Joe Biden gave his State of the