behind Joe Biden's decisions, might it be the First Son who is actually the Crackhead in Chief running the country? I won't mock anyone who is scoffing at the idea right now because there are plenty of reasons to do so. But the hot take in question is coming to us from Miranda Devine at the New York Post and she has been following Hunter's antics for a very long time now, more closely than almost anyone else in the media. By this point, we should have learned that if Devine believes she's caught a scent of something potentially important in the wind, we should probably pay attention.

Democrats trying to dislodge Joe Biden will first have to combat the proxy commander-in-chief, Hunter Biden — and that’s more easily said than done.

With the Biden family digging in behind Joe staying put, any staffers or party grandees deputized to strong-arm Joe Biden out of being their candidate in November had better not underestimate the first son.

While the focus has been on four-time Vogue cover girl Jill Biden and her screeching assurances that Joe is hale and hearty and fit for another four years, the first son has flown under the radar.

But Hunter is glued to his father’s side for a reason. He was with him at Camp David to help prepare for the disastrous debate; was there for the vainglorious Annie Leibovitz family photo shoot post-debate; then flew back with the president to the White House, where he has been ensconced ever since.

Joe Biden may indeed have given Hunter the job of acting as his "gatekeeper," as Miranda Devine states. He's living at the White House now full time and is constantly by his father's side. Of course, that doesn't mean that he's necessarily doing a good job, but it may be his job. He was at Camp David helping prepare his father for the debate and we all saw how that turned out. He's also reportedly been helping write his speeches and his interview comments. We've seen the same quality of results there. That's not to imply that anyone could really make Joe Biden shine in front of the cameras at this point, but the guy with an established history of addiction and a string of felony trials ahead of him might not have been the go-to choice.

Plenty of people are distressed by this already. Some of Joe Biden's other aides told reporters that they are "flabbergasted" by Hunter's presence. One told NBC News, "What the hell is happening?" House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner demanded to know if Hunter is receiving classified information. (It's a fair question if we're being honest.) 

Some who know the family well are describing Hunter as cunning and intelligent, despite his notable reputation as a crackhead loser. And his influence on his father's decisions is seemingly beyond question. At this particular junction in his life, this all makes him particularly dangerous. Even if other people are gently trying to guide Joe Biden toward the exit - at least from the race, if not from the presidency immediately - that would be the worst thing imaginable for Hunter. If Joe Biden were to exit stage left, he would take the power of the pardon or clemency with him. Hunter is awaiting sentencing on serious gun charges in Delaware and has an equally serious trial on felony tax evasion awaiting him in California. He will be fighting tooth and claw to keep his father in power for as long as possible to keep those options on the table.

Therein lies Hunter's main problem in terms of the political realities underlying this entire situation. If the Democrats have reached the point where they see Joe Biden as a hindrance in terms of hanging onto their control in Washington, they will cast him aside, as many have already begun showing a willingness to do. But Joe Biden was at least useful to them for a very long time. None of them have any loyalty whatsoever to Hunter. He's been nothing but a political embarrassment to them and an albatross around their necks. Joe is all Hunter has left, so you can rest assured that he will be hanging on with both hands as tightly as he possibly can and trying to ride this train as far as it can take him.