Fox guest host Kellyanne Conway questioned Republican Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty Monday about how much more “damage and pain” President Joe Biden can cause Americans after granting clemency to more than 30 inmates on death row.
The White House released a statement Monday announcing Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of 37 men on death row. Some were found guilty of committing brutal murders. On “Hannity,” Conway began by asking Hagerty about Biden’s decision. The lawmaker said how the president continues to “destroy his reputation.”
“Well, it can’t come soon enough,” Hagerty said. “We were praying that the 20th of January comes with no more damage to the nation. But certainly Joe Biden is doing everything he possibly can, Kellyanne, to destroy his reputation. His legacy is going to be as the worst president in the history of the United States.
“I think Jimmy Carter enjoyed that for a long time. Joe Biden’s clearly going to take the title from him now,” Hagerty added. “This is a disgrace, and the rule of law has never been anything to Joe Biden if you think about the first day in office — collapsing the border. It’s just been one consistent thing after the other. The only thing he uses the law for is to weaponize it against his opponents and, otherwise, it seems to have no implication at all for him.”
Hagerty went on to say that Pope Francis and other advocates had influence over the president’s decision, which now affects victims and their families throughout the U.S.
“Well, what he’s doing is responding to pressure from the Pope. The Pope doesn’t run the United States of America. Joe Biden should be acting in our nation’s best interest. That’s what he should be doing, not trying to create a talking point and ask for special dispensation from the Pope. I don’t know what Joe Biden’s motivations are, but I do know that the Pope has spoken in this direction. Joe Biden has decided to do what the Pope wants him to do,” Hagerty said.
“But it certainly isn’t what I think American families feel is the fair thing to be doing here. It’s certainly not a deterrent when this type of thing happens,” Hagerty said. “Frankly, as you said, the families that have been victimized in this way. I don’t know how Joe Biden could ever look any of them in the eye and justify what he’s just done.”
In June, Biden’s approval rating hit an all time low of 37.4%, according to a data average from FiveThirtyEight, slightly changing from his previous low dip in June 2022 of 37.9%. As of today, Biden sits with an approval rating of 37.6%, with his disapproval rating at 56.7%, according to FiveThirtyEight’s average. In comparison, former Democratic President Jimmy Carter, who had one of the lowest approval ratings, left office in 1980 with only 34% of Americans supporting his term.
Following the announcement of Biden’s decision to grant clemency to the death row inmates, the victims’ friends and family members called out the president, telling the Daily Caller News Foundation they think the decision was “cruel.” In the last month, Biden has also received backlash for his decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden. This, despite repeatedly saying he would not.
Featured Image Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America
