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On Friday’s “PBS NewsHour,” Washington Post Associate Editor and MSNBC host Jonathan Capehart defended President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter and said that “When the President said that he would not pardon his son, wouldn’t grant clemency, the facts on the ground were completely different. It’s the middle of a presidential campaign. He was the candidate for president, didn’t want to be viewed as interfering. He’s no longer the candidate.”

Capehart said, “Well, one, yes, it was justified. When the President said that he would not pardon his son, wouldn’t grant clemency, the facts on the ground were completely different. It’s the middle of a presidential campaign. He was the candidate for president, didn’t want to be viewed as interfering. He’s no longer the candidate. His vice president [was] the presidential nominee. I am almost certain — 99% certain that President Biden was hoping that Vice President Harris would win and that this would not be an issue. But when the person who won the race won the race by vowing a — through a campaign of retribution, revenge, naming the Biden family in general and Hunter Biden, in particular, as someone — or groups of people he wanted to go after if he won election, of course, the President looks at the facts, and [says], I cannot allow that to happen to my son.”

He continued, “I understand the criticisms and the brickbats that the President is taking. But for some Democrats to be complaining about how you’ve ruined norms and you’ve given him an avenue, have they not been paying attention to who Donald Trump is either during the campaign or during his four years as president the first go-round? And these are the same people who would be yelling at Biden had he not done something and then-President Trump took action against Hunter Biden, why didn’t you save your son? Why didn’t you help your son when you had the opportunity to do so when you were president? He’s done it.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett