Biden's Last Stand: The Twilight Moves of a Defiant President

[Social Media]

 

In the waning days of his presidency, Joe Biden is defying critics and making bold moves that reflect his unyielding instincts, even stirring controversy with a touch of trolling. As the 82-year-old leader nears the end of his term, he's unshackled from the usual political optics, focusing on what he deems necessary to cement his legacy.

 

Biden's presidency will inevitably be measured against the backdrop of Donald Trump's political resurgence. Yet, Biden seems determined not to fade into irrelevance, holding fast against the rising tide of Trump’s MAGA movement.

 

Criticism of Biden’s actions intensified after his December decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden. The move angered many conservatives and even some Democrats who felt it undermined moral consistency. This pardon sparked a flurry of reactions, setting the stage for what would become a series of contentious decisions.

 

In a dramatic gesture before Christmas, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates. While criminal justice advocates praised this decision, it provoked outrage from Republicans and families of victims, who saw it as a stark divergence from justice. Biden's recognition of former Representative Liz Cheney with the Presidential Citizens Medal also raised eyebrows. Cheney, who led the House panel investigating the January 6 Capitol assault, was a contentious choice given Trump's previous calls for her prosecution.

 

Biden’s decisions reached a peak of divisiveness when he honored Hillary Clinton and philanthropist George Soros with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. For many in the MAGA camp, this seemed like a deliberate provocation, crafted to trigger the strongest possible reaction.

 

Beyond these symbolic acts, Biden’s administration has been busy finalizing a slew of rules and regulations intended to prolong the influence of his core policy themes. New consumer protection rules, like banning medical debt from credit reports, showcase Biden’s effort to make every remaining day of his presidency count toward his economic vision.

 

A significant move came with Biden's executive order blocking 625 million acres of offshore areas from future oil and gas drilling. This decision, designed to hinder Trump’s ambitions to increase fossil fuel production, was met with disbelief and criticism from Trump, who accused Biden of making the presidential transition as difficult as possible. However, Trump's incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, noted that the transition has been "very helpful" despite stark policy differences.

 

January 6 saw a smooth, uneventful certification of Trump’s victory in Congress, starkly contrasting with the political violence that had marked the same day four years prior. 

 

Biden’s spokesman, Andrew Bates, defended the president’s record, highlighting accomplishments in economic recovery, crime reduction, and immigration control. "President Biden is proud to leave his successor the best-performing economy on earth, the lowest violent crime rates in over 50 years, and the lowest border crossings in over four years," Bates told Axios.

 

Internationally, Biden remained engaged, rushing aid to Ukraine and approving significant arms sales to Israel. These moves were seen as efforts to solidify his legacy and protect it from Trump’s influence. Biden's actions, like approving Ukraine’s request to strike deep inside Russia with American-made missiles, were interpreted by Trump’s allies as sabotage.

 

In a fiery moment with reporters, Biden declared, "I might be the oldest president, but I know more world leaders than any one of you have ever met in your whole goddamn life." This statement encapsulates his confidence and defiance in his final days.

 

One of Biden’s most instinctive decisions was to block Nippon Steel’s $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, siding with the United Steelworkers union despite potential job losses. This move aligned Biden with Trump, both opposing the foreign takeover to keep the company American-owned.

 

As the "Dark Brandon" era winds down, speculation mounts that Biden might issue preemptive pardons for Democrats and officials, including Anthony Fauci, who could be targeted by Trump. This potential act would epitomize Biden’s final defiance, leaving a legacy both contentious and resolutely his own.

 

Based on a report by AXIOS 2024-01-09

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

It's a pity Biden wasn't as active during the past 4 years. Had he been he might have a legacy to leave.

 

Perhaps we should be saying "Biden's handlers have been active recently".

[thaibeachlovers]

15 minutes ago, Social Media said:

As the "Dark Brandon" era winds down, speculation mounts that Biden might issue preemptive pardons for Democrats and officials, including Anthony Fauci, who could be targeted by Trump. This potential act would epitomize Biden’s final defiance, leaving a legacy both contentious and resolutely his own.

That has to be BS. How can one be pardoned for something one hasn't been convicted of? IMO that is something out of fantasy land. However, as Biden's brain  is currently residing in fantasy land, perhaps he'll give it a go.

 

BTW, if Biden is actually able to do it, just imagine what Trump could preemptively pardon? If Biden manages to open that door, it's open for every future POTUS.

[Homburg]

Biden's last stand?  That could actually be close to the truth.  In reality Obama is still getting his hands dirty.

[thesetat]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It's a pity Biden wasn't as active during the past 4 years. Had he been he might have a legacy to leave.

 

Perhaps we should be saying "Biden's handlers have been active recently".

Agreed. Bidens last stand should have been made when he won the election. In the time during his term he had lots of opportunities to act on these things. To do them all now makes it seem he is only doing it to hinder the next Prez and out of defiance to losing the elections and being told he is too old and senile to do anything now. 

Right now, he seems to only be attacking the very things that were the reasons Americans voted for Trump and against Trumps election promises. Making Trumps term as Prez harder. 

