CBS News
CBS News poll finds most Americans see “state of the union” as divided, but their economic outlook has been improving
CBS News asked Americans over the past week, “If you could give the ‘State of the Union,’ which would you say describes the state of the country today?”
We received some negative evaluations.
“Divided” was the answer picked by most, followed by “declining” and “weak.”
Fewer Americans picked “strong,” “prospering” or “united.”
Democrats and Republicans describe the country as “divided.”
Republicans, who are especially critical of the way things are going in the country, generally — and of President Biden — are more likely than Democrats to choose “declining” and “weak.”
And while Democrats are more upbeat about the way things are going, few describe the state of the country as “strong.”
Overall, most Americans continue to say things are going badly in the U.S. today.
Americans do tell us they would prefer to see the president speak more to the nation, rather than less. They will get their chance to see him tonight.
What might the president talk about? Here are some issues on the minds of Americans.
The economy: An uptick in positive views
Few Americans describe the country as “prospering,” since most continue to rate the national economy badly.
But 39% rate the economy as good.
The percentage who say the economy is good is the highest it’s been since the fall of 2021, and fewer are now expecting a recession than they were ahead of last year’s State of the Union address.
Immigration and the border
Another issue on the minds of the public is the border. Most Americans say the situation at the U.S-Mexico border is at least very serious, including nearly half who call it a crisis.
Mr. Biden and congressional Republicans get negative marks for handling situation the border.
Views of the president
As Americans’ views of the economy improve some, the president’s approval rating on its handling has also improved a bit, but most still disapprove.
Mr. Biden’s overall job approval rating has been fairly steady and hovering in the low-40s for roughly the last two years. It stands at 42% in our February poll.
This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,159 U.S. adult residents interviewed between February 28-March 1, 2024. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, and education based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as past vote. The margin of error is ±2.8 points. Some findings cited here are from a CBS News/YouGov survey conducted February 13-14, 2024.
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Long before comic book characters dominated movie screens, actor Christopher Reeve made the world believes in superheroes with the 1978 classic “Superman.”
Reeve died in 2004, nearly a decade after an accident re-shaped his life. “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” is using interviews with family and friends and never-before-seen home videos to explore his real-life heroism.
Reeve started his career on the stage, studying at the prestigious Juilliard School and living with comedian Robin Williams. The pair had a friendship that was “more like a brotherhood,” said Reeve’s son Matthew. Reeve was in awe of Williams’ energy and versatility, Matthew Reeve said, but audiences quickly clued into Reeve’s own star power when he took on the role of the Man of Steel.
Warner Bros. Pictures / Getty Images
To his children, though, he “was just dad,” Matthew Reeve said. The documentary explores how Matthew Reeve and his sister Alexandra Reeve Givens grew up watching their dad take the stage as Superman. “Super/Man” also reveals their heartbreak over their parents’ breakup and the joy they found when Reeve re-married. He tied the knot with Dana Reeve in 1992, and the pair welcomed another child, William Reeve, later that year.
“Dana was sunshine,” Alexandra Reeve Givens recalled. “She just brought joy with her wherever she was and could find it even in the darkest moments.”
Those dark moments came suddenly, when in 1995, a near-fatal horseback riding accident left Reeve paralyzed from the neck down. The documentary allows viewers to see, for the first time, what went on out of the public’s view. Reeve can be heard talking about how he “ruined (his) life and everybody else’s,” but in a touching moment, old friend Robin Williams is seen visiting him in the hospital.
“Robin showed him ‘Hey, you’re still you,'” Alexandra Reeve Givens said. “‘You still have this foundation of friendship and people around you, who adore you. And you’re going to find those fun moments in life again.'”
That support from friends and family re-ignited Reeve’s legacy of activism. He made appearances at the Democratic National Convention and the 68th Academy Awards in 1996, about a year after the accident. Matthew Reeve said watching his father address his industry peers at the Oscars was “one of (his) most proud moments.”
“It was just a production for him to get out of bed every morning, let alone get across the country and go out in public for the first time,” Matthew Reeve said. “It was a big deal. It was a big deal to him, but it was also a big deal to the entire disability community. We stayed up in London till like three in the morning to watch that live. It’s a fond memory.”
Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images
Reeve also went on to launch what would become the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing research into spiral cord injury and help individuals and families impacted by paralysis. It was his dad’s mission to find a cure, Matthew Reeve said, while his stepmother wanted to focus on improving the lives of paralyzed people and their families. The foundation and Reeve’s platform helped bring unprecedented attention and funding to spinal cord injury research.
Reeve even kept acting and realized his lifelong dream of directing with the 1997 HBO movie “In the Gloaming.” Reeve died in 2004 from heart failure at 52.
“There is a huge amount of great actors and actresses out there, where their filmography might be amazing and what they achieve on a cultural level might be amazing, but have they actually achieved anything really as a human that moves the needle for our society?” said filmmaker Ian Bonhote, who made the documentary with Peter Ettedgui. “And Chris has done both things.”
“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” will open in theaters on Friday, Oct. 11.
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