WASHINGTON: Like prior lame-duck United States presidents, Joe Biden has been racing to finish unfinished enterprise in an try to bolster his legacy – and defend his signature insurance policies – earlier than handing over the keys to the White Home.
With archrival Donald Trump returning to power, Biden’s work to guard his administration’s official actions, and his personal popularity, has taken on added impetus, consultants say.
“Departing presidents typically attempt to each accomplish as a lot as they will previous to leaving workplace and in addition form public opinion of their administration,” Robert Rowland, a College of Kansas communications professor, instructed AFP.
“There are numerous examples of intense lame-duck intervals”, significantly when energy modifications from get together to get together, mentioned Julian Zelizer, a historical past professor at Princeton College.
Biden, whose uncommon public appearances have proven him visibly bodily diminished, is not any exception to the rule.
His latest resolution to commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 federal demise row inmates triggered the wrath of his Republican adversary.
In response, Trump has vowed to hunt to have much more defendants sentenced to demise.
“Biden is scared by what he fears President Trump might do,” mentioned Rowland.
“That concern is making him particularly forceful in attempting to restrict the agenda of the incoming Trump Administration and to solidify his administration’s accomplishments,” he mentioned.
The outgoing president had beforehand granted 39 presidential pardons and commuted sentences for practically 1,500 folks, with the White Home hailing it as “the biggest single-day grant of clemency in fashionable historical past”.
“All presidents use their energy to pardon or commute sentences on the finish of their presidencies,” Wendy Schiller, a Brown College political science professor, instructed AFP.
Zelizer mentioned the judicial actions could also be motivated by Biden looking for to “honor among the guarantees he made throughout his marketing campaign on prison justice”.
One in every of his most notable choices, nevertheless, was to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, who he mentioned had been subjected to unfair therapy by the courts and prosecutors.
The transfer provoked robust criticism from Trump and Republicans, but in addition from shut Democratic allies.
Rowland mentioned the pardon has “undoubtedly had a serious unfavorable influence” on Biden’s popularity, including impetus to his closing days’ work to form public opinion of his outgoing administration.