LLet’s fast-forward the tragedy again: In 2020, Joe Biden was elected on the promise of national reconciliation and protection of American democracy. The former was an illusion, the latter appears more vulnerable than ever. The experienced Democrat claimed to design his presidency as a contrast to his predecessor Donald Trump: He dressed himself in America’s proclaimed eternal values ​​and promoted the rule of law and decency in the exercise of power. But the moral decay now marks the end of his term in office.

The example that Biden prided himself on was just destroyed by the full presidential pardon he granted his son Hunter, who was facing two prison sentences. Both cases were undeniable: a written lie about his drug addiction when purchasing a firearm; and extensive tax fraud. The established facts do not allow for discussion, even if the severity of the punishment envisaged for Hunter Biden – possibly several years in prison – is not always imposed by American courts.

The arguments put forward by some Democrats in defense of President Biden are extremely weak. They usually boil down to one name: Trump. In other words: there are always worse things. Biden lied about promising not to pardon his son? Yes, but Trump has lied about everything: his taxes, his affairs, and even his responsibilities in legal cases that have landed him dozens of indictments, such as the attempted coup that led to the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. All of these arguments are true. But with them, the Democrats have become tangled up in the toga of their own grandeur.

“Nobody believes anyone anymore”

Has Biden not violated the principles he claims to defend, such as the separation of executive and judicial branches and respect for the rule of law? Their answer is once again “Donald Trump,” who has promised a campaign of revenge against his “internal enemies,” be they political leaders, generals or judges. Or that in some ways Biden had no choice. His supporters say the president is simply human – an 82-year-old father who couldn’t bear to see his vulnerable son in prison just as he himself was about to step down from power.

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