The first formal State of the Union address delivered by President Biden is now in the records.
The results of an instant poll suggest his words on Tuesday evening had a less positive reaction than both past President Obama and President Trump’s first addresses.
The Statistics
According to CNN flash polling, the president’s speech to a joint session of Congress elicited at least a moderately good response from the vast majority of Americans who tuned in, 71 percent.
Of those who took part in the poll, 41% said they were extremely pleased with Biden’s statements.
CNN's instant poll of SOTU viewers, which leans more Democratic, shows 41% had a "very positive" reaction to Biden's SOTU. Down 10% from last year's joint address.
It's "the lowest 'very positive' we've seen in about the last 15 years of instant polling after the SOTU address." pic.twitter.com/vZz1q69Gzs
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 2, 2022
In the wake of the president’s State of the Union address, Biden scored the lowest “extremely positive” rating CNN has recorded in almost 15 years of immediate polling, following presidential State of the Union addresses.
This was even worse than the reception to Biden’s previous speech to Congress, which took place in April of last year. It garnered 78 percent responses, with 51 percent having a very positive response, according to a poll of Americans.
In addition, it should be emphasized these polls only include people who tuned in to watch President Biden’s State of the Union address; those viewers are known for being favorable.
CNN saying 41% thought the speech tonight was "very positive." They also say that's the lowest for an instant poll in 15 years.
— Kyle Lamb (@kylamb8) March 2, 2022
Despite a strong majority of Americans’ approval of Biden’s speech, the statistics are disappointing, compared to the first State of the Union speeches delivered by Presidents Trump and Obama.
According to research, when Trump delivered his inaugural address in 2018, 48 percent of those who watched it had a strong positive reaction.
In 2010, when Obama gave his first State of the Union address, he got the same 48% of people who thought it was good. Both of these figures are seven percentage points higher than Biden’s 41%.
Meanwhile, Biden’s approval rating for his position continues to deteriorate. His job approval rating is currently just under 41%, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls.
Currently, approximately 54 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with the way Biden is carrying out his duties.
Inflation, Borders, and Ukraine
Biden did receive some positive feedback on his policy initiatives, however.
According to the poll, roughly 67 percent of those who watched Biden’s speech believe his initiatives will move the country in the right direction; 33 percent believe they will move it in the wrong direction.
Biden’s speech covered a wide range of topics, starting with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and progressing to climate change. He expressed his displeasure with Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning Russia would “pay the price” for its invasion of Ukraine.
After that, the president attempted to resurrect his failed “Build Back Better” plan, which Congress rejected in the second half of his speech.
When Biden urged supporting, rather than defunding, the police, he achieved bipartisan agreement, stating law enforcement needs the “tools and training to safeguard their communities.”
