
“Papa Doc”
History recalls the brutal reign of a father and son in the impoverished island nation of Haiti. Francois Duvalier (“Papa Doc”), a physician educated in the U.S., was initially elected president in 1957, but soon proved to be more despot than doctor. Aided by an undercover death squad, he eliminated opponents and consolidated power, naming himself “president for life” in 1964.
Upon Papa Doc’s death in 1971, son Jean-Claude Duvalier, nicknamed “Baby Doc,” became president and ruled until he was overthrown in 1986.
Current events have prompted some to apply those nicknames to America’s first family. Joe “Papa Doc” and Hunter “Baby Doc” Biden have not earned those monikers for medical training; they have acquired them for their suspected illegal mishandling of classified documents. Continue reading