Nate Silver has never been one to mince words, and his recent takedown of President Joe Biden over the controversial blanket pardon of Hunter Biden is no exception. Silver, a statistician with a knack for riling up both political parties, let loose in a fiery critique that spares no one.
After years of toeing a cautious line with his projections—whether by boosting Donald Trump’s odds in 2024 or speculating on Kamala Harris’s future—Silver threw caution to the wind and called out what he sees as a stunning betrayal by Biden.
The White House consistently lied about this. Biden’s stubborn insistence on running for reelection was perhaps the singular most important factor in Trump 2.0, and now he’s kicking salt in the wound of the party brand he helped to destroy.https://t.co/7sQi2uNNLy https://t.co/lAwX6QNcqa
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) December 2, 2024
Silver’s condemnation is sharp and unforgiving. He lambasted Biden as a “selfish and senile old man” and didn’t stop there. The heart of his argument? That this pardon is a slap in the face to any Democrat who believed Biden’s earlier vow not to intervene on behalf of his son.
Silver went so far as to urge voters to reject any Democratic candidate in 2028 who doesn’t unequivocally denounce this move. It’s not just a pardon; to Silver, it’s a moral and political debacle that could haunt the party for years.
The fallout from Biden’s decision is as predictable as it is dramatic. For critics on the right, this is vindication—a chance to point out the hypocrisy of a party that often positions itself as the moral compass of American politics. For Biden’s supporters, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.
After all, Biden himself had stated publicly that Hunter would receive no special treatment. That promise, however, has crumbled under the weight of political expediency—or perhaps desperation.
BREAKING: Nate Silver has issued a fiery response to Joe Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden.
“Don’t vote for any Democrat in 2028 who doesn’t repudiate the pardon within 48 hours.”
“A selfish and senile old man.”
“Biden’s stubborn insistence on running for reelection was perhaps… pic.twitter.com/vAsMyF45MZ
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 2, 2024
From a broader perspective, Biden’s actions have broader implications. By using his pardon power in such a sweeping and politically fraught manner, Biden has effectively set a precedent that will resonate across the aisle. The next Republican president—whether Trump or someone else—will be able to cite this moment as justification for their own controversial pardons.
Biden’s reasoning, that “politicizing the justice system” forced his hand, is already being dismissed as hollow rhetoric. Critics argue it was Biden himself who politicized the Justice Department, muddying investigations into his son’s alleged crimes long before the pardon ever hit the headlines.
