James Carville Calls Biden the ‘Most Tragic Figure in U.S. Politics’

James Carville, the veteran Democratic strategist, recently called President Joe Biden the “most tragic” figure in American politics during his lifetime.

Carville’s remarks, delivered in a video for Politicon, were not directed at Biden’s controversial pardon of his son Hunter Biden but rather at what Carville considers a critical political misstep: Biden’s delay in exiting the 2024 presidential race.

According to Carville, this decision cost the Democratic Party its chance to secure a victory in the election, ultimately leaving the presidency in the hands of Republican Donald Trump.

“I actually feel for Biden, and he knows that he fucked up,” Carville said. “He wasn’t crooked, he didn’t pursue bad policies, he is the most tolerant, loving, caring, non-prejudiced person you can imagine, and this is what he’s faced with.”

Biden had previously pledged to seek reelection and to remain uninvolved in the legal troubles surrounding Hunter Biden, who faced felony tax and gun charges.

However, Biden reversed both stances. He dropped out of the race in July 2024 and, just days before the election, pardoned his son for any crimes committed between early 2014 and late 2024.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee, ultimately lost the election to Trump. Carville lamented this outcome, attributing the defeat to Biden’s delayed exit, which he believes left Democrats ill-prepared and without sufficient time to rally behind another strong candidate.

“If he would have in September of 2023 or August said that he wasn’t going to run, goddamn we would have won this election,” Carville argued. “And it wouldn’t have been that close because we would’ve had so many talented frickin’ people that were running.”

Carville expressed frustration that Biden’s presidency, which he described as “stunning” and full of accomplishments, is now overshadowed by what he views as self-inflicted errors.

He suggested that had Biden stepped aside earlier, he could have left the White House as a celebrated figure with landmarks named in his honor, allowing a future Democratic president to pardon Hunter Biden without the political fallout.

“What’s so sad [is], it didn’t have to be this way,” Carville added. “He brought it all on himself.”

Addressing Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Carville seemed less critical, stating, “So he said, ‘I’ll never pardon the kid,’ OK … everybody’s going to do whatever they’re gonna do with their own children.”

However, Carville emphasized that Biden’s reluctance to step aside sooner was the defining mistake of his presidency.

Carville admitted he had expected Harris to secure a clear win but acknowledged that the lack of competitive Democratic primaries left the party unprepared.

Reflecting on the loss, he said, “All of this is fucking self-inflicted. It’s tragic, it’s sad, and of course everything about him is… it’ll be six years before somebody comes back and talks about all of the stunning things [Biden accomplished].”