I am absolutely stunned by your rant. Trump is about to pardon a 1,000+ convicted criminals including white nationalists (Nazis!) who rioted, destroyed property, attacked the police and were responsible for countless injuries and deaths while assaulting our Capitol in order to up-end free and fair elections..and Trump, a convicted felon himself, has already pardoned felons of every description, including Jared Kushner's dad (who is now nominated to be our Ambassador to France!), Roger Stone and others...and is certain to up end our government as we know it...and YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO ATTACK JOE BIDEN'S INTEGRITY???? Geeez...Give us a break...
Strongly concur. Steve, over the top on this. Of all Biden has done in his long career of service to save his son the anguish of MAGA wrath seems the most humane and good he could do. As noted, last time Jared’s dad, this time J6ers. This was a mitzvah. It was appropriate. It was necessary.
Joe Biden has more character and integrity in his pinky than Dump & Co. and every single Magat who voted for him. Pardoning Hunter sends a big FU to all the media types who shitcanned Joe over one bad debate performance. DINOS and media talking heads so ageist they were willing to trade Democracy for Fascism over a speech impediment. I didn't turn of MSM and MSNBC when mealymouthed Mika and Joe crawled down to Mar-a-largo. I tuned out when they turned on Biden en masses in June. Steve neefs to stop clutching his pearls over Bidens proported hypocrisy. Hunter and the whole Biden family have been put through enough of a wringer. Buckle up Steve. The professional liars, thieves and hypocrites are about to take over.
Totally agree with you Jeffrey! Also think about all the legislation that Biden has accomplished, Inflation Reduction Ac, Chips Act, insulin cost reduction etc. THINGS That actually HELP Americans!
Perfectly stated! Steve, I strongly believe your call on this one is off. So what if President Biden changed his mind and saved his Son. I would bet the majority of caring human beings, given all circumstances, would do the same.
Sorry Steve but you are wrong this time. As a recovering drunk and dope fiend myself with 44 years of continuous sobriety I think there might be nothing that matters more at this time to Hunter Biden than his clean time. At least that's what I hope. That may change and he may backslide - many others have done so and the price one pays when that happens is monumental. But it is unfair to judge this man as beyond redemption or relief because it might reflect on the political affiliations and integrity of his father and/or the DNC. That's what it looks like to me and I don't give a fuck how it looks to those maga morons out there. To me it seems as if the world of media from all directions, including this one, is taking a position that Hunter Biden does not deserve the mercy he has been shown; as if he has already received more than he should have. I would like to talk with him and compare notes. I'm thinking I would find a kindred spirit there.
I'm going to add something here that will pi$$ a few people off because it always does. Addiction is a medical issue not a moral issue. What IS a moral issue is what is about to happen to our country, not what afflictions Hunter Biden suffers from.
The problem is not that Joe Biden pardoned Hunter. I’m glad he did. The failure is that Joe Biden should have never said he wouldn’t pardon his son. That statement was hubris and foolishness rolled up together .
Steve just keeps going after Biden. In a recent post he referred to "Biden's inflation." I thought that Steve was smarter than that. After this post, I've had it with him. I'm going to unsubscribe. He's not really on our side.
I'm seriously considering unsubscribing too. I've had it with this BS. We are in the upside down and Steve is the one who talks about how the media is not doing their job all the time. Now, he's doing the same!
I agree. While I like Steve I think he and other notables are on a bridge too far with their outrage. While out of one side of the mouth "oh, I understand as a parent" while the mob was trying to drive this kid insane, and the other side, maybe a platitude or two like "2 wrongs don't make a right!?" I'm sorry in scale this is not a ripple. I'm disappointed. Finally some active resistance and it's shamed.
Since so many of us agreed with each other, what caused so many on the left & right to bash Biden? Each cruelty to him feels personal. Maybe cause I’m old and it’s easy to speak badly of us. Maybe because the media want to appear “fair and balanced” and it’s been so ugly, Jeffrey, that I can’t grasp it. At all. Thank you for what you wrote.
You know who the FU-K cares, Biden did the right thing for his son. Do you think fu-king Trump and the GOP and the MAGA fuc-king crowd? Is it gonna play fair with who they prosecute…. fu-k no .
Trump’s presidency is gonna be another shit show like it was the last time, heaven forbid there’s another Covid pandemic where he lets over 600,000 Americans die. Trump is such a fucking asshole.
I don’t disagree with your sentiments, but you’re missing the point! Keeping your word, is what separates democrats from the corrupt MAGA cult! Biden made a promise, and now that he lost, or the fact that was kicked out of his campaign; he decided to throw a tantrum, and pardon his son!
Biden is essentially giving democrats, and America, the middle finger! End of story!
When Biden said he would accept the verdict, no one forced him to say those words. Now democrats look like hypocrites trying to defend Biden’s decision! And it’s a bad look! And let’s face it, Hunter and Joe gave MAGA plenty of ammunition! He wasn’t qualified to be on Burisma’s board, the same way Trump’s kids weren’t qualified to serve in his administration! So how do you defend one decision, but throw stones at glass houses for the other? You can’t without looking just as bad as MAGA!
That said, do I think Hunter deserved the special counsel treatment? Absolutely not! Yet, this is beside the point! By pardoning Hunter, he has unleashed Trump to pardon the J6th insurrectionists with impunity, and also label Biden as a hypocrite.
Furthermore, what happens next is any one’s guess, but expect Trump to pardon others who commit crimes in his name, and there is nothing democrats can do about it, without appearing to be supporting criminal behavior when it comes to Hunter and Joe!
So sorry, I refuse to die on this hill defending Joe and Hunter; especially for a guy (Hunter) who deserves no quarter! He lied about his laptop, and the many intelligence professional’s in Joe’s orbit, who defended Joe and Hunter’s lies, are looking like pathetic imbeciles, with no credibility left to challenge Trump’s future corruption. And we only have Joe to thank for that!
Therefore, how do democrats claim to be an ethical and law abiding party, when Joe decided to pardon Hunter for actual crimes, as well as asking reputable intelligence and military professionals to put their reputations on the line for a crackhead, who actually committed those crimes?
