Staff Reports
Rep. James Clyburn seems to be waving an olive branch in an unexpected direction. On a recent episode of NewsNation’s “The Hill,” the South Carolina Democrat proposed that President Joe Biden should consider preemptively pardoning Donald Trump, Liz Cheney, Jack Smith, and even Dr. Anthony Fauci. One can only imagine the eyebrows raised at the thought of pardoning the former president who Democratic committees have worked tirelessly to vilify. It’s almost like a scene from a political sitcom where the characters don’t realize they are the punchline.
Clyburn: I'm Asking Biden To Preemptively Pardon Trump, Jack Smith & Fauci
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— RCP Video (@rcpvideo) December 6, 2024
Clyburn, who has often found himself in the thick of political rivalry, was clear in suggesting that continuing to pursue investigations or grievances against Trump and these other figures would be a colossal waste of time. He noted that the constant bickering and in-fighting don’t help anyone run a government, which is interesting coming from a party that has made a sport out of finger-pointing. Perhaps he’s had a moment of clarity, realizing that governing is a bit more productive than perpetually seeking revenge.
During the broadcast, when asked if he had directly urged Biden to make this pardoning move, Clyburn didn’t exactly lean into the idea. While he hesitated to have a one-on-one with the president on the issue, he did mention that he’d brought the topic up with some of Biden’s aides. One can only assume there was a collective eye-roll behind closed doors when Clyburn suggested playing nice. After all, in the political playground, no one really wants to share their toys, especially if one of those toys happens to be the former president.
Clyburn’s overture has sparked some eyebrows among conservatives, who might find the idea of pardoning political opponents to be a bit rich. For years now, Democrats have worked tirelessly to legitimize the idea that Trump is a walking disaster. Suddenly, the notion of smoothing things over feels a bit more like damage control than genuine bipartisanship. Is the party in power realizing they might have gone too far? It seems like a questionable strategy, and certainly gives the impression that they’d prefer to bury the hatchet and move on instead of sticking to their guns.
At the end of the day, this intriguing proposal from Clyburn highlights a few things. Firstly, the Democrats are perhaps feeling the heat of their relentless campaigns against Trump and his allies. Secondly, it betrays a fear that their narrative may be crumbling. Rather than multitasking on governance and vendettas, the notion of preemptive pardons reveals that even they understand the need to pivot—maybe politics isn’t all about war, but some folks still don’t get the memo. If Clyburn’s vision were to somehow manifest, one must ask if the rest of the Democrats would be on board or if this would only serve to deepen the divides within their own ranks.
