Conflicting metrics used to judge Trump’s speech, but Pelosi’s face is the only one you need

Different metrics dished up competing narratives as corporate media outlets sought their angle on the president’s address that was at once a “low watermark” and broadly approved.

(Video: CNN)

Throughout the evening, realtime reactions had made abundantly clear that Democratic lawmakers in attendance beclowned themselves in part by refusing to applaud a young brain cancer survivor and families of victims of violent crimes. Supporting appearances with measurable data, polls from CBS News and CNN tallied up viewers’ reactions with some added spin from the latter.

Ostensibly, at 76% approval according to CBS News/YouGov and 69% positive reaction from CNN speech viewers, President Donald Trump’s address had been well-received across the board.

However, as anchor Jake Tapper brought in CNN political director David Chalian, a breakdown of the numbers massaged a message that presented the GOP leader in a negative light.

“44% of speech watchers in our instant poll tonight say they had a very positive reaction to Trump’s speech, 25% somewhat positive, 31% negative. How does that stack up against Donald Trump’s previous addresses to Joint Sessions of Congress or State of the Union addresses?” asked Chalian. “Look here, for all the years we have data for, 44% very positive reaction is actually his low watermark in all our instant polls after his previous addresses.”

The political director went on to point to 57%, 48% and 59% “very positive” reactions for 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively before comparing to other presidents.

“Again, it’s the bottom of the barrel here. 51% in 2021, when Joe Biden gave his first joint address, were very positive. Donald Trump himself was at 57% in 2017. And you see that [George W.] Bush (66%) and [Barack] Obama (68%) even higher than that,” said Chalian. “So this was not Donald Trump’s best speech, but obviously still the plurality of speech watchers had a very positive reaction to it, Jake.”

By comparison, Trump shared the big picture analysis from the CBS News/YouGov poll on Truth Social that found 76% approval and only 23% disapproval among viewers.

A closer look at the numbers revealed even more positives for the president as 63% of viewers said Trump spent time talking about issues they care about compared to 28% at a little and 9% contending no time had been spent on their priorities.

Out of the large majority of viewers who had expressed favorable opinions of the nearly 100-minute speech that captured the breadth of the president’s endeavors after little more than six weeks back in the White House, 68% considered the speech “hopeful” while 58% described being “proud” to have Trump back in the Oval Office.

Furthermore, 74% not only found Trump’s delivery “presidential,” they also considered it “entertaining” while 71% found it “inspiring” and 62% agreed it was “unifying.”

As for suggestions that a poll be conducted on “how we feel about the disgraceful behavior of the @HouseDemocrats” that had resulted in Texas Rep. Al Green (D) being escorted out by the Sergeant at Arms, CBS News/YouGov found 76% of viewers approved of the removal as well.

In case the numbers weren’t enough to fully capture the sentiment at Trump announcing “the golden age of America has only just begun,” California Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s face along with the gruesome mugs of her Democratic peers spoke volumes.

Pelosi portrays the Democrat party decay better than anyone.

2025 versus 2020. pic.twitter.com/5mlUNPhhpe

— FugitiveMama (@fugitivemama) March 5, 2025

Name this band: pic.twitter.com/h0ZvDnnLhV

— TheMorningSpew2 (@TheMorningSpew2) March 5, 2025

Nancy Pelosi looks like she is struggling. pic.twitter.com/dSBqQrEIEm

— I’m Queenie (@locolibs) March 5, 2025

Dem reaction to #jointsession. pic.twitter.com/PIeC5kXT8U

— Daniel Guss (@TheGussReport) March 5, 2025

Who agrees with me that Pelosi is thinking she really needs a stiff drink here? pic.twitter.com/tMTJpe46Rr

— *•.¸♡ϻÃĞÃβỖββĮϻŜ♡¸.•* (@MAGABobbiMS) March 5, 2025

Staff Writer

Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn’t researching current events and their impacts, you’ll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.

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