Bottom line: democrats have no credibility left, whatsoever! We may be pissed, but it’s Joe who should be on the receiving end of our vitriol!
Moreover, all know what Trump stands for, and now, we finally learned that Joe Biden isn’t any better! And even if Trump’s crimes are far more nefarious and blatant; exactly where do you draw the distinction between so called “honest” graft, or what’s worse? You can’t! IMHO!…:)
Credibility??? Seriously, THAT IS NOT THE DEMOCRATS PROBLEM!!!! That is NOT why a traitor got RE-ELECTED. All this bitching about the high road we’ve been trampled on!!! Get real. We lost because of the price of eggs. We lost because capitalism has become perverted. We lost because we nominated Hillary instead of Bernie. We lost because we take a sling shot to a gun fight. Good for Joe. He should preemptively pardon all democracy defenders because the traitor is about to pardon his army of nazis and fascists.
This has nothing to do with why we lost, but it has everything to do with our ability to oppose Trump into the future!
And credibility counts! What about all the intelligence and military professionals who put their reputations on the line claiming the laptop was a Russian invention? How do they oppose Trump now, without looking like fools? Joe did this! Joe asked them to write that letter and over one hundred senior intelligence and military officials signed it!
And for what? To defend a crackhead? Stop buying the nonsense. The future isn’t about Joe, the pardon or Hunter, it’s about being able to defend the rule of law, which is becoming in short supply lately; and it is about to get exponentially worse under Trump!
Sorry, we lost the luxury of “credibility no matter what”. That horse has been out of the barn for at least 10 years now. It was Kellyanne Conway who announced the new reality of alternate facts. so it went with credibility. So Joe’s decision doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t diminish him or his accomplishments in any way.
When you're standing in front of that wall with your blindfold on and you're smoking your last cigarette you will have the satisfaction of knowing it's Joe's fault you're standing there. If he just would have stayed strong and let Hunter get thrown to the wolves none of this would have happened!
Sorry, but this is a misrepresentation of how this unfolded. Those professionals said it had the hallmark of Russian intelligence, not that it was confirmed. The impact was that some social media platforms withheld the story for a couple of days out of caution, with limited impact. Given that the story was funneled out as an October surprise by Rudy Giuliani using the NY Post, and their reluctance to share the data and explain its provenance, I hardly think a little caution was unwarranted. Trump has demonstrated ad nauseam that he needs no excuse or cover for what he wants to do. The suggestion that this action by Biden somehow opens the door to Trump's future bad acts is absurd. Trump kicked that door open years ago.
I don’t disagree with you for the most part, but I’m not the one needing convincing. This is how millions of Americans view it. And the next time they claim it’s Russia, it will fall on deaf ears. That was my point!
Robert, You have no legitimate point. Something you are missing, or underestimating, is the effect disinformation has had on "how millions of Americans view it". View everything, I might add. You and Steve are alike in viewing events through the eyes of a befuddled, blinded public who can't see the forest because the camouflage has been so effective. Say all the bad things you want about Hunter Biden, the fact is the Biden family is viewed by those same purblind millions as defective, lying, crooked, on an on. And I include Steve Schmidt among those besotted millions. NanceeM has it precisely right. The Biden family scandal is just another MAGA hoax, like Benghazi, like Hillary's email, like CRT, like masks and vaccinations, on and on. Bait for suckers to jump on fictive high horses. We have a deluded public unable to sort through the horseshit and find the truth.
The simple truth about Joe Biden's pardon of his son is that it helps protect the rule of law against criminals. They are attempting to subvert the law and our legal processes to destroy us. I include among these criminals the majority members of the Supreme Court who are twisting our Constitution out of shape to help Trump. Blinded by a depraved press, nitwits and idiots take up a cudgel against Joe Biden, and tch! tch! when the enemies of our country are breaking down the castle gate. And defecating on the floors of Congress.
Any taxpayer or person who works for management knows these people never get treated like normal people. The Biden's have been treated horribly. The crimes committed on the opposite side and now all swept under the rug? Why should people be surprised by this action. Everyday there are horrible events happening on the job and nothing is done. Unless the upper class gets treated like they should, corruption will continue to get worse. Right now we are in complete chaos. The only ones getting into trouble are the law abiders getting picked up for speeding. Next question- if they get rid of the Department of Education does that mean we get our taxes for that back since we aren't using it? Also, some are asking why are we paying taxes to support wealthy lifestyles when we live on an extreme budget?
“Decided to throw a tantrum and pardon his son…”. A tantrum? Really? Where did you get that from? Criticize as you see fit but let’s not make things up.
Really? Biden isn't any better? I guess Jimmy Carter wasn't either because he pardoned his brother. AND, George H.W. Bush pardoned his son as well. Get a clue. You spent a lot of time on a ridiculous rant about whataboutism and comparing Democrats to Republicans at a time when our democracy is literally being destroyed and Democrats are the only ones in our government trying to save it.
You sound ridiculous! Any Voters, perhaps even you, who are ok with a 34-count indicted felon being president of this country, a person who has promised mayhem to come, is evil enough to fulfill such promises, can FO!
Seriously? This is your problem? You think just because I hold everyone to the same standard, that makes me the enemy, but in truth, it just proves you are no different than MAGA; you’re willing to defend the indefensible regardless of whether it’s right or wrong! And that’s exactly why MAGA is laughing at us. They don’t claim to commandeer the “high road”; democrats do!
Hunter’s corruption wasn’t politically motivated; he committed those crimes, and should be held to account! Trump was convicted of tax fraud, no different than Hunter.
That said, no one forced Biden to say he wouldn’t pardon Hunter! Joe did it because he wanted to show that democrats uphold the rule of law. What changed? Oh wait, Biden was cast aside, and is bitter and willing to make the party into hypocrites to save his son!
We all know what Trump stands for, and now we know Joe isn’t much different! IMHO!…:)
Not at all! My issue is the hypocrisy, period! Had Biden not taken the pledge, it would have been different. That said, this is a ridiculous discussion and a non issue; not worth any one’s time!
