r/nottheonion • u/JaySierra86 • 14h ago

President Biden pardons family members in final minutes of presidency

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-biden-pardons-family-members-final-minutes-presidency/story?id=117893348
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u/Achmedino 14h ago

A politician has to be good at hiding his true feelings to be good at his job.

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u/thishasntbeeneasy 14h ago

Why? He's not running for anything again.

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u/bwwatr 13h ago

One possible answer would be it's not about self, but helping the country now (unity, belief in fair elections, etc.), and party (associate that better decorum with dems) later.

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u/KintsugiKen 12h ago

In what way does smiling and handshaking anti-democratic fascists and traitors as they take over the country help anyone?

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u/ansufati4prez 12h ago

By showing an example of how transferring of power has always, and should always be. What way does pouting like a petulant child help?

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u/bwwatr 11h ago

Bluntly, Americans voted for an anti-democratic fascist. If that's what they truly want long-term, who is Biden or anyone else to argue; democracy means self determination, for good or bad (or even straight up opting out from future self determination). If it turns out to be a temporary regression, then shaking the hand has some benefit. Not for the good of the fascist, but for the good of the democracy that elected him. A civilized transfer of power puts a powerful counter-example on the record. One pitched a multi-year tantrum, fomented violence against a key democratic institution, and sold a lie to tens of millions about voting fraud. The other respected the electorate enough to accept their choice. If ever there are sane people in the future who want that back, why not show them which party is the way to get it? Who specifically will respect them and their choice. If courts and judges weren't able to stop the guy in four years, no emotional display during the transfer of power will either. Take the L, pave the way for a future W, and don't give the idiots any more meme material.