MSNBC analyst dumbstruck by 'shocking' poll that independents fear democracy under Biden more than under Trump

An MSNBC analyst admitted Wednesday that she was surprised that a majority of independents believe that President Biden is more dangerous to democracy than former President Donald Trump, per a recent poll. 

"I find it shocking, honestly," said MSNBC analyst Susan Del Percio. 

"I can’t make sense of that number. I wish I could," she continued, responding to a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National poll that found that 53% of independents think that Biden will hurt democracy in a second term. 

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In comparison, 42% of independents said that they were more concerned about former President Trump damaging democratic institutions. 

"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," Del Percio said. 

Biden has consistently attempted to portray Trump as a threat to democracy, while Trump has responded that Biden is the "true threat to democracy." Both candidates are facing off in a presidential race that is tied, according to a new national poll released by USA Today and Suffolk University on Monday.

Biden and Trump each stand at 37% support among registered voters, with Democrat-turned-independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. at 8%, and 5% backing other independent or third-party candidates.

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Del Percio also spoke on the effect that Trump's trial in New York is having on voters. 

"This trial is not on TV," she told MSNBC host Ana Cabrera. "You guys do a great job reporting what’s happening, but if there aren’t those images coming out of the courthouse, people feel like they know this story." 

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges stem from a yearslong investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and are related to alleged payments made ahead of the 2016 presidential election to silence Daniels about an alleged 2006 extramarital affair with Trump.

According to the same poll, 55% of Americans are not interested in Trump's trial proceedings in New York City, while 45% are following the trial on a regular basis. 

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser, Brooke Singman and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.