The internal discontent within President Biden’s party over his decision to pardon his son is evidence of just how strained his relationship with congressional Democrats has become. When questioned about the pardon, Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer dismissively responded, ‘I don’t have anything to say about that.’
Senator Schumer, the Media’s favorite Democratic chatterbox and majority leader, has a knack for evading answers on uncomfortable topics. This was apparent during Biden’s less than stellar debate performance when Schumer deviated from his usual loquacity. His newfound slogan, ‘I’m backing Joe,’ became a shield to deflect questions about Biden’s suitability for president.
On Tuesday, Schumer once again took a similar tactic—this time, his efforts were directed toward dodging questions about the sensitive topic of Biden’s unconditional pardon for his son, Hunter. ‘I have no comments on this,’ he stated for the press, reiterating his stance three times consecutively.
This guarded reaction speaks volumes about a grim reality seeping into the last days of Biden’s term—it laid bare the strained, and possibly permanently damaged, bond between Biden’s presidency and the party’s congressional Democrats, a relationship once thought to be rock solid and reliable.
As Biden’s departure from the political scene looms, just 47 days away, criticism from his former colleagues has come fast and furious. His choice to pardon his son has been a magnet for negative comments; others, like Schumer, have decided to conspicuously play the silent card, which arguably speaks louder than words.