I think he just doesn't want to get involved - and one can hardly blame him.
Most people won't answer him; I can hardly blame them.
Perhaps they only showed us the best, and one can hardly blame them.
I could hardly blame him, but of course he had to go.
One could hardly blame him if sailing, at least for a few days, is the last thing on his mind.
She was very suspicious of him and you can hardly blame her.
"You can hardly blame me or my son for that!"
No, he said, I can hardly blame you for that.
Or it may be only a dream, and you could hardly blame yourself for that.
He had not touched her since, and she could hardly blame him.