Gavin Newsom has weighed in on Hunter Biden's self-inflicted woes, and what he said is as telling as it is ridiculous. 

The California governor, who continues to seek out national media attention despite insisting he won't step into the presidential race for any reason, sat down with CNN's Dana Bash. The liberal "journalist" proceeded to frame a question on Hunter Biden's business dealings this way. 

"One of the things that Republicans are relentless on, of course, is Hunter Biden," CNN host Dana Bash began. "There is no evidence that Joe Biden benefited from anything that Hunter was doing, but Republicans have shown that Hunter Biden – he tried to leverage his father's name, and that the president allegedly before he was president joined phone calls that Hunter Biden's business associates were on. Do you see anything inappropriate there?"

I'll get to Newsom's response, but can we all just pause for a moment and admire the sheer level of bias illustrated by Bash? It's not enough for her to just ask what the governor thinks. She has to first editorialize and insist that "there is no evidence that Joe Biden benefited from anything that Hunter was doing."

That's just blatantly false. We have emails from Hunter Biden complaining that he was being forced to give his father half his income. Income, mind you, that was being earned through the aforementioned corrupt business dealings. Never mind that Joe Biden is directly implicated in having meetings with his son's business partners, including a Russian oligarch who mysteriously paid the Biden family $3 million afterward (and then avoided being put on the Biden administration sanctions list). 

There is plenty of evidence that, at the very least, puts a dark cloud directly over Joe Biden relating to all this. Bash's response? To pretend none of that exists and white knight for the president even when she is ostensibly asking a tough question. That's a standard she would never apply to a Republican.

Regardless, here's how Newsom answered.]

"I don't know enough about the details of that. I mean I've seen a little of that," Newsom responded. "If that's the new criteria, there are a lot of folks in a lot of industries – not just in politics – where people have family members and relationships and they're trying to parlay and get a little influence and benefit in that respect. That's hardly unique."

"I don't love that any more than you love it or other people I imagine love that. We want to see a lot less of that, but an impeachment inquiry? Give me a break," he continued.

Am I crazy or does that read like a confession? Newsom sure is comfortable with admitting that powerful people allowing themselves to be used to "get a little influence" is "hardly unique." He speaks like someone with first-hand experience.

Past those suspicions, how is "other people do it" an excuse, anyway? Newsom is essentially admitting that the Biden family is corrupt while simultaneously suggesting it doesn't matter. Of course, it matters. Besides, does anyone think the governor would give the Trumps that kind of benefit of the doubt?

Riddle me this. Why are Democrat politicians even bothering to defend Hunter Biden? What's the payoff there? It would make sense if the president's degenerate son was also a politician. Circling the wagons to retain power is hardly a novel concept among either party. But Hunter Biden isn't a politician. He's a scumbag who abused women and allegedly committed tax fraud, among other crimes. Why go to bat for him?

The only thing I can figure out is that doing so is a "kiss the ring" test for Newsom. Perhaps he feels like he's got to downplay the matter lest he not receive Joe Biden's blessing for a future presidential run. Whatever the reason, it's morally repugnant, but so very on-brand for Newsom.