And frankly, the other problem is Hunter! Too much political capital has been spent on an entitled jackass, who deserves no one’s sympathy!
Thank you Pam, you are so right . We Dems who want to save Democracy, save the democracy in the Ukraine, to defeat Russia, who want to uphold justice and the law, and will oppose Trump and fascism as much as we can, and we will defeat it. We’ll be seen in a positive light in history…. And I’m very happy. I’m on the right side of this equation.
And yet again, Dems are expected to do and be what no Rethuglican is ever expected to do and be. F*ck character. Biden did what he should have done yo save his son. trump is talking about pardoning a group of people who desecrated the Capitol where people were killed. Way to go, Joe!!!
Ah, Blue MAGA. This is why NO ONE trusts Dems. Keep cheerleading for the party of genocide, whiffing on repro rights and mendacity. (Signed, a Dem for 34 years who unaffiliated earlier this year).
Steve, your judgment here is way off base. Surely you know the vindictiveness of the incoming Administration and how they would have relished taking down a Biden. Hunter’s gun crime is one the DOJ passes on hundreds of times, including the case of Trump’s coke-addled son Don Jr. ; and as for his tax evasion, for which he paid the penalties and the taxes due, can we even begin to compare it to Trump’s decades of massive tax evasion and fraud for which he will pay no
Price at all …?
Give me a break, Steve. Biden made that promise when he was running for re-election. In my view Trump’s victory voids all bets and promises made to an American electorate that just gave the reins of power to a liar, a thief, a grifter and the world’s biggest conman.
Let me guess? Typical white woman carrying water for Blue Maga? Because OF COURSE if one speaks out against the Dems, they MUST be for Trump. Oh, Darla.
Your stand is very unfortunate and apparently you have not been very observant for the past 34 years and/or you have chosen to take the “blue pill,” to accept fantasy instead of the “red pill,” which recognizes reality, i.e. wokeness.
Rethuglicans do absolutely nothing for every day folk. Their only concern is the rich. Now, if you’re independently wealthy I understand your stance. Rethuglicans are all about tax cuts for the rich, deregulation, busting unions, eliminating social programs for “the least of these,” and privatization so the rich can make even more money. If, however, you work for a living then get ready to be “screwed,” (pardon my French).
Those of us who chose the red pill and choose to see what is which is “wokeness,” will suffer too but we are going into the next four years with our eyes wide open.
Ahhhh the "keep cheering for the party of genocide" gives you away. The extreme left of the democratic party was front and center during the entire election. At least the Repugs keep their Nazi sympathizers and Jew haters in the background.
I’m not cheering for the party. I’m cheering for the people and secondarily for the party that has the interests of Americans in mind. Right now that’s the Democratic Party.
I’m as far left as one can be without falling off the scale and that’s because I believe the purpose of government is to take care of its citizens but without intruding into their personal lives.
your inability to engage here is very telling. laughing emogis and middle school ad hominem retorts. Sorry I tried to engage, you're clearly not able to back up your posts or engage in an adult way. By "historian" I mean the kind of extensive post- grad work, passion and love of history and political philosophy ..one thing it has afforded me is actually recognizing propaganda instantly when its presented by ANY side. Carry on, I mistook you for a serious person, sorry.
Agree that many hands were involved in the debacle of 2024. Agree about McConnell et al ..that said
Biden lied about only being a one term
President…. He was Pelosi’d out of running when it was too late.
He showed an aspect of his character that was “off brand.”
I can appreciate both sides of this Hunter pardon scenario. In an ideal world ( no reality re: the one we are in), Hunter should have been let to pay some consequence of his behavior.
Aside from Bible stories, !hough, who among us would throw our child to the bloodthirsty revenge mongers who would thrill to see Hunter’s head on a pike.
Steve … you had a memorable trip across the US with your fine son. I struggle to believe that you would sacrifice him for a putative point of honor.
Prison is one thing. Letting bloodthirsty, crazed medieval-level serfs loose on him is another story.
He did the right thing. The republicans would has spent the next four years hounding and prosecuting Biden's son, Just because he is Biden's son. Trump has done anything he wants and democrats spent four years chasing him. Good job Joe
this is the best news since Biden brokered the hostages release. What would you do to protect your children? Character left the building in 2016 and returned with hate and revenge in 2025. America is about to go through some things, Biden did not want one of his children to be a part of it - badass decision - good for him. Wish he could pardon the rest of us. Maybe he can start with all the black and brown people who are locked up as non-violent offender for selling weed?
Talking openly about political retribution from the Oval Office is important now. I think he should have pardoned Hunter because it was political (as I said in another comment) and Biden said that in his statement.
You know Steve, trump would continue to go after Hunter Biden and have him in a Federal Prison system under the Trump controlled AG and DOJ. Remember AG Barr stepped in and had Jeffrey Epstein moved to a Federal Prison that oddly had the guards fall asleep and the cameras fail and Jeffrey Epstein, supposedly on a suicide watch, supposedly killed himself. Do you really think Hunter Biden would be safe in a trump controlled Federal Prison? Remember the 5th circuit in August 2024 has ruled being a substance abuser cannot be blocked from purchasing a gun under the 2nd amendment but the 11th circuit disagrees so Hunter gets charged and prosecuted but in the 5th circuit a similar charge unconstitutional. Then we all know the story of numerous actors and musicians and other prominent individuals who failed to pay Federal taxes and they all negotiated with IRS and paid taxes and fines. Hunter Biden paid the back taxes and the interest and the fines. It is insane that for these two legal issues our DOJ appointed a special counsel who is a staunch partisan Republican. Your attack again of President Biden is unwarranted and lacks any intellectual reflection on the issues at stake and the safety risk to Hunter Biden. This was an asinine post on your part.
Yes indeed. I am angered and appalled at your holier than thou attitude here, Steve. So much so that you - not Biden - have lost my respect, and soon My subscription as well .
Your outrage is woke BS. First, I would pardon my pun children for more heinous crimes than the small potatoes Hunter Biden was involved in; so would you!
Gee, President Biden wisely spared his son- be outraged by the 30,000+ lies Trump has told. What about his whopper that he knew nothing about Project 2025? That’s much more egregious.
