President Joe Biden is receiving approval from those who tuned into his first address to a joint session of Congress, according to polls.
According to a CBS News national poll taken after Biden’s speech, 85% of the speech viewers said they approved of the president’s speech. Meanwhile, most said they felt “optimistic about America.”
The network notes in another poll that the viewers who watched Biden’s speech and participated in the polls consisted of 54% Democrats, 18% Republicans, and 25% independents.
The CBS News poll also found that out of the respondents, many shared that they found Biden’s speech “presidential,” “caring,” “inspiring,” and “bold.”
*CBS News Poll of Speech Watchers*
— CBS News Poll (@CBSNewsPoll) April 29, 2021
We interviewed watchers immediately after the speech.
More than eight in 10 of those who watched approve of Biden’s speech.
Most said it made them feel optimistic about America. pic.twitter.com/QOkI0PoVuo
CBS News Poll of Speech Watchers pic.twitter.com/EWvvZG8OTO
— CBS News Poll (@CBSNewsPoll) April 29, 2021
*CBS News Poll of Speech Watchers* pic.twitter.com/F6s05R90y8
— CBS News Poll (@CBSNewsPoll) April 29, 2021
Additionally, a CNN poll found seven in 10 who watched Biden’s address left them feeling optimistic.
Following his speech, 73% said they felt Biden’s policies proposed will move the country in the “right direction,” compared to 27% believing they will move the U.S. in the “wrong direction.”
The poll was conducted through text messages with 589 U.S. adults who watched the speech. As CNN notes, “the pool of people who watched the speech was about 13 points more Democratic than the general public and about 2 points less Republican.”
CNN also reported:
“The 51% who had a very positive reaction to Biden’s speech is a bit more muted than reaction to the first address from other recent presidents. Barack Obama had the strongest first outing of the last four presidents, with 68% saying they had a very positive reaction to his speech, and George W. Bush in 2001 earned a similar 66% very positive. Fewer — 57% — had a very positive reaction to Donald Trump’s 2017 address.”
Biden spoke on several topics during his address, including how the nation is emerging from the coronavirus pandemic, police reform, immigration, and more.