I'm not worked up at all about the auto-pen. But presidents should not be pardoning friends and family (although friends seem to get pardoned quite frequently). If a president feels it's important to do so, that president should wait until they are an ex-president and petition the next person in power.
Even that doesn't seem appropriate. Nixon resigned knowing that his VP would take over and pardoned him. It still seems self-serving.
Even referencing the auto pen nonsense pens(ha) you as irrational.