# Classified Documents Found in Biden Private Office in November 2022 (January 9, 2023) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 9, 2023, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945 "2023-01-09T23:09:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/341 "2024-02-09T14:07:52Z")
That’s what I wonder- Democrats must appoint Republican SCs when investigating Republicans to show that it isn’t partisan. Democrats must appoint Republican SCs when investigating Democrats to show that it isn’t partisan. Republicans don’t give two shits about appearing partisan so they appoint Republican SCs no matter what. Bottom line: there can never be a Democratic SC ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/342 "2024-02-09T14:08:09Z")
I’ll wait to see how the Jack Smith cases go before condemning Garland for those (if they end up with Trump with a considerable prison sentence, then the results were as good as can be hoped), but Garland definitely deserves criticism for appointing Hur, and allowing this report to be released while containing bullshit partisan personal attacks on Biden. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/343 "2024-02-09T14:27:18Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Has there ever been a Democratic special prosecutor, regardless of the President’s or AG’s party? > [@BobLibDem](#): > > That’s what I wonder- Democrats must appoint Republican SCs when investigating Republicans to show that it isn’t partisan. Democrats must appoint Republican SCs when investigating Democrats to show that it isn’t partisan. Republicans don’t give two shits about appearing partisan so they appoint Republican SCs no matter what. Bottom line: there can never be a Democratic SC I don’t recall any Democrats appointed as special prosecutors, Independent Council may be the correct term. It’s pointless reasoning to appoint Republicans to avoid claimed bias because Republicans always put their own party’s interests ahead of the country’s, or at least their own personal interests. Even Liz Cheney joined the 1/6 investigation because she thought it was harmful to her beloved Republican party. It’s religion to them. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/344 "2024-02-09T14:33:28Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I’d love to see the entire interview transcript, not just out of context snippets. You gave me a flashback to _[My Cousin Vinny](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PZonyefBW4)_ here. FWIW, I’m guessing this was Robert Hur’s attorney general audition report. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/345 "2024-02-09T14:49:19Z")
Mike Pence isn’t old and forgetful. Why wasn’t he charged? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/346 "2024-02-09T15:19:13Z")
Biden should have just issued a written statement in response – I thought his presser was a disaster. Charged with being a well-meaning elderly man with poor memory, he responded by presenting as a cranky old man with poor memory. The righteously indignant response to the part about the date of Beau’s death – if he wanted to say anything at all, he should have given the date, firmly, with “as if I could ever forget”. Instead, he mumbled something about rosaries and lost his train of thought. And then the Egypt/Mexico misstatement, which will give Republicans fodder for the next 9 months. I voted for him in 2020 and will vote for him again this year but he did us all no favors. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/347 "2024-02-09T15:34:35Z")
I saw little to be overly concerned over. The election is 9 months away and memories are very short these days. The Republicans already have (or will manufacture) all the fodder they need. Sure, they’d love more, but this particular instance is going to get lost in the noise, especially since no charges are going to get filed and there won’t be any sort of trial to divert attention. If we get these sorts of reports or press conferences each month, that might be something to consider, but there will be dozens of inevitable things that will take over the news cycle. I’d be shocked if this cracked a top 10 in political news by the end of the month. Recency bias is very real and won’t apply in this case at all. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/348 "2024-02-09T16:17:34Z")
[Paul Krugman](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/06/opinion/thepoint?unlocked_article_code=1.UE0.WnYu.bHnSRGBafOVF&smid=url-share) on the hatchet job. He reasonably points out that many/most of us have major life events where we have to do some searching to come up with the year. One of my best friends died in his mid-thirties and I was with him when he died. No idea what year. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/349 "2024-02-09T16:20:52Z")
I know the exact date and hour my son died. Then again, I’m not as old as Biden. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/350 "2024-02-09T16:24:59Z")
You’re probably not under as much day-to-day pressure as him, either. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/351 "2024-02-09T16:28:26Z")
