Joe Biden's political journey is coming to a close, and it is ending in a manner that many would argue is emblematic of his career. While Biden was often painted as a defender of democracy and a principled leader by his media allies, his presidency and its final chapter suggest a different reality. The pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, for tax and gun crimes — despite Biden’s prior emphatic denials that such an action would ever occur — reveals the contradictions and self-interest that have marked his decades in politics.
Biden’s Legacy of Dishonesty
Biden’s history of bending the truth is well-documented. His first presidential campaign in 1988 imploded after revelations of plagiarism and embellishments about his biography. The current scandal echoes a familiar theme: dishonesty, now compounded by an act of self-dealing that undermines his professed commitment to justice and the rule of law.
Hunter Biden’s troubles stem not just from personal misconduct but from a broader family enterprise. The president has long denied knowledge of Hunter’s business dealings, claims that have been repeatedly debunked by evidence of meetings, communications, and financial entanglements. The funds that Hunter failed to report for tax purposes were largely derived from foreign business deals — opportunities made possible by his father’s political prominence. Without Joe Biden’s influence, Hunter’s lucrative dealings would likely never have materialized.
The Broken Promise of Impartial Justice
Biden’s denial of any intention to pardon Hunter was more than a casual dismissal; it became a foundational part of his image as a president committed to ethical governance. Legal analysts and media figures praised him as a leader upholding justice without favoritism. Yet, this narrative now lies in tatters. By pardoning his son, Biden has not only reneged on his word but has also implicated his Justice Department in a politically fraught controversy. This undermines the integrity of an institution he vowed to protect.
The pardon fits into a broader pattern of Biden exceeding constitutional norms during his presidency. From unilateral executive actions to endorsing a Court-packing scheme that would have once been considered unthinkable, Biden’s actions often contradicted the image of a steady hand protecting democratic norms.
The Illusion of Biden’s Grandeur
Throughout his presidency, Biden’s supporters inflated his significance. Media outlets and commentators cast him as a transformative leader, a second coming of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the savior of American democracy. This myth-making ignored the reality of his narrow electoral victory in 2020, a win largely attributed to opposition to Donald Trump and the unique circumstances of a global pandemic.
In reality, Biden’s career has been that of a persistent but unimpressive politician who managed to outlast his contemporaries. Far from being a world-historical figure, his presidency has often revealed him to be a middling leader, reliant on a cultivated image of decency and competence that rarely matched his actions.
An Ending That Matches the Career
The pardon of Hunter Biden encapsulates the contradictions of Joe Biden’s political life. It highlights a leader willing to make lofty promises while ultimately prioritizing personal and familial interests. His final act as president underscores a career punctuated by self-interest and a lack of accountability.
As Biden exits the stage, it’s worth reflecting on the legacy he leaves behind: a presidency defined less by its achievements and more by the dissonance between its rhetoric and reality. The myth of Joe Biden as a savior of democracy has been thoroughly debunked, leaving behind a cautionary tale of inflated expectations and inevitable disappointments.
