What did the Vice President know about President Biden’s health issues and when did he know it?
And why didn’t she share those details with the American people?
The last question is one that is on almost everyone’s mind, according to YouGov.The Times of London The poll surveyed 1,170 registered voters.
The survey, conducted July 22-23, was conducted before President Biden gave what amounted to a de facto farewell address in the Oval Office on Wednesday night, in a stuttering speech after abandoning his reelection campaign.
Ninety-two percent of respondents believe Harris had at least some awareness of the president’s dwindling fortunes. Biden’s problems have been openly discussed on the right since he took office in 2021, but even the mainstream media couldn’t deny them after his debacle in last month’s debate with former President Donald Trump in Atlanta.
And among the many who have accused Harris, a former prosecutor, of being part of a conspiracy to mislead the American public about Biden’s apparent decline as a man in his 80s, most believe she knew “a lot” about Biden’s problems but chose to say nothing.
Overall, 68% say the vice president was well aware of Biden’s decline, and 78% of Republicans, 73% of independents and 82% of self-described conservatives believe he was a central figure in the cover-up.
More than two in three voters believe Harris essentially had full knowledge of the president’s decline but chose not to reveal it, but that’s not to say the rest of the respondents don’t think that’s the case.
In fact, 17% of those surveyed believe the vice president was “somewhat” involved in the cover-up, and 7% believe he was at least “somewhat” involved.
The only saving grace for Harris is that among Democrats poised to nominate her for president without consulting voters at all, only 22% think she knew a fair bit about Biden’s issues.
What you need to know about President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race:
The left may be reluctant to place full responsibility on its standard-bearer, Biden, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the left accepts the idea that Biden, the president’s No. 2, couldn’t see what was going on with her boss for so many years. 58% of Democrats and 64% of liberals think she bears at least a fair amount of responsibility. Moreover, 20% of Democrats and 21% of liberals say Biden knew at least “a little” about the health and aging issues facing the president.
Democrats are willing to give Harris a little leeway, but only up to a point: Only a minority of those on the left (12% of Democrats and 7% of liberals) believe she was completely unaware of the president’s issues.
With Biden expected to remain in office for the remainder of the term, the right has already begun weaponizing voters’ perceptions of the vice president’s deceit.
Donald Trump’s MAGA Inc. The super PAC produced an ad this week alleging that Harris was involved in a cover-up and deliberately concealed “Joe’s apparent mental breakdown.”
Expect to see more of this, especially if Biden continues to raise warning signs of continued decline.