Sometimes we have to disagree to agree, Steve. Not only should Biden have pardoned Hunter, he should issue a preemptive pardon to anyone that fucko Trump and his Magat Mob are targeting for their "retribution". Jack Smith, Judge Merchon. Judge Chutkin, etc. Anyone who doesn't like it can kiss Joe's ass.
What has this entire campaign and the last 8 years taught us? That all "precedents" have been thrown out the window. The principle here that was violated pales in comparison to the totality of shameful pardons by Trump in 2021. If Trump were to pardon Kushner for his clear violations would any Republican have written the type of commentary that Steve wrote? No. Do I think it is inappropriate of Biden to pardon his son? Yes. Do I think he shouldn't have done it? No. Biden needs to do what he can to protect those that Trump outwardly said he would take petty revenge upon. That is what Biden needs to focus on now--preserving our dignity as a nation as best he can. Trump has plenty of targets to occupy his time for the next 4 years.
Fifty years ago, Ronald Reagan started his mantra that government was the problem. Remember the scariest words in the language? I am from the government and here to help.
During these years, I think of Paul Ryan, the man who wanted to cut Social Security, despite the fact that he received Social Security benefits that saved his family after his father died when Ryan was a child. Or Rick Scott, a man worth $300 Million, but says the working poor do not pay their fair share in taxes.
Thus, fifty years later, thanks to Reagan, the barbarians are finally at the gate. Next month, they will breach the walls and destroy what we have. Because, hey, government is the problem.
Get a grip! We are not living in normal times. It is quaint to hold Biden’s legacy hostage to his promise to not pardon his surviving son. Hunter was treated differently in his criminal prosecution because he is Biden’s son. I fully support Biden pardoning him. I see no harm to society by pardoning him.
"He will never be a victim, and claims by his father — the president — that his son deserves special treatment in an unfair and fallen world will never not be gross."
Hunter Biden doesn't deserve special treatment. However, he does not deserve to be treated more harshly than defendants in similar situations, which is exactly what happened when his plea deal was negated. In the vast majority of cases lying about drug use on a gun application is not pursued if the gun was not used in a crime, as was the case with Hunter Biden.
Jared Polis writes "this is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents." This is not a precedent! Trump pardoned relatives and friends guilty of far more serious crimes than Hunter Biden.
Steve, you are falling into the trap of making far more of what you consider missteps by Democrats, particularly Biden, than you do of the same sort of missteps made by Trump.
The only mistake Biden made was saying he would not pardon his son. This is not a big deal. A big deal is taking a stand on a woman's right to choose based exclusively on political considerations. This is the kind of thing Trump has done.
A big deal is appointing incompetents, nitwits and crazies to important government positions in an effort to undermine the very government you head into order to pave the way to dictatorship.
Steve, don't you think it is time to ease off in your criticisms of Biden?
Instead of wating our energy and resources on criticizing Biden over actions with no serious consequences, we should be informing as many people as we can and focusing our attention on the very real danger of nominees like Hesgeth as Secretary of Defense. In addition to paying a woman to shut up about his sexual assaults, news about his unfitness for control over our nuclear weapons is becoming increasingly alarming:
A previously undisclosed whistle-blower report on Hegseth’s tenure as the president of Concerned Veterans for America, from 2013 until 2016, describes him as being repeatedly intoxicated while acting in his official capacity—to the point of needing to be carried out of the organization’s events. https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/pete-hegseths-secret-history
Exactly! This “pretend” to be outraged over the reaction to President Biden pardoning his son is another example of the free wheeling press and political pundits having something else to rise up and write about today. Oh, goody!..let’s all jump on the bus and ride this into the ridiculousness. Maybe do a stare and compare to all real chaos being unleashed by the inane trump transition team. I’m glad that President Biden gave the press/media the one finger salute and as he was walking away said, “How ya like them apples”
On this, I must part ways with you, Steve: With all that Trump has promised to do upon his inauguration; with the evidence of his Justice Department, FBI. Intelligence, and Defense Department picks; with the undoubted coming pardons of convicted January Sixers: what would you have Biden do? Play by the old rules and leave his son to a Trump Justice Department, a Trump Bureau of Prisons, a Trump FBI? Yes, it is a bad precedent. So was our use of the A-Bomb in 1945, but given the history and context that preceded it's use, and the likely further cost in American lives of an armed invasion, it was understandable and forgivable. With or without this act of Joe Biden's, Trump will use his pardon power in far more corrupt and abusive ways. And we will say . . . what? I cannot fault Biden in this instance.
I am absolutely stunned by your rant. Trump is about to pardon a 1,000+ convicted criminals including white nationalists (Nazis!) who rioted, destroyed property, attacked the police and were responsible for countless injuries and deaths while assaulting our Capitol in order to up-end free and fair elections..and Trump, a convicted felon himself, has already pardoned felons of every description, including Jared Kushner's dad (who is now nominated to be our Ambassador to France!), Roger Stone and others...and is certain to up end our government as we know it...and YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO ATTACK JOE BIDEN'S INTEGRITY???? Geeez...Give us a break...
Strongly concur. Steve, over the top on this. Of all Biden has done in his long career of service to save his son the anguish of MAGA wrath seems the most humane and good he could do. As noted, last time Jared’s dad, this time J6ers. This was a mitzvah. It was appropriate. It was necessary.
Perfectly said Joan!
Thank you.
Joe Biden has more character and integrity in his pinky than Dump & Co. and every single Magat who voted for him. Pardoning Hunter sends a big FU to all the media types who shitcanned Joe over one bad debate performance. DINOS and media talking heads so ageist they were willing to trade Democracy for Fascism over a speech impediment. I didn't turn of MSM and MSNBC when mealymouthed Mika and Joe crawled down to Mar-a-largo. I tuned out when they turned on Biden en masses in June. Steve neefs to stop clutching his pearls over Bidens proported hypocrisy. Hunter and the whole Biden family have been put through enough of a wringer. Buckle up Steve. The professional liars, thieves and hypocrites are about to take over.
