Honestly, I don't think they could handle the truth. In a city as corrupt as Gotham, it was difficult for people to rally around a politician the way they did with Dent in the first place ("I believe in Harvey Dent") -- so if news of his criminal killing spree were to come out to the public, they might no longer put their trust in another elected official the way they did with Dent.
A good parallel is how the American people view the office of the President after Watergate. The press reporting on that story changed the country's attitude towards the President, and now every President elect is subject to less respect, higher levels of scrutiny and more cynicism from the American people than was evident in the years before Watergate. I mean, Eisenhower had at least one marital affair but nobody knew about it at the time and therefore it didn't stain his reputation.
In other words, Gotham's next DA would have a hell of a time in office if Dent's killing spree was public. Not only that, but in this way he dies as sort of a martyr.
no subject
A good parallel is how the American people view the office of the President after Watergate. The press reporting on that story changed the country's attitude towards the President, and now every President elect is subject to less respect, higher levels of scrutiny and more cynicism from the American people than was evident in the years before Watergate. I mean, Eisenhower had at least one marital affair but nobody knew about it at the time and therefore it didn't stain his reputation.
In other words, Gotham's next DA would have a hell of a time in office if Dent's killing spree was public. Not only that, but in this way he dies as sort of a martyr.