[Gsxrnz]

Scorned women, tantrum throwing 3-year olds, and shunned Marxists, all tend to go down in a last-stand display of wanton destruction. 

 

Obama should at least have let Biden exit the chair with what little bit of dignity remained. Kudos to Kamala for her Jan 6th display - if she keeps her mouth shut between now and Jan 20th, history may treat her with some semblance of kindness.

 

 

[mokwit]

I just don't know how they will be able to fumigate the stench of corruption from the Whitehouse that he leaves behind.

 

We'll probably see all the windows open in January.

[Paul Henry]

Amazing how many people can only pick up on the negative when it comes to Biden (they ignore or laugh off Trumps idiosyncrasy) The USA is in the best position it has been in years due largely to Bidens actions on the economy,infrastructure,

Jobs created ,reduction in unemployement,social benefits and the list could go on. People will blame him for inflation and supply shortages which have effected the entire globe after Covid. They forget who mishandled the Covid epidemic saying it will go away in a few weeks,denied the reality and used it as a political tool to further divide the country.I support the GOP but we need to take the blinkers off and see the facts and get about finding a REAL leader who will put th country and people first. 

[Stiddle Mump]

Silly old sod.

[impulse]

31 minutes ago, Paul Henry said:

Amazing how many people can only pick up on the negative when it comes to Biden (they ignore or laugh off Trumps idiosyncrasy) The USA is in the best position it has been in years due largely to Bidens actions on the economy,infrastructure,

Jobs created ,reduction in unemployement,social benefits and the list could go on. People will blame him for inflation and supply shortages which have effected the entire globe after Covid. They forget who mishandled the Covid epidemic saying it will go away in a few weeks,denied the reality and used it as a political tool to further divide the country.I support the GOP but we need to take the blinkers off and see the facts and get about finding a REAL leader who will put th country and people first. 

 

You've been watching too much election year coverage by CNN and MSDNC if you think the economy is in good shape.

 

[BarBoy]

Goodnight, sleepy Joe...

 

It's nap time now. Bye bye.

 

What a truly dreadful president. 

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

I just don't know how they will be able to fumigate the stench of corruption from the Whitehouse that he leaves behind.

 

We'll probably see all the windows open in January.

The scent of musk is a well known scent used by parfumiers for overpowering other smells...

[JonnyF]

Defiant? 😄

 

More like a grumpy old git at the nursing home throwing his desert on the floor because he didn't get enough custard. 

 

Silly old man. 

[mokwit]

1 hour ago, herfiehandbag said:

The scent of musk is a well known scent used by parfumiers for overpowering other smells...

There will be a lot of musk in the oval office initially, but i suspect it will be too overpowering and someone in particular won't like too much of it, sooner or later it will just be the 'great smell of Trump' in the oval office.

[newnative]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That has to be BS. How can one be pardoned for something one hasn't been convicted of? IMO that is something out of fantasy land. However, as Biden's brain  is currently residing in fantasy land, perhaps he'll give it a go.

 

BTW, if Biden is actually able to do it, just imagine what Trump could preemptively pardon? If Biden manages to open that door, it's open for every future POTUS.

Guess you are unfamiliar with Ford's pardon of Nixon, which covered any crimes he 'may have committed'.

[Wrwest]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That has to be BS. How can one be pardoned for something one hasn't been convicted of? IMO that is something out of fantasy land. However, as Biden's brain  is currently residing in fantasy land, perhaps he'll give it a go.

 

BTW, if Biden is actually able to do it, just imagine what Trump could preemptively pardon? If Biden manages to open that door, it's open for every future POTUS.

Already opened, as a result of the relatively recent SCOTUS ruling of broad immunity acting as President ...

[placeholder]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It's a pity Biden wasn't as active during the past 4 years. Had he been he might have a legacy to leave.

 

Perhaps we should be saying "Biden's handlers have been active recently".

Clearly, you are utterly unacquainted with the massive amount of his proposed legislation that was enacted during his first 2 years of office.

[placeholder]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That has to be BS. How can one be pardoned for something one hasn't been convicted of? IMO that is something out of fantasy land. However, as Biden's brain  is currently residing in fantasy land, perhaps he'll give it a go.

 

BTW, if Biden is actually able to do it, just imagine what Trump could preemptively pardon? If Biden manages to open that door, it's open for every future POTUS.

If anyone is living in an alternative reality it's you. 

Stephen K. Bannon: Trump's former chief strategist in the White House was in charge of the final months of his 2016 presidential campaign and was indicted in August along with three others on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges. Prosecutors alleged that Bannon’s crowdfunding “We Build the Wall” campaign raised more than $25 million from Trump supporters and used hundreds of thousands for personal expenses. He was taken into custody by U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents while on board the yacht of Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui. Bannon received a full pardon and now will not have to face a trial.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/full-list-trump-s-last-minute-pardons-commuted-sentences-n1254806

 

And there's this:

On June 16, 1992, Weinberger was indicted on two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. Bush pardoned him before his trial. 

