EXCLUSIVE: After a presidency full of gaffes and concerns over his mental health, Joe Biden has been rated “the biggest fool” in US politics in latest survey.
The survey by the Washington DC-based Democracy Institute also revealed that the US President’s ratings for his record in the White House are getting steadily worse as he gets closer to another showdown with Donald Trump in November.
The survey of 1,500 “likely” voters included a three-way split between Democrats, Republicans and independents, with a large number from the latter two categories calling Mr Biden a fool.
According to the findings, Mr Biden topped the poll with 30 percent, while a high number of Democrat votes meant Mr Trump came in second on 22 percent.
Vice-President Kamala Harris came an embarrassing third with 14 percent, while former Democrat turned independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy and Democrat congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rounded out the top five, with both on seven percent.
Joe Biden has topped a poll of political fools
Democracy Institute director Patrick Basham explained that 81-year-old Mr Biden’s age and apparent memory losses have contributed to his hapless image. While Mr Trump is 77, his energy has made Americans not see him in the same light.
Mr Basham pointed out that earlier this year, Mr Biden’s own Department of Justice said he was unable to stand trial because of memory loss.
Mr Basham said: “We’ve asked over the months about what people think of Biden’s mental and physical capabilities. And it’s been largely negative, not disastrous, although unhelpful.
“It will be interesting going forward to ask now that it’s official with his own Department of Justice basically saying in black and white that he’s senile, unfit to stand trial. I think we’re at a point now.”
Mr Biden has also been beleaguered by a number of gaffes, including getting confused at press conferences, tripping on the stairs of Air Force One and at a presentation for military personnel, getting dates and names wrong in interviews and telling reporters he is off to bed.
A number of Democrats voted for Donald Trump as the bigger political fool
The polling carried even worse news about what Americans think of his record as president.
According to the findings, Mr Trump is on course to beat him by 45 percent to 42 percent, widening to 42 percent versus 37 percent when Mr Kennedy is factored in.
Americans disapproved of Mr Biden’s record by 56 percent to 40 percent and disapproved of his economic policy by 66 percent to 26 percent. This was in a poll where 43 percent named the economy as their number-one political issue.