The MSNBC panel was left perplexed by a survey showing that independent voters view President Joe Biden as a greater danger to democracy than former President Donald Trump. According to a PBS Newshour/NPR/Marist poll, 53% of independents think Biden’s second term will “weaken America,” whereas 42% thought Trump would continue to damage democracy.
“I find it shocking, honestly,” MSNBC political analyst Susan Del Percio said. “I can’t make sense of that number. I wish I could. I wish I could have some really great insight to it, but I don’t know if it’s an outlier or not, because the other numbers of independents are going in the right direction. So, that may be it.”
Del Percio seemed to attribute the lack of interest in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s trial to the media’s failure to broadcast it on television, as well as the belief that Biden poses a greater threat to democracy. According to the poll, 45% of Americans perceive the trial as unjust and suspect that it aims to interfere in the 2024 presidential election. On the other hand, a majority of 54% consider the trial to be fair and necessary to determine if Trump violated the law.
The survey also revealed that a majority of respondents held unfavorable views of both Biden and Trump, with 56% disapproving of Trump and 54% holding a negative opinion of Biden. Additionally, 37% of Americans believed that a potential second term for Trump could strengthen democracy, while 30% expressed the same sentiment for Biden.
Recent polls consistently show Trump maintaining a slight lead over Biden. According to a New York Times/Siena College poll conducted on April 13, Trump held a 46%-45% advantage over Biden, indicating a more competitive race compared to the previous month, where Trump had a 5-point lead.