Totally agree with you Jeffrey! Also think about all the legislation that Biden has accomplished, Inflation Reduction Ac, Chips Act, insulin cost reduction etc. THINGS That actually HELP Americans!
I totally agree with you. What the hell is going on???
Jeffrey, I am totally on board with every word. Thanks for saying it. Steve’s outrage is way out of line.
Perfectly stated! Steve, I strongly believe your call on this one is off. So what if President Biden changed his mind and saved his Son. I would bet the majority of caring human beings, given all circumstances, would do the same.
Jeffery, since your comment is at the top of the pile here, I offer Joyce Vance’s take in opposition to Steve’s grandstanding
https://open.substack.com/pub/joycevance/p/the-week-ahead-fa9?r=34x82&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Thank you!!!
Sorry Steve but you are wrong this time. As a recovering drunk and dope fiend myself with 44 years of continuous sobriety I think there might be nothing that matters more at this time to Hunter Biden than his clean time. At least that's what I hope. That may change and he may backslide - many others have done so and the price one pays when that happens is monumental. But it is unfair to judge this man as beyond redemption or relief because it might reflect on the political affiliations and integrity of his father and/or the DNC. That's what it looks like to me and I don't give a fuck how it looks to those maga morons out there. To me it seems as if the world of media from all directions, including this one, is taking a position that Hunter Biden does not deserve the mercy he has been shown; as if he has already received more than he should have. I would like to talk with him and compare notes. I'm thinking I would find a kindred spirit there.
I'm going to add something here that will pi$$ a few people off because it always does. Addiction is a medical issue not a moral issue. What IS a moral issue is what is about to happen to our country, not what afflictions Hunter Biden suffers from.
Why does Joe and Democrats have to follow through on promises and be so perfect while Trump and Republicans can lie and break every law? It's absurd.
Because integrity isn't relational. It's absolute. We don't lower our bar/standards because we're surrounded by folks with no integrity.
The problem is not that Joe Biden pardoned Hunter. I’m glad he did. The failure is that Joe Biden should have never said he wouldn’t pardon his son. That statement was hubris and foolishness rolled up together .
In a normal time without Trump’s Retribution team, I am certain Biden would have left the situation allow, but times are not normal
Steve just keeps going after Biden. In a recent post he referred to "Biden's inflation." I thought that Steve was smarter than that. After this post, I've had it with him. I'm going to unsubscribe. He's not really on our side.
I’ve kept my subscription in order to comment on Steve’s hyperbole, but perhaps its time to use the money on Thom Hartmann or The Guardian
Amen! He is too much. What side is he on???
I'm seriously considering unsubscribing too. I've had it with this BS. We are in the upside down and Steve is the one who talks about how the media is not doing their job all the time. Now, he's doing the same!
I agree. While I like Steve I think he and other notables are on a bridge too far with their outrage. While out of one side of the mouth "oh, I understand as a parent" while the mob was trying to drive this kid insane, and the other side, maybe a platitude or two like "2 wrongs don't make a right!?" I'm sorry in scale this is not a ripple. I'm disappointed. Finally some active resistance and it's shamed.
Since so many of us agreed with each other, what caused so many on the left & right to bash Biden? Each cruelty to him feels personal. Maybe cause I’m old and it’s easy to speak badly of us. Maybe because the media want to appear “fair and balanced” and it’s been so ugly, Jeffrey, that I can’t grasp it. At all. Thank you for what you wrote.
You know who the FU-K cares, Biden did the right thing for his son. Do you think fu-king Trump and the GOP and the MAGA fuc-king crowd? Is it gonna play fair with who they prosecute…. fu-k no .
Trump’s presidency is gonna be another shit show like it was the last time, heaven forbid there’s another Covid pandemic where he lets over 600,000 Americans die. Trump is such a fucking asshole.
Avian flu. Let’s see how Dr Brainworm responds
I’m thinking, let’s drink bleach.
I don’t disagree with your sentiments, but you’re missing the point! Keeping your word, is what separates democrats from the corrupt MAGA cult! Biden made a promise, and now that he lost, or the fact that was kicked out of his campaign; he decided to throw a tantrum, and pardon his son!
Biden is essentially giving democrats, and America, the middle finger! End of story!
When Biden said he would accept the verdict, no one forced him to say those words. Now democrats look like hypocrites trying to defend Biden’s decision! And it’s a bad look! And let’s face it, Hunter and Joe gave MAGA plenty of ammunition! He wasn’t qualified to be on Burisma’s board, the same way Trump’s kids weren’t qualified to serve in his administration! So how do you defend one decision, but throw stones at glass houses for the other? You can’t without looking just as bad as MAGA!
That said, do I think Hunter deserved the special counsel treatment? Absolutely not! Yet, this is beside the point! By pardoning Hunter, he has unleashed Trump to pardon the J6th insurrectionists with impunity, and also label Biden as a hypocrite.
Furthermore, what happens next is any one’s guess, but expect Trump to pardon others who commit crimes in his name, and there is nothing democrats can do about it, without appearing to be supporting criminal behavior when it comes to Hunter and Joe!
So sorry, I refuse to die on this hill defending Joe and Hunter; especially for a guy (Hunter) who deserves no quarter! He lied about his laptop, and the many intelligence professional’s in Joe’s orbit, who defended Joe and Hunter’s lies, are looking like pathetic imbeciles, with no credibility left to challenge Trump’s future corruption. And we only have Joe to thank for that!
Therefore, how do democrats claim to be an ethical and law abiding party, when Joe decided to pardon Hunter for actual crimes, as well as asking reputable intelligence and military professionals to put their reputations on the line for a crackhead, who actually committed those crimes?
Bottom line: democrats have no credibility left, whatsoever! We may be pissed, but it’s Joe who should be on the receiving end of our vitriol!
Moreover, all know what Trump stands for, and now, we finally learned that Joe Biden isn’t any better! And even if Trump’s crimes are far more nefarious and blatant; exactly where do you draw the distinction between so called “honest” graft, or what’s worse? You can’t! IMHO!…:)
Credibility??? Seriously, THAT IS NOT THE DEMOCRATS PROBLEM!!!! That is NOT why a traitor got RE-ELECTED. All this bitching about the high road we’ve been trampled on!!! Get real. We lost because of the price of eggs. We lost because capitalism has become perverted. We lost because we nominated Hillary instead of Bernie. We lost because we take a sling shot to a gun fight. Good for Joe. He should preemptively pardon all democracy defenders because the traitor is about to pardon his army of nazis and fascists.