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/24/bush-pardons-iran-contra-felons-dec-24-1992-1072042

 

And there's this:

"Orenstein said precedent had already been established by former President Gerald Ford when he granted a blanket pardon to President Richard Nixon in 1974 for any crimes committed while he was the commander in chief even though Nixon hadn't been charged with a crime when he resigned from office over the Watergate scandal."

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-considers-preemptive-pardons-experts-constitutional/story?id=116505853

[Yagoda]

The biggest scandal in American history: who has been the President for the past year or so. 

 

We are going to find out, no help from the late lamented "mainstream" media.

[G_Money]

Nothing to do with Biden but thanks for your opinion and deflection.

[G_Money]

9 minutes ago, placeholder said:

If anyone is living in an alternative reality it's you. 

Stephen K. Bannon: Trump's former chief strategist in the White House was in charge of the final months of his 2016 presidential campaign and was indicted in August along with three others on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges. Prosecutors alleged that Bannon’s crowdfunding “We Build the Wall” campaign raised more than $25 million from Trump supporters and used hundreds of thousands for personal expenses. He was taken into custody by U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents while on board the yacht of Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui. Bannon received a full pardon and now will not have to face a trial.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/full-list-trump-s-last-minute-pardons-commuted-sentences-n1254806

 

And there's this:

On June 16, 1992, Weinberger was indicted on two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. Bush pardoned him before his trial. 

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/24/bush-pardons-iran-contra-felons-dec-24-1992-1072042

 

And there's this:

"Orenstein said precedent had already been established by former President Gerald Ford when he granted a blanket pardon to President Richard Nixon in 1974 for any crimes committed while he was the commander in chief even though Nixon hadn't been charged with a crime when he resigned from office over the Watergate scandal."

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-considers-preemptive-pardons-experts-constitutional/story?id=116505853

 
Another deflection to distract us from the horrors of Biden.

[placeholder]

2 minutes ago, G_Money said:

 
Another deflection to distract us from the horrors of Biden.

Your idea of a deflection is correcting an error made by someone else? 

If the issue is a deflection, it was raised by thaibeachlover, not by me. Take it up with him.

[Eric Loh]

13 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

The biggest scandal in American history: who has been the President for the past year or so. 

 

We are going to find out, no help from the late lamented "mainstream" media.

I see you ok with witch hunt now. 😆

[G_Money]

6 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Your idea of a deflection is correcting an error made by someone else? 

If the issue is a deflection, it was raised by thaibeachlover, not by me. Take it up with him.

The thread is about Biden.

 

Keep deflecting and adding whataboutism.

 

That’s all you have left since losing the election.

[Patong2021]

5 hours ago, thesetat said:

Agreed. Bidens last stand should have been made when he won the election. In the time during his term he had lots of opportunities to act on these things. To do them all now makes it seem he is only doing it to hinder the next Prez and out of defiance to losing the elections and being told he is too old and senile to do anything now. 

Right now, he seems to only be attacking the very things that were the reasons Americans voted for Trump and against Trumps election promises. Making Trumps term as Prez harder. 

 

I doubt that most US voters voted for Trump because they wanted to see  him harass Dr. Fauci or to carry on a vendetta against patriot Liz Cheney who put the US Constitution first. The continuation of the Trump vendetta will lead to his downfall.

 

I suggest you look at the results of the  recent state open seats election in Virginia. A day after Trump's election was certified, the Democrats held the seats despite the shift to Trump and  now control the state house and state senate. You will be seeing a lot more results like that as US voters  return to wanting a system of checks and balances that force bipartisan actions.

[Yagoda]

5 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

I see you ok with witch hunt now. 😆

Englsih grammar please. Somehow finding out how the Presidents obvious disability was hidden from the American people and how policy decisions were made is well withing the sphere of knowledge allowed to the American people is it not? Or are you one of those Euros who just bows before that which the government tells you?

[Yagoda]

Just now, Patong2021 said:

 

I doubt that most US voters voted for Trump because they wanted to see  him harass Dr. Fauci or to carry on a vendetta against patriot Liz Cheney who put the US Constitution first. The continuation of. the Trump vendetta will lead to his downfall.

 

I suggest you look at the results of the  recent state open seats election in Virginia. A day after. Trump's election was certified, the Democrats held the seat despite the shift to Trump and  now control the state house and state senate. You will be seeing a lot more results like that as US voters  return to wanting a system of checks and balances that force bipartisan actions.

"Patriot" Liz Cheney by all accounts committed a Federal crime.

[Patong2021]

Just now, Yagoda said:

"Patriot" Liz Cheney by all accounts committed a Federal crime.

 

That is an unsubstantiated claim. You can bring the evidence. She carried out her duties as a Congressional Representative. 

[G_Money]

More sabotage by Biden in his final days.

 

Not to worry.  He won’t succeed in the long run.

 

 

[thesetat]

40 minutes ago, G_Money said:

More sabotage by Biden in his final days.

 

Yeah... but come next year. These things Biden is doing will be forgotten and blame will be solely placed on Trump for not being able to do what he said he would. Fortunately, Trump does not forget and will be sure to show the links to how the Dems made things cost more and how he now has to wait to fight against these things Biden and his staff are doing now to slow down Trump when he takes office.