Well, folks, it seems the White House has once again pulled out its trusty playbook: double down, deflect, and redefine reality. This time, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is putting in overtime to spin President Biden’s controversial blanket pardon of his son, Hunter Biden. Let’s just say it’s a tough sell.
Jean-Pierre’s claim? That President Biden has been “truthful” with the American people. Sure, if “truthful” now means saying one thing while doing the exact opposite. Let’s not forget Biden explicitly stated on multiple occasions that he would not pardon Hunter. But lo and behold, here we are, with a sweeping pardon that not only wipes away Hunter’s federal gun charges but also preemptively clears him of any other crimes he may have committed over an 11-year span. That’s quite the pardon—and quite the pivot.
The justification? Biden is suddenly concerned about the “raw politics” infecting the justice system. This is the same president who has repeatedly claimed he wouldn’t interfere with the DOJ. Now, he’s accusing it of being compromised while simultaneously using his executive power to protect his son. You can’t have it both ways: either the DOJ is independent and trusted, or it’s rotten and broken. If Biden really believes the latter, where’s the accountability? Or is it just rotten when it’s inconvenient for him?
Joe Biden: I will not pardon Hunter
Also Joe Biden: I will not pardon Hunter
Karine Jean-Pierre: Biden will not pardon Hunter, frankly I’m tired of saying it
Joe Biden: OK, I’m pardoning Hunter. Don’t bother looking into the Burisma stuff either, Jack pic.twitter.com/unNVQYJDOV
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) December 2, 2024
And let’s talk about the timeline. Jean-Pierre insists Biden just arrived at this decision over the weekend. Convenient, right? But NBC News says otherwise, reporting that Biden had been quietly mulling this move since Hunter’s conviction in June. That means all those months of telling the public he wouldn’t pardon his son were, at best, misleading. At worst, it was an outright lie.
The media room didn’t let Jean-Pierre off the hook, pressing her on Biden’s claim that the DOJ is “infected” with politics. Her response? A word salad about how Biden still “believes in the Justice Department,” but only, apparently, when it doesn’t involve Hunter. When asked about broader corruption in the DOJ, she conveniently narrowed her scope to Hunter’s case, spinning the narrative that this is all just a vendetta by political opponents. Classic deflection.
Let’s cut to the chase. This pardon is a blatant example of the two-tiered justice system conservatives have been warning about for years. If the president’s son were named anything but Biden, would he have received this level of protection? Doubtful. The average American can’t expect a get-out-of-jail-free card when they’re caught breaking federal gun laws, but Hunter gets the golden pass, all while his dad lectures us about fairness and justice.
NEW: Karine Jean-Pierre says Biden always believes to be “truthful to the American people” after a reporter asked her why Biden lied about not pardoning his son.
The gaslighting never ends.
Reporter: You and Biden said for months that he wouldn’t pardon Hunter… could those… pic.twitter.com/xTPVqNR7kj
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 2, 2024
Then, a reporter goes for the jugular and takes on KJP and DOJ. Listen:
REPORTER: “He’s saying his own Justice Department is broken.”
KJP: “He believes in the Justice Department.”
REPORTER: “He just said it’s infected with politics!”
KJP: ………..
REPORTER: “How many selective prosecutions are there at the DOJ?”
KJP: I can’t speak to that. pic.twitter.com/qz2gssqifB
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 2, 2024
What this really boils down to is a calculated political move. Biden is gambling that the media will run interference, his base will excuse the hypocrisy, and swing voters will shrug it off as a “family matter.” But this sets a dangerous precedent, one where the politically connected get to rewrite the rules to suit their needs. For a president who promised to “restore integrity” to the White House, this sure feels like anything but.