No shit. He did the interview the day that Hamas attacked Israel. A thousand things racing through his mind while answering questions. The proper response to a question about your son’s death date would have been “Fuck off! I’ve got better things to do, ask relevant questions or get lost!” ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/352 "2024-02-09T16:30:53Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > The headline says willful but the article appears to say it was not willful. I’m a little confused. This is a complete sentence from [Robert Hur’s report](https://www.npr.org/2024/02/08/1229805332/special-counsel-report-biden-classified-documents): > [@](#): > > Our investigation uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen. What would have been willful is to spend time, whenever leaving a government building, checking to see that you weren’t taking a document with you. Overclassification is rampant. So I wonder if these documents are secret because they could embarrass officialdom rather than that they actually would result in one of our spies being killed. But if you believe keeping executive level foreign policy documents secret is crucial, evidence says: Biden, Trump, and Pence all thought they had better things to do with their time. > [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Recency bias is very real and won’t apply in this case at all. If I can take this sentence out of context, I agree. Quotations from Hur’s report will used in advertisements up until the November election day. Will those advertisements be more effective than alternatives? Probably a smidgen. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/353 "2024-02-09T16:39:49Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > evidence says: Biden, Trump, and Pence all thought they had better things to do with their time. But only one of the three had the time to actually hide them, while having their lawyer lie about having returned all of them. And, is overclassification actually rampant? I’ve not heard anyone else make that argument. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/354 "2024-02-09T16:53:19Z")
> [@Disinfectus](#): > > And, is overclassification actually rampant? I’ve not heard anyone else make that argument. It’s been an issue for a long time: Congress held hearings on the issue seven years ago: > **[Examining the Costs of Overclassification on Transparency and Security -...](https://oversight.house.gov/hearing/examining-costs-overclassification-transparency-security/)** > > United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Here’s something from last year when the Biden and Pence revelations hit the news: > **[The National Intelligence Director: Over-Classification Undermines Democracy](https://www.govexec.com/management/2023/01/national-intelligence-director-over-classification-undermines-democracy/382346/)** > > The ongoing investigations into handling of sensitive documents by former presidents and vice presidents have brought potential problems with the classification system back into the spotlight. From last year, there’s an article with a historical perspective and some recent examples: > **[Overclassification overkill: The US government is drowning in a sea of secrets](https://theconversation.com/overclassification-overkill-the-us-government-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-secrets-198917)** > > The US has an overclassification problem, which includes classifying documents about Santa Claus. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/355 "2024-02-09T16:58:45Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > Then again, I’m not as old as Biden. This is ageism. I’ve never been good with dates; even the birthdays of my own kids took me forever to get memorized. I don’t know the years my parents died, nor the years my siblings died. Best I can do is give you a decade. I also suck at names and always have. Memory is little understood and is often quirky and spotty. I can recite the quadratic equation and the Marc Antony soliloquy, but ask me my wife’s birthday and I’ll have to look it up. Yes, older people can often have memory issues, but it’s not universal. Biden has been coming out with gaffes for as long as I can remember; it doesn’t mean he’s incompetent or senile. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/356 "2024-02-09T17:05:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I don’t know the years my parents died, nor the years my siblings died. I’m just the opposite – I can tell you the day my last cat died (May 20, 2011). Not claiming any kind of mental superiority, just showing how different brains can be. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/357 "2024-02-09T17:07:21Z")
they do have video of trump saying " i don’t remember", “i can’t recall”, in various depositions. it would be very easy to counter those quotations with the video. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/358 "2024-02-09T17:15:16Z")
I can tell you the date that my previous dog died because it happened to be on my wedding anniversary and it was during COVID, so it’s easy to pin down. Happily, my parents and children are all alive, but I couldn’t tell you within 5 years the day my grandparents died, and I was close with them and over 40 when it happened (probably…). ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/359 "2024-02-09T17:18:54Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > It’s been an issue for a long time: > > Congress held hearings on the issue seven years ago: Appreciate the info. Ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945/360 "2024-02-09T17:22:51Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > I’m just the opposite – I can tell you the day my last cat died (May 20, 2011). Not claiming any kind of mental superiority, just showing how different brains can be. I remember the exact date my father died, but I just checked and it wasn’t the same day of the week I thought it was. It was a Wednesday, but since I didn’t go into work for the rest of the week I remember it as a Friday. Memory is weird. I distinctly remember speaking to my friends Robert and Jason about scenes from Weird Al’s movie _UHF_ when I lived in Colorado. But UHF was released in 1989, the same year as Batman, and I was living in Texas the time. Despite knowing we couldn’t have possibly beeen speaking about UHF, the memory feels very, very real to me. Maybe we were talking about Weird Al videos or something? But it couldn’t have been about scenes from a movie that hadn’t been released yet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-found-in-biden-private-office-in-november-2022-january-9-2023/977945.md?page=19)