• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, March 12, 2024

Nielsen says viewership for President Biden's State of the Union address last week was up 18% -- about five million viewers -- to 32 million, compared to last year's address.

Can you make anything of that? Well, if you are a performer you might.

First, we can believe that big TV media can still deliver big results -- or at least a comparative noticeable spike from time to time.

Maybe some newer digital media cannot always be trustworthy, with some U.S. citizens still looking for alternative ways of consuming new information. (Yes, social media. Are you listening?).

This isn't to say that social-media platforms will see a drop in usage. Biden's surprisingly fiery speech sparked another view of what has been perceived as a slower-talking older man who may have been too careful with his words in other publicly disclosed events.

It's all about performance --  at least according to many analysts.

Biden's private off-screen discussions are the alternative side to what the average citizen usually sees, according to analysts -- and of course, with much less focus on his age -- 81. Biden addressed this at the end of his speech in a lighthearted way.

Biden's sharp talk was mostly debated in a different way after his address, with one question in mind: “Was it feisty or angry?”, according to The New York Times. Some complained that he talked too fast.

Still, it opened many people's eyes. “Where has this Joe Biden been hiding these past three years?” says New York Times opinion columnist Bret Stephens. I'm guessing that Biden's press people made the right choice -- essentially telling him to be sharp, loud, and direct.

And even if there were to be off-script comments and/or some slight missteps (which there were), perception of the President among many U.S. voters would shift.

So what's left to do? Wait for newer “favorability” polls -- which can be tremendously uncertain and inconclusive. Know this: Re-election bids for president have historically been a tougher marketing lift.

A couple of weeks before, New York Times columnist Ezra Klein wrote that for all Biden has done well, he should drop his re-election bid and leave a “hero.”

Now, things may have changed, with Klein saying he did not see the full picture.

“If the Joe Biden who showed up to deliver the State of the Union address last week is the Joe Biden who shows up for the rest of the campaign, you'rre not going to have any more of those weak-kneed pundits suggesting he’s not up to running for re-election...  Here's hoping he does.”