Timing. 

No contact for 2.5 years. 

Biden scrambling to get ahead of Carter/Reaganesque inauguration hostage release scenario. 

Trump spotlights the issue. Family members head to Mar a Lago to follow up with Trump.

Bad look for Biden. Forces him to reach out. 

Not because he's been working 24/7 to get American hostages released worldwide. Not because he's directed his special operations forces to spare no time, personnel or expense developing operational plans for rescue - or has green-lighted any of those plans that made it to his desk.

Not because all Americans should be able to harbor some degree of hope and expectation that their country will move heaven and earth to rescue them from the clutches of terrorists regardless of timing or political implications. 

None of that. Biden reached out after 2.5 years of silence because his PR team told him he had to. Biden is pushing for last-minute hostage release agreements because his PR team knows how hard Trump will push for them, in Gaza, AF and wherever else Americans are held hostage. 

Everybody knows Trump will unleash the hounds. Had he not won the election we wouldn't even being having this discussion about hostages. And that's the saddest part of all of this - our government is throwing Hail Mary's at the end of a game they're losing 40-0. Just to put some points on the board before the clock winds down to zero.