Special Poll
A CNN flash poll revealed that a significant portion of Americans who viewed President Biden’s State of the Union speech on Thursday evening reacted positively to his remarks. According to the survey, conducted by SSRS immediately after the speech, over 60% of those who watched expressed favorable opinions towards the President’s discourse.
It’s important to note, as CNN highlighted, that the poll sampled individuals who watched the speech and not the entire electorate. The demographic of viewers skewed more Democratic, which is a common occurrence during addresses by Democratic presidents, similar to how Republican addresses tend to attract more Republican viewers.
Specifically, 64% of viewers reported positive feedback on Biden’s speech, with a breakdown of 35% finding it “very positive” and 29% considering their reaction “somewhat positive.” Conversely, 35% of those who tuned in described their response as negative.
Despite the majority of positive responses, Biden’s approval ratings for his State of the Union addresses have seen a decline over his tenure, with this year’s positive responses lower than in previous years. For example, his 2023 address saw only 34% of viewers reacting very positively, a decrease from 41% in 2022 and 51% in 2021 following his virtual address to Congress shortly after his inauguration.
Viewer perceptions shifted significantly during the course of Biden’s latest speech. Before the address, 45% of viewers felt Biden’s policies were steering the country in the right direction. Post-speech, this number jumped to 62%, indicating a notable shift in public opinion.
At 81 years old and amidst scrutiny over his leadership capabilities, Biden experienced a slight improvement in perceptions regarding his ability to fulfill presidential duties, especially among political independents. This address comes at a crucial time as Biden is expected to compete against former President Trump in the upcoming elections, making it a key moment in his campaign.