I think most people on the right knew that Joe Biden was lying when he said that he wasn't going to pardon his son, that his saying that was all just an election calculation, that now that the election is over and Hunter was about to be sentenced, Joe dispensed with the pretense. 

But as Matt Vespa at Townhall reported, folks on the left fell for it, or at least were pushing the party line about how noble Biden was because he wasn't pardoning him. So not only was Biden lying, but now, with the pardon, he undercut all those on the left who had been supporting him and believed his nonsense. 

When MAGA cultists complain about a "weaponized justice system," remind them that President Biden has refused to show favoritism towards his son because he has a commitment to the rule of law and our judicial system, regardless of who is involved.https://t.co/uDXcsOjYXf

— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) June 7, 2024

Hang this in a museum. This is art. pic.twitter.com/H8T6J6qXi9

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) December 2, 2024

Hey Andrew Weissmann, tell us more about Biden's character.

We are going to have fun with LOTS of these fools who actually believed that Joe Biden wouldn't pardon his son because he is such an honorable man. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/UyTacNAPgt

— MAZE (@mazemoore) December 2, 2024

Here’s 9 minutes of the media telling everyone Joe Biden wouldn’t pardon Hunter and how that clearly demonstrated Biden’s praiseworthy belief in the justice system. pic.twitter.com/rNqwiJGoz2

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 2, 2024

Then came the pardon, and even Community Notes was calling out Joe Biden, adding an explanatory note about the pardon to his claim that "No one is above the law." 

No one is above the law.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 31, 2024

Former member of Congress Joe Walsh ripped the pardon on MSNBC, but the host's response was to talk about the trauma in Biden's family and essentially say, "Hey, we all knew he was going to do it" as an excuse. 

Joe Walsh decrying the Hunter Biden pardon on MSNBC and being met with "a father's love" is PURE CINEMA pic.twitter.com/AkZwWZ6PVC

— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) December 2, 2024

But Walsh is maddest about how the "selfish move by Biden" could only help Trump, "It's just deflating." 

Nate Silver ripped Biden apart for how he hurt the Democrats' chances, calling him a "selfish and senile old man" who was "kicking salt in the wound of the party brand he helped to destroy." 

A selfish and senile old man.

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) December 2, 2024

Then there was former Biden administration official Symone Sanders. It's all good. Why are you guys disturbed? It's good, I say!

Good for the President and good for Hunter. ❤️ https://t.co/Ep243StsfR

— Symone D. Sanders Townsend (@SymoneDSanders) December 2, 2024

You know there had to be a "Republicans pounce!" in there somewhere whenever a Democrat does something sleazy. Here are three headlines from Politico that tell the tale. 

A 3 act play starring Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and Politico: pic.twitter.com/u1VGlWBdcM

— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) December 2, 2024

Journalist Eli Lake, a columnist for the Free Press, had perhaps one of the funniest responses. 

President Biden’s pardon of Hunter has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.

— Eli Lake (@EliLake) December 2, 2024

But perhaps the worst was from Obama's Attorney General Eric Holder.

Hunter
Here’s the reality.

No USAtty would have charged this case given the underlying facts. After a 5 year investigation the facts as discovered only made that clear.

Had his name been Joe Smith the resolution would have been - fundamentally and more fairly - a…

— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) December 2, 2024

Obama "wingman" Holder claimed no one "would have charged this case given the underlying facts." 

Really? No one would have charged all the potential things that were seen on the laptop? No one would charge tax charges? What is he even talking about? Holder ridiculously tries the same gambit that Biden did — that somehow Hunter was selectively prosecuted here. Then he makes clear it's about Kash Patel because he attacks his nomination, saying "hell no" he isn't qualified. They know Patel will not be turning a blind eye.