‘To Be Very Clear, You’re Not The President’s Son’: MSNBC Host Not Buying Michael Cohen’s Theory On Why He’s Owed a Pardon

Former Donald Trump fixer and attorney Michael Cohen made several TV appearances following the “unconditional discharge” decision at the president-elect’s felony sentencing, but was met with skepticism in one MSNBC segment after arguing strenuously that he is owed a pardon from President Joe Biden.

Cohen appeared on The Weekend on MSNBC Saturday, where his views on Trump were solicited and given due consideration, as they have been since the end of his prison term on his own felony conviction related to the Trump “hush money” scandal.

But unlike most of his appearances and his other commentary in the Saturday appearance, Cohen was met with skepticism when he strayed from criticizing Trump to suggesting that President Biden, a Democrat, has a “responsibility” to pardon him, after pardoning son Hunter Biden.

Cohen was replying to co-host Michael Steele when he added a point on pardons, saying, “I believe that Joe Biden has the same responsibility to me that he had to his own son. And I would expect that the same exact pardon that he gave his son has to go to me and to anybody else that’s on that enemies list, whether they want it or not.”

MSNBC host and Democratic strategist Symone Sanders-Townsend, who has worked on campaigns for Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Vice President Kamala Harris, took exception to just that part of Cohen’s commentary.

“I am struck by your, your, your – your comparing yourself and Hunter Biden. And I wonder if — Well, I’m just going to tell you, Michael, because you’re on national TV, we’re having a conversation. I don’t necessarily think that’s the best way to go get a pardon,” she said. “I mean, the Hunter Biden is the president’s last surviving son. But your point, your other point, where I do think –”

“I’m somebody’s son also, by the way,” Cohen interjected.

“Agreed. You are somebody’s son,” Sanders-Townsend answered. “But I mean, to be very clear, you’re not the president’s son. And he pardoned Hunter primarily because that is his son, I think. I did not ask the president this directly.”

The host did go on to say she agreed with the rest of his point about pardoning other people besides him.

COHEN: And just to answer one more thing regarding the pardon. Yeah, I put in the application for a presidential pardon because I believe that Joe Biden has the same responsibility to me that he had to his own son. And I would expect that the same exact pardon that he gave his son has to go to me and to anybody else that’s on that enemies list, whether they want it or not. Because I assure you, solitary confinement where I did 51 days, sucks.

SANDERS-TOWNSEND: Michael Cohen, I, I, I believe wholeheartedly that the solitary confinement was just a terrible experience for you. And I think your point about the enemies, the proverbial enemies list. Right. Is a good one. I wonder, have you heard anything back from the administration? It is my understanding that two things, the administration one is not going to give a to anybody that doesn’t want one. So folks who have prominently gone out and said, I do not want a pardon, the president is now going to issue a pardon to people that don’t want one, but two.

COHEN: They’ll change their mind when they’re sitting behind closed doors. I can assure you they’re going to kick themselves in the backside for that one.

SANDERS-TOWNSEND: I think hindsight will always be 2020. I guess my question is, have you heard from the Biden administration? And I am struck by your, your, your – your comparing yourself and Hunter Biden. And I wonder if — Well, I’m just going to tell you, Michael, because you’re on national TV, we’re having a conversation. I don’t necessarily think that’s the best way to go get a pardon. I mean, the Hunter Biden is the president’s last surviving son. But your point, your other point, where I do think —

COHEN: I’m somebody’s son also, by the way.

SANDERS-TOWNSEND: Agreed. You are somebody’s son, but I mean, to be very clear, you’re not the president’s son. And he pardoned Hunter primarily because that is his son, I think. I did not ask the president this directly, I want to be very clear. But your point about the fact that there are many other people who are in the ire of the president-elect who could be in danger like yourself, I do think is a strong one.

COHEN: And it is. And it’s a reality. You know, you have to take Donald Trump for his word. When he turns out, so far everything that he said that he intends to do, he actually intends to do. And he has been doing it one by one by one. Now, it may not all happen on day one, as he said, but ultimately, he’ll have four years plus with a whole group of individuals that are now going to be filling government positions in order to help him effectuate his goals.

Watch the clip above via MSNBC.