Majority of Americans watching Biden’s SOTU speech had positive response: CNN poll

A majority of Americans who tuned in had a positive response to President Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday evening, a CNN flash poll found.

More than 6 in 10 Americans who watched the speech had a positive reaction to the president’s message, the survey conducted by SSRS shortly after the address found.

CNN noted on air late Thursday that the poll was conducted among speech watchers, not of the overall electorate. The sample leaned more Democratic than the public is at large, but it’s typical for more Democrats to tune in when a Democratic president is delivering the State of the Union, as it is for Republicans to watch the address when a Republican is president.

Among those who watched the speech, 64 percent said they had a positive reaction to Biden’s message, with 35 percent saying they had a “very positive” reaction and 29 percent saying their reaction was “somewhat positive.”

Thirty-five percent of viewers said they had a negative response to the address.  

CNN noted that while Biden came away with a majority of viewers enjoying his speech, the number is still down from his previous addresses to Congress and the American people.

Last year, Biden hit a low with just 34 percent of viewers saying they reacted very positively to his 2023 State of the Union. In 2022, 41 percent said the same. In 2021, just after taking office, Biden held a virtual address to a joint session of Congress, which earned him a 51 percent positive reaction, according to CNN.

Still, viewer opinions changed during Biden’s speech Thursday.

Prior to the address, respondents were asked if they thought Biden’s policies are moving the United States in the right direction. Forty-five percent of speech watchers said Biden is moving the country where it needs to go. After the speech, 62 percent said the same.

As Biden, 81, faces questions about his capabilities to lead the country, he received a slight uptick in viewers who felt better about his ability to carry out his duties as president. CNN found that much of the improvement came among political independents.

Biden’s address was seen as a pivotal moment in his campaign, as it is increasingly likely that he will face former President Trump in the polls this fall.

Updated at 9:33 a.m. ET