This has nothing to do with why we lost, but it has everything to do with our ability to oppose Trump into the future!
And credibility counts! What about all the intelligence and military professionals who put their reputations on the line claiming the laptop was a Russian invention? How do they oppose Trump now, without looking like fools? Joe did this! Joe asked them to write that letter and over one hundred senior intelligence and military officials signed it!
And for what? To defend a crackhead? Stop buying the nonsense. The future isn’t about Joe, the pardon or Hunter, it’s about being able to defend the rule of law, which is becoming in short supply lately; and it is about to get exponentially worse under Trump!
That’s my point!..:)
Sorry, we lost the luxury of “credibility no matter what”. That horse has been out of the barn for at least 10 years now. It was Kellyanne Conway who announced the new reality of alternate facts. so it went with credibility. So Joe’s decision doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t diminish him or his accomplishments in any way.
Fair enough, but just understand, this isn’t about Joe! And the pardon only makes matters worse!
When you're standing in front of that wall with your blindfold on and you're smoking your last cigarette you will have the satisfaction of knowing it's Joe's fault you're standing there. If he just would have stayed strong and let Hunter get thrown to the wolves none of this would have happened!
Sorry, but this is a misrepresentation of how this unfolded. Those professionals said it had the hallmark of Russian intelligence, not that it was confirmed. The impact was that some social media platforms withheld the story for a couple of days out of caution, with limited impact. Given that the story was funneled out as an October surprise by Rudy Giuliani using the NY Post, and their reluctance to share the data and explain its provenance, I hardly think a little caution was unwarranted. Trump has demonstrated ad nauseam that he needs no excuse or cover for what he wants to do. The suggestion that this action by Biden somehow opens the door to Trump's future bad acts is absurd. Trump kicked that door open years ago.
I don’t disagree with you for the most part, but I’m not the one needing convincing. This is how millions of Americans view it. And the next time they claim it’s Russia, it will fall on deaf ears. That was my point!
Robert, You have no legitimate point. Something you are missing, or underestimating, is the effect disinformation has had on "how millions of Americans view it". View everything, I might add. You and Steve are alike in viewing events through the eyes of a befuddled, blinded public who can't see the forest because the camouflage has been so effective. Say all the bad things you want about Hunter Biden, the fact is the Biden family is viewed by those same purblind millions as defective, lying, crooked, on an on. And I include Steve Schmidt among those besotted millions. NanceeM has it precisely right. The Biden family scandal is just another MAGA hoax, like Benghazi, like Hillary's email, like CRT, like masks and vaccinations, on and on. Bait for suckers to jump on fictive high horses. We have a deluded public unable to sort through the horseshit and find the truth.
The simple truth about Joe Biden's pardon of his son is that it helps protect the rule of law against criminals. They are attempting to subvert the law and our legal processes to destroy us. I include among these criminals the majority members of the Supreme Court who are twisting our Constitution out of shape to help Trump. Blinded by a depraved press, nitwits and idiots take up a cudgel against Joe Biden, and tch! tch! when the enemies of our country are breaking down the castle gate. And defecating on the floors of Congress.
Any taxpayer or person who works for management knows these people never get treated like normal people. The Biden's have been treated horribly. The crimes committed on the opposite side and now all swept under the rug? Why should people be surprised by this action. Everyday there are horrible events happening on the job and nothing is done. Unless the upper class gets treated like they should, corruption will continue to get worse. Right now we are in complete chaos. The only ones getting into trouble are the law abiders getting picked up for speeding. Next question- if they get rid of the Department of Education does that mean we get our taxes for that back since we aren't using it? Also, some are asking why are we paying taxes to support wealthy lifestyles when we live on an extreme budget?
“Decided to throw a tantrum and pardon his son…”. A tantrum? Really? Where did you get that from? Criticize as you see fit but let’s not make things up.
Really? Biden isn't any better? I guess Jimmy Carter wasn't either because he pardoned his brother. AND, George H.W. Bush pardoned his son as well. Get a clue. You spent a lot of time on a ridiculous rant about whataboutism and comparing Democrats to Republicans at a time when our democracy is literally being destroyed and Democrats are the only ones in our government trying to save it.
You sound ridiculous! Any Voters, perhaps even you, who are ok with a 34-count indicted felon being president of this country, a person who has promised mayhem to come, is evil enough to fulfill such promises, can FO!
Seriously? This is your problem? You think just because I hold everyone to the same standard, that makes me the enemy, but in truth, it just proves you are no different than MAGA; you’re willing to defend the indefensible regardless of whether it’s right or wrong! And that’s exactly why MAGA is laughing at us. They don’t claim to commandeer the “high road”; democrats do!
Hunter’s corruption wasn’t politically motivated; he committed those crimes, and should be held to account! Trump was convicted of tax fraud, no different than Hunter.
That said, no one forced Biden to say he wouldn’t pardon Hunter! Joe did it because he wanted to show that democrats uphold the rule of law. What changed? Oh wait, Biden was cast aside, and is bitter and willing to make the party into hypocrites to save his son!
We all know what Trump stands for, and now we know Joe isn’t much different! IMHO!…:)
Ever hear of Purgatory?
Yes, I feel like I’m already there!…:)
I would guess from reading your comment, that you are pretty much a black and white kind of guy
Not at all! My issue is the hypocrisy, period! Had Biden not taken the pledge, it would have been different. That said, this is a ridiculous discussion and a non issue; not worth any one’s time!
And frankly, the other problem is Hunter! Too much political capital has been spent on an entitled jackass, who deserves no one’s sympathy!
Might be an entitled jackass, but like all the relatives before him, similar to The Great Gatsby.
