
The Pardon Dilemma
Clip: 5/20/2025 | 2m 41sVideo has Closed Captions
This BREAKING the DEADLOCK clip explores how a pardon debate tests justice, politics, and power.
A car crash leaves “Senator” Goldman injured. The driver is convicted—but some demand a pardon. The “president” weighs political and moral stakes as advisors debate justice, legacy, and the limits of executive power. Is the pardon power a shield against injustice—or a political weapon? Decide for yourself as you watch this hypothetical scene play out from BREAKING THE DEADLOCK: A Power Play.
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Location furnished by The New York Historical. Funding for BREAKING the DEADLOCK was made possible in part by PBS viewers.

The Pardon Dilemma
Clip: 5/20/2025 | 2m 41sVideo has Closed Captions
A car crash leaves “Senator” Goldman injured. The driver is convicted—but some demand a pardon. The “president” weighs political and moral stakes as advisors debate justice, legacy, and the limits of executive power. Is the pardon power a shield against injustice—or a political weapon? Decide for yourself as you watch this hypothetical scene play out from BREAKING THE DEADLOCK: A Power Play.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- All of a sudden, loud boom.
There has been a terrible car accident.
Somebody slammed into Senator Elect Goldman as he was getting out of his car.
He's in the hospital.
He's been badly injured, but he will survive.
The driver of the vehicle was a 28-year-old man named Kent Knightly.
He says it was an accident.
Kent Knightly is tried, convicted of felony assault.
President Powertrain's most fervent supporters are sharing memes saying, "Pardon Kent Knightly!".
Now, many of you are at a meeting with the president when he brings this up.
"Have you guys heard how they're calling this Kent Knightly kid a hero?
I think they might be right.
I think I'm going to pardon him."
Senator Christie?
- I would advise the president that he should look very carefully at the factors that are considered historically for these type of pardons to be granted.
I would say to him, it would be a very, very unpopular decision to do that.
But it's his call.
It's the president's judgment.
That's why we need to elect presidents with judgment.
(audience laughing) - We've got something really interesting happening over at this table.
Constitution of the United States is out on the table.
Chief Justice Duncan, Mr. Severino, working together despite being on opposite sides, looking at the Constitution, any thoughts?
- Well, yeah it goes back-- - Excuse me, I'm not on a side.
- Fair enough.
- On the side of the Constitution.
(audience applauding) - Touche.
- It goes back to an earlier point.
Can you weaponize the justice system?
And some political parties do, and some presidents do on occasion.
Very recently, we've had that experience of weaponization.
The pardon power is actually a check on that weaponization.
If one president goes too far, the next president could pardon the people who were unjustly prosecuted for political reasons.
- Okay.
The president likes what he's hearing, the president says, "Roger, absolutely."
The other side, they-- - Maybe he should have kept him as Attorney General.
- Maybe he should...
He's rethinking it.
- Well, the discussion in the room among the president's advisors is very simple.
Can does not mean should.
And as a political advisor to the president, the correct thing to say here is, you can do this, but you have to ask yourself whether you should do it as it relates to your own personal political influence in this country and your legacy.
BREAKING the DEADLOCK: A Power Play – Open
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Preview: 5/20/2025 | 1m 9s | Experts clash in a hypothetical power story of executive power. Watch a preview. (1m 9s)
BREAKING the DEADLOCK: A Power Play – Preview
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Preview: 5/20/2025 | 33s | Experts clash in a hypothetical power story of executive power. Watch a preview. (33s)
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Location furnished by The New York Historical. Funding for BREAKING the DEADLOCK was made possible in part by PBS viewers.