Byron York: Biden’s popularity plunges; lower than Cheney’sThe fact that Biden is an absolute moron is only part of the problem. The bigger problem is that the days of riding Obama’s coattails are over (not just for Biden, but for all Dems):

Vice President Joe Biden’s favorable rating has fallen to 42 percent in a new Gallup poll, down from a high of 59 percent just after last year’s election. Biden’s unfavorable rating in the new poll is 40 percent, up from 29 percent last November. (Eighteen percent of those surveyed say they have no opinion of Biden.)

Biden’s average favorable rating during his time in office so far is 45 percent — well below the average 65 percent favorable rating for Vice President Dick Cheney during Cheney’s first year in office. Vice President Al Gore’s favorable rating during his first year, 55 percent, was also higher than Biden’s. (Gallup did not measure vice presidential popularity before Gore.)

Biden’s rating has fallen most dramatically among independents. Last November, 55 percent of them had a favorable impression of Biden. Now, it’s 32 percent. Biden’s favorable rating among Democrats is 73 percent, down from 88 percent last December, and among Republicans it is 18 percent, down from 33 percent last year.

Finally, there is a greater gap between Biden’s favorable rating and President Obama’s than there was between Cheney and President George W. Bush and Gore and President Bill Clinton. Biden’s 45 percent average favorable rating this year is well below Obama’s average of 63 percent. Cheney’s 65 percent average was near Bush’s average of 69 percent, and Gore’s 55 percent rating was close to Clinton’s average of 57 percent.