Most politicians present themselves to the people in the personae they think will garner them the most votes. With regard to their families, in particular, they trot them out as props and even sometimes put their arms around them. But given a choice between going either to their kid’s Little League game or a fund-raising event, well, after all, the kids aren’t really that good.
On the other hand, our President presents himself as Uncle Joe, the gregarious, warm, blue collar, family man from Scranton. He has constructed his political career around the picture of himself as Dr. Huxtable (the perfect father that everybody loved before the Cosby bullshit). As Amtrak Joe, he commuted daily by train back and forth from Delaware to Washington so he could be with his kids. One of his well-publicized quotes was when he said that as between going to a Senate vote or to a PTA meeting, he would instantly head for his kid’s schoolhouse. He now says he speaks by phone daily to each of his grandchildren. And need we be reminded again about how he grieves over his lost first wife, daughter and his treasured son, Beau?
So how will this dedicated family man handle the desperate problems now facing his only remaining offspring, Hunter? We may have a clue by noticing what he has done so far.
First of all, he ran for President in 2020. You’ve got to remember that Hunter’s investigation has been going on since 2018. So, while his son was under investigation, he made himself one of the most visible targets in the world. He had to know that this would redound against Hunter, and it ultimately has. But that PTA meeting Joe skipped.
Now he continues to insist that he is running again despite favorable ratings that put his scores only slightly higher than Harvey Weinstein’s. Yet, he does this while also knowing that his continued place on the throne may well increase the likelihood that his son will go to prison. It will certainly do nothing to help.
But that’s only if he actually does nothing. Here’s what a lot of people are saying that he could do.
See, he’s not a Senator anymore where he’s only one out of 100. Senators can go to PTA meetings. He’s not even a Vice-President anymore. When you have a job like that, you are always number two and you basically have nothing to do. Vice-Presidents can go to PTA meetings.
He has the big job now, the one he always wanted. He has the power. He not only has the power to send armies into foreign countries. He also has the power to pardon his son – to give him the literal Get Out of Jail Free Card.
But dealing that card will come at great cost to himself. If he does it before the election, the chances of his then winning dip below the chances of no man wanting to be Tom Brady. If he risks holding off until he gets re-elected, of course, he may lose and that loss will place into power those who desperately want to make Hunter the hunted.
That leaves only one other option. If he truly is Uncle Joe, he has to pardon his son now and he has to accompany that by announcing that he withdraws from the race.
The choice is clear. Not easy, but clear.
Certainly, there are also other political costs that come with Joe’s bowing out. That cost is spelled “Kamala.” But that can be dealt with by the Party. There are a lot of good jobs out there for a woman with her outstanding but Presidentially insufficient talents.
It’s up to you, Joe. Have you been telling us the truth about yourself over all these years? Are you just another politician who put together a family only to fill out the portrait, or do you really put family first?
We’ll soon find out.
We were right 
As you surely should expect, I absolutely positively disagree! Yeah, the “family man” persona is a bit hokey to us uber-worldly hipsters, but that’s on us, not Uncle Joe. More importantly, Uncle Joe recognizes the increasingly petty and vindictive opponents running against him. Sad to say, if Uncle Joe bows out, the Dems just don’t seem to have a viable Second Man In Waiting (with apologies to Gloria Steinheim). And, further, if Orange Julius or his mimi-me from Florida get elected, they will most likely STILL pursue both Hunter and himself, facts be damned. So, in essence, Uncle Joe simply HAS to not only stay in the race but he MUST win to protect the family. And, in doing so, protect all of us!
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I have to think that there must be a Democrat with a better chance of winning than Uncle Joe. Is he really the best we have? I think he’s done a good job, but the age and acuity criticisms are valid ones. I certainly agree that Orange Julius II would be disaster. But that’s all the more reason why the Democrats need to move to and build up an alternative before it’s too late. Gov. Whitmer? Mayor Pete? Gov. Polis of Colorado (won by nearly 20 points in a swing state),? Gov. Newsom?
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Absolutely agree that Dems should have a better alternative but, under these circumstances, I just don’t think that’s possible for 2024. Put all of efforts into winning with Joe for 2024, begin the process of promoting the next level and hope like hell that Joe lives through his term.
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I just saw an interview where he was asked if he would pardon his son and he said “No”. I think that’s the correct answer. He has said, and believes, that no one is above the law and if his son violated the law, he must also face the consequences. He is no DJT. However, Hunter is being prosecuted for doing what 99% of people who lie about their drug use when applying for a gun. Those people are given a warning. It’s usually only indicted if it’s in conjunction with a crime. But because of his last name, the Repugs are doing their usual dirty tricks.
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Your points, of course, are good ones. The phrase, though, “above the law” is an ambiguous one. Pardons are part of the law. Pardons exist to allow the law to remedy judicial injustices. You are right that Hunter’s legal problems would not be problems for 99% of the public. What would be wrong with remedying that injustice? At the same time, it gives Biden a way out of running again and opens the way for a Democrat candidate without Biden’s baggage. Thanks again for reading my ramblings.
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