For years, it seemed that, as far as the Democrats were concerned, Joe Biden could do no wrong. Following his withdrawal from the election, they eagerly compared him to George Washington and extolled his presidency as historic and consequential. Something has changed. While Republicans are rightfully blasting Biden's pardon of his son Hunter, he's also been getting a healthy amount of criticism from his own party.
"While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country," Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote in a post on X. "This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation."
"When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation," Polis continued. "Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son."
"I respect President Biden, but I think he got this one wrong," Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) said. "This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers."
"President Biden’s decision put personal interest ahead of duty and further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all," Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) said.
Of course, all of them should have known this was going to happen. Joe Biden was never going to let his son go to prison. His supposed commitment to “equal justice under the law” was always a façade, and his proclamations that “no one is above the law” were nothing more than a dog whistle to his administration, signaling the FBI and the Justice Department to weaponize the legal system against Donald Trump and Biden’s other political enemies.
Recommended: Here's How Pardoning Hunter Biden Was Really About Protecting Joe
So what does all this mean? Why are Democrats suddenly willing to criticize Biden over this pardon—a pardon that anyone with common sense should have seen as inevitable?
Months ago, Democrats treated Biden like a hero—the second coming of George Washington. He was selfless, patriotic, and the most consequential modern president, they said. Clearly, after being forced out of the 2024 presidential race by his own party, the surge in political capital he got is all but gone. They no longer have to pretend that Biden was all these great things. The Teflon is gone. It’s open season on this lame duck.
The pardon itself is a clear indication that Biden knows he’s a shell of a president—a lame duck with nothing left to lose. At this point, he’s prioritizing his family’s self-preservation over any remaining concern for public opinion or ethical principles.
His party clearly sees it, too. The long-term fallout of this decision remains unclear, but Biden doesn’t appear to care. His legacy is already written, and it’s not a flattering one: a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, soaring inflation, rising energy costs, and now a family scandal capped off with a pardon for his son—and potentially one for his brother. The nation will remember the Biden presidency as a case study in economic mismanagement and corruption. The Democratic Party knows it, too, and there’s little benefit for them in defending Biden at this point.
