Tensions erupted Monday night on CNN’s NewsNight as a debate over President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter quickly escalated. Within moments, Republican strategist Scott Jennings sharply criticized the president’s actions, accusing him of duplicity. This prompted a fiery response from Democratic social media influencer Leigh McGowan, known as PoliticsGirl.
“No Republican is shocked that he is doing this,” Jennings began. “What I am shocked at is the duplicity of the president of the United States and his top aides coming together and forming this lie and sticking to it this entire time when we all knew it was ridiculous. And now the American people are seeing what a disgrace he really is.”
Jennings’ comments were in reaction to a report that suggested Biden and his advisers had discussed keeping the option of a pardon for Hunter on the table during a summer meeting. Jennings continued, criticizing the coordinated nature of the pardon plan, claiming it was politically motivated.
“They had a meeting, they coordinated the lie, I guess, for political purposes. And now that he’s leaving office, he is going back on what he told the American people,” he said. “This isn’t simply changing your mind, this is just fulfilling what you always intended to do.”
McGowan, visibly frustrated with the remarks, hit back, questioning Jennings’ credibility. “I think it’s incredibly rich to have you say that the people got together, and they were duplicitous, and they created a lie,” she told him. “Honestly, what the other side has been saying for years, what you guys ran on for president is, was multiple lies.”
The confrontation intensified when CNN’s Abby Phillip pressed McGowan on whether Biden’s earlier statements that he wouldn’t issue a pardon were lies. McGowan stood firm in her defense of the president, saying, “No, I believe the circumstances have changed.
I think that we now have a president coming into office who’s talking about firing squads, who’s talking about running people around the country and making sure that everyone who’s his enemy is going to be punished.”
Jennings, visibly exasperated, rolled his eyes at McGowan’s response and looked up at the ceiling in disbelief. The debate highlighted the ongoing political divide, as both sides vehemently defended their positions.