Thank you Pam, you are so right . We Dems who want to save Democracy, save the democracy in the Ukraine, to defeat Russia, who want to uphold justice and the law, and will oppose Trump and fascism as much as we can, and we will defeat it. We’ll be seen in a positive light in history…. And I’m very happy. I’m on the right side of this equation.
And yet again, Dems are expected to do and be what no Rethuglican is ever expected to do and be. F*ck character. Biden did what he should have done yo save his son. trump is talking about pardoning a group of people who desecrated the Capitol where people were killed. Way to go, Joe!!!
Ah, Blue MAGA. This is why NO ONE trusts Dems. Keep cheerleading for the party of genocide, whiffing on repro rights and mendacity. (Signed, a Dem for 34 years who unaffiliated earlier this year).
Shame on you! You must know nothing about drug addiction. Heartless.
Steve, your judgment here is way off base. Surely you know the vindictiveness of the incoming Administration and how they would have relished taking down a Biden. Hunter’s gun crime is one the DOJ passes on hundreds of times, including the case of Trump’s coke-addled son Don Jr. ; and as for his tax evasion, for which he paid the penalties and the taxes due, can we even begin to compare it to Trump’s decades of massive tax evasion and fraud for which he will pay no
Price at all …?
Give me a break, Steve. Biden made that promise when he was running for re-election. In my view Trump’s victory voids all bets and promises made to an American electorate that just gave the reins of power to a liar, a thief, a grifter and the world’s biggest conman.
So you turned to tRump??? Oh that makes great sense…NOT!!
Let me guess? Typical white woman carrying water for Blue Maga? Because OF COURSE if one speaks out against the Dems, they MUST be for Trump. Oh, Darla.
Your stand is very unfortunate and apparently you have not been very observant for the past 34 years and/or you have chosen to take the “blue pill,” to accept fantasy instead of the “red pill,” which recognizes reality, i.e. wokeness.
Rethuglicans do absolutely nothing for every day folk. Their only concern is the rich. Now, if you’re independently wealthy I understand your stance. Rethuglicans are all about tax cuts for the rich, deregulation, busting unions, eliminating social programs for “the least of these,” and privatization so the rich can make even more money. If, however, you work for a living then get ready to be “screwed,” (pardon my French).
Those of us who chose the red pill and choose to see what is which is “wokeness,” will suffer too but we are going into the next four years with our eyes wide open.
Pass the popcorn!
Ahhhh the "keep cheering for the party of genocide" gives you away. The extreme left of the democratic party was front and center during the entire election. At least the Repugs keep their Nazi sympathizers and Jew haters in the background.
I’m not cheering for the party. I’m cheering for the people and secondarily for the party that has the interests of Americans in mind. Right now that’s the Democratic Party.
I’m as far left as one can be without falling off the scale and that’s because I believe the purpose of government is to take care of its citizens but without intruding into their personal lives.
Scratch a liberal and a fascist bleeds. You're that liberal, Lydia.
Oh, look. A Zionist has joined the convo. Great. Tell us about Hamas, Fran. And Izzy's right to defend itself. You folks are like a broken record.
proud Zionist here, proud historian too. Your definition of Zionism is pretty predictable but go on tell us....
🤣🤣🤣 Full-throated genocider. So predictable. And by “historian,” I’m sure you mean “propaganda dissemination.” You go, girl!
your inability to engage here is very telling. laughing emogis and middle school ad hominem retorts. Sorry I tried to engage, you're clearly not able to back up your posts or engage in an adult way. By "historian" I mean the kind of extensive post- grad work, passion and love of history and political philosophy ..one thing it has afforded me is actually recognizing propaganda instantly when its presented by ANY side. Carry on, I mistook you for a serious person, sorry.
Say what??
Well, congratulations, let's see how you enjoy life under unconstrained Trump.
That's all you got, Nanceeeeeee? Predictable Blue MAGA.
So , Denise, how is djt and team sounding to you? Sounds like gop to me.
No, Steve, it wasn't Biden or any other Democrat politician or voters who gave us Trump. It was Mitch McConnell.
And, Steve, get off your high horse.
Agree that many hands were involved in the debacle of 2024. Agree about McConnell et al ..that said
Biden lied about only being a one term
President…. He was Pelosi’d out of running when it was too late.
He showed an aspect of his character that was “off brand.”
I can appreciate both sides of this Hunter pardon scenario. In an ideal world ( no reality re: the one we are in), Hunter should have been let to pay some consequence of his behavior.
Aside from Bible stories, !hough, who among us would throw our child to the bloodthirsty revenge mongers who would thrill to see Hunter’s head on a pike.
Steve … you had a memorable trip across the US with your fine son. I struggle to believe that you would sacrifice him for a putative point of honor.
Prison is one thing. Letting bloodthirsty, crazed medieval-level serfs loose on him is another story.
He did the right thing. The republicans would has spent the next four years hounding and prosecuting Biden's son, Just because he is Biden's son. Trump has done anything he wants and democrats spent four years chasing him. Good job Joe
I tell ya if we had to sit here for the next 4 yrs and watch Hunter get tormented, I just couldn’t take it. Joe Biden did ME a favor.
this is the best news since Biden brokered the hostages release. What would you do to protect your children? Character left the building in 2016 and returned with hate and revenge in 2025. America is about to go through some things, Biden did not want one of his children to be a part of it - badass decision - good for him. Wish he could pardon the rest of us. Maybe he can start with all the black and brown people who are locked up as non-violent offender for selling weed?
Absolutely!
Talking openly about political retribution from the Oval Office is important now. I think he should have pardoned Hunter because it was political (as I said in another comment) and Biden said that in his statement.
You know Steve, trump would continue to go after Hunter Biden and have him in a Federal Prison system under the Trump controlled AG and DOJ. Remember AG Barr stepped in and had Jeffrey Epstein moved to a Federal Prison that oddly had the guards fall asleep and the cameras fail and Jeffrey Epstein, supposedly on a suicide watch, supposedly killed himself. Do you really think Hunter Biden would be safe in a trump controlled Federal Prison? Remember the 5th circuit in August 2024 has ruled being a substance abuser cannot be blocked from purchasing a gun under the 2nd amendment but the 11th circuit disagrees so Hunter gets charged and prosecuted but in the 5th circuit a similar charge unconstitutional. Then we all know the story of numerous actors and musicians and other prominent individuals who failed to pay Federal taxes and they all negotiated with IRS and paid taxes and fines. Hunter Biden paid the back taxes and the interest and the fines. It is insane that for these two legal issues our DOJ appointed a special counsel who is a staunch partisan Republican. Your attack again of President Biden is unwarranted and lacks any intellectual reflection on the issues at stake and the safety risk to Hunter Biden. This was an asinine post on your part.
Yes indeed. I am angered and appalled at your holier than thou attitude here, Steve. So much so that you - not Biden - have lost my respect, and soon My subscription as well .
I agree!
Your outrage is woke BS. First, I would pardon my pun children for more heinous crimes than the small potatoes Hunter Biden was involved in; so would you!
Gee, President Biden wisely spared his son- be outraged by the 30,000+ lies Trump has told. What about his whopper that he knew nothing about Project 2025? That’s much more egregious.
I am outraged that you are outraged.
FOH.
Oh, Biden used his plenary power to pardon; he did not "abuse" that power.
The defendant has admitted guilt, and has repaid his tax debt.
Your pearl clutching is unwarranted, pathetic, and laughable.
And quite sad.
I totally agree. Well said!
Sometimes we have to disagree to agree, Steve. Not only should Biden have pardoned Hunter, he should issue a preemptive pardon to anyone that fucko Trump and his Magat Mob are targeting for their "retribution". Jack Smith, Judge Merchon. Judge Chutkin, etc. Anyone who doesn't like it can kiss Joe's ass.
Good idea! Can he do that?
What has this entire campaign and the last 8 years taught us? That all "precedents" have been thrown out the window. The principle here that was violated pales in comparison to the totality of shameful pardons by Trump in 2021. If Trump were to pardon Kushner for his clear violations would any Republican have written the type of commentary that Steve wrote? No. Do I think it is inappropriate of Biden to pardon his son? Yes. Do I think he shouldn't have done it? No. Biden needs to do what he can to protect those that Trump outwardly said he would take petty revenge upon. That is what Biden needs to focus on now--preserving our dignity as a nation as best he can. Trump has plenty of targets to occupy his time for the next 4 years.
Trump will do what he wants to do. He ll use this pardon as an excuse to do whatever he s going to do.
If hunter wasn t a Biden these charges would have never come to be.
Fifty years ago, Ronald Reagan started his mantra that government was the problem. Remember the scariest words in the language? I am from the government and here to help.
During these years, I think of Paul Ryan, the man who wanted to cut Social Security, despite the fact that he received Social Security benefits that saved his family after his father died when Ryan was a child. Or Rick Scott, a man worth $300 Million, but says the working poor do not pay their fair share in taxes.
Thus, fifty years later, thanks to Reagan, the barbarians are finally at the gate. Next month, they will breach the walls and destroy what we have. Because, hey, government is the problem.
Reagan was the beginning of the end!
Reagan Republican Rot Roots
Get a grip! We are not living in normal times. It is quaint to hold Biden’s legacy hostage to his promise to not pardon his surviving son. Hunter was treated differently in his criminal prosecution because he is Biden’s son. I fully support Biden pardoning him. I see no harm to society by pardoning him.
Just in time..he’d have been shredded in January..
"He will never be a victim, and claims by his father — the president — that his son deserves special treatment in an unfair and fallen world will never not be gross."
Hunter Biden doesn't deserve special treatment. However, he does not deserve to be treated more harshly than defendants in similar situations, which is exactly what happened when his plea deal was negated. In the vast majority of cases lying about drug use on a gun application is not pursued if the gun was not used in a crime, as was the case with Hunter Biden.
Jared Polis writes "this is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents." This is not a precedent! Trump pardoned relatives and friends guilty of far more serious crimes than Hunter Biden.
Steve, you are falling into the trap of making far more of what you consider missteps by Democrats, particularly Biden, than you do of the same sort of missteps made by Trump.
The only mistake Biden made was saying he would not pardon his son. This is not a big deal. A big deal is taking a stand on a woman's right to choose based exclusively on political considerations. This is the kind of thing Trump has done.
A big deal is appointing incompetents, nitwits and crazies to important government positions in an effort to undermine the very government you head into order to pave the way to dictatorship.
Steve, don't you think it is time to ease off in your criticisms of Biden?
Instead of wating our energy and resources on criticizing Biden over actions with no serious consequences, we should be informing as many people as we can and focusing our attention on the very real danger of nominees like Hesgeth as Secretary of Defense. In addition to paying a woman to shut up about his sexual assaults, news about his unfitness for control over our nuclear weapons is becoming increasingly alarming:
A previously undisclosed whistle-blower report on Hegseth’s tenure as the president of Concerned Veterans for America, from 2013 until 2016, describes him as being repeatedly intoxicated while acting in his official capacity—to the point of needing to be carried out of the organization’s events. https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/pete-hegseths-secret-history
Exactly! This “pretend” to be outraged over the reaction to President Biden pardoning his son is another example of the free wheeling press and political pundits having something else to rise up and write about today. Oh, goody!..let’s all jump on the bus and ride this into the ridiculousness. Maybe do a stare and compare to all real chaos being unleashed by the inane trump transition team. I’m glad that President Biden gave the press/media the one finger salute and as he was walking away said, “How ya like them apples”
On this, I must part ways with you, Steve: With all that Trump has promised to do upon his inauguration; with the evidence of his Justice Department, FBI. Intelligence, and Defense Department picks; with the undoubted coming pardons of convicted January Sixers: what would you have Biden do? Play by the old rules and leave his son to a Trump Justice Department, a Trump Bureau of Prisons, a Trump FBI? Yes, it is a bad precedent. So was our use of the A-Bomb in 1945, but given the history and context that preceded it's use, and the likely further cost in American lives of an armed invasion, it was understandable and forgivable. With or without this act of Joe Biden's, Trump will use his pardon power in far more corrupt and abusive ways. And we will say . . . what? I cannot fault Biden in this instance.