Some Democrats are lambasting their party for its unwillingness to break completely with President Joe Biden after he pardoned his son, the latest intraparty battle after Democrats lost the 2024 presidential race.
In the wake of Biden’s pardon, Democrats generally did not have a unified message: Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, did not criticize Biden but called for more pardons for “unfairly aggressive prosecutions for non-violent crimes ”; Others accused Biden of using his power unlawfully to help his family. California Gov. Gavin Newsom was the most prominent Democrat to criticize Biden, saying Tuesday he was disappointed and trusted the president when he previously said he would not pardon his son.
But many — including other potential 2028 hopefuls — remained silent or defended Biden.
Kurt Ehrenberg, a former top adviser to Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire, said the pardon was a “big F-you” to the Democratic Party that ousted him.
‘He has nothing to lose. His friends threw him overboard. He did what was best for him, and that’s always what Joe Biden does,” he said.
Or as one veteran Democratic strategist put it: “We just spent three weeks talking about how the party will change its compass and tactics and refocus on a winning strategy — and this is more of the same.”
“It’s problematic, and it’s a hallmark, not a sign, of the Biden presidency,” added the strategist, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “I think it’s terrible that he did it and that no Democrats are speaking out.”
Some Democrats see Biden’s pardon as particularly painful in part because they defended his decision to run for office again when it was clear most voters did not want to do so. They then defended him amid calls for him to drop out. If there was ever an opening for top Democrats to break with Biden, it was in the pardon, which drew bipartisan criticism this week.
“It’s like, ‘Thanks Joe,’ it’s like a parting gift,” veteran Democratic strategist Paul Maslin said sarcastically.
“We will be saddled with this – how long and how hard I don’t know,” he added. “But do you think Republicans will just let this go for a moment and not remind us of it for months, if not years, to come?”
Some members of the party have publicly broken with the president over his decision to pardon Hunter, who pleaded guilty to federal tax charges and was found guilty of federal gun charges. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts told reporters: “No one is above the law, and that includes presidents, former presidents and family members of presidents.” Colorado Governor Jared Polis called the decision “a bad precedent” that will “unfortunately tarnish his reputation.”
But many top Democrats have avoided the issue.
The fact that most potential 2028 candidates are staying quiet, Ehrenberg said, “predicts more of the same for the Democratic candidates for president. I don’t see any shining stars in the field at the moment.”
Biden put Democrats in a difficult position: By claiming that Hunter Biden’s prosecution was influenced by “raw politics” that ultimately led to a “miscarriage of justice,” Democrats said, he is making it harder for members to criticize Trump because he is trying to undermine democracy. Ministry of Justice.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the decision Monday, reiterating that the president “believes his son was politically singled out” and that he “believes in the justice system and the Department of Justice.” A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
And not all Democrats agree that the pardon will be a lasting political thorn for the party.
“I think in two weeks this problem will be completely gone,” said Jeff Weaver, a former campaign manager for Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid who most recently worked on Minnesota Rep.’s long-running primary challenge. Dean Phillips vs. Biden. ‘Maybe it won’t last two weeks. Maybe I’m giving him too many paws.”
Mike Ceraso, a member of the Sanders and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg campaigns, said he doubted it would be as important to the average voter as “insiders would believe” — and even predicted it could help Democrats get a candid open conversation about addiction, incarceration and mental health.
And Mark Longabaugh, another Sanders alum, said he wouldn’t advise candidates thinking about the 2028 primaries to take the opportunity to use the pardon to attack the president.
“The founding party cannot, on the one hand, support and support this man at times when it was clear they should not have done so, and then turn around and jump on him as he heads out the door after a massive attack. defeat for pardoning his son,” he said.