Watching Rep. Dan Goldman try to spin President Joe Biden’s stunning reversal on pardoning his son Hunter was like watching someone try to patch a sinking ship with duct tape.
CNN’s Brianna Keilar didn’t let him off the hook, replaying Goldman’s confident 2023 declaration that there was “no chance” Biden would ever pardon Hunter. Fast forward to now, and it’s clear Biden not only changed his mind but also managed to make Goldman look either hopelessly naive or deliberately misleading. Pick your poison.
“What does that feel like watching yourself back then reassuring people that Biden was not going to issue a pardon for his son?” Keilar asked Goldman, who had said he “did not think there was any chance” Biden would pardon his son.
Let’s cut through Goldman’s tortured excuses. He claimed the pardon wouldn’t have happened if Hunter’s sweetheart plea deal hadn’t fallen apart. Nice try, but Keilar rightly pointed out that his original assurance came after the deal collapsed.
Goldman’s attempt to pin this all on Republicans as if they’re the bad guys for exposing Hunter’s blatant misconduct is as predictable as it is absurd. Blaming “Republican congressional intervention” for Hunter’s legal woes is like blaming the referee for calling a foul when the star player trips someone on camera.
And Biden’s rationale for the pardon? It’s a masterpiece of victimhood spin. According to the president, Hunter was “singled out” by political opponents who sought to “break” him—and by extension, Joe himself. This framing conveniently ignores the facts. Hunter wasn’t charged with obscure, politically-motivated offenses. He lied on a federal gun form (a felony) and dodged taxes (also a felony). If he were anyone else, he’d be in jail, not sitting cozy with a presidential pardon.
Goldman’s insistence that Hunter wouldn’t have been charged if he weren’t Biden’s son is laughable. If anything, Hunter’s last name is the reason he avoided serious scrutiny for so long. The plea deal that Judge Maryellen Noreika rejected was proof of that—a legal Hail Mary designed to sweep years of bad behavior under the rug. But when the public and the courts demanded accountability, Biden decided to play the ultimate trump card: presidential power.
The irony here is rich. Biden’s pardon essentially undermines every talking point Democrats have pushed about “equal justice” and the importance of the rule of law. Imagine the outrage if Donald Trump had preemptively pardoned Don Jr. or Eric for similar offenses. The media would be in full meltdown mode, with Democrats decrying the destruction of democracy. But when Biden does it? Crickets—or worse, shameless spin from his allies.
This is one of the most devastating, and enjoyable, clips on the internet. CNN forces Rep. Dan Goldman to watch video of himself saying confidently that Joe Biden would NEVER pardon Hunter.
“What does that feel like?”
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) December 2, 2024
Goldman’s attempt to deflect by bringing up Trump’s future DOJ plans is equally weak. Trump openly stated he’d consider pardoning Hunter as a way to address broader corruption. But here’s the difference: Trump isn’t in office yet. Biden is. And Biden just threw his own credibility—and his promises—out the window.
This isn’t about justice. It’s about privilege, plain and simple. Hunter Biden got a pass most Americans could only dream of, and the man who once claimed he’d bring integrity back to the White House is now its chief enabler. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about this administration, nothing will.
