Absolutely, there are times where he is 100% demonstrably cognizant, they just don't seem to happen much in the public eye.

You can believe he's masked, a body double, good, bad, etc. but one thing is clear -- the whole thing is an act.

A bumbling old fool sells to his shit eaters that he is just like their non threatening grandparents; it is actually perfect for people who get offended on everyone else's behalf, because when we attack his shows of weakness it just entrenches their people further.

It's as much a defense as it is a weakness that we can exploit, and it's about who can exploit that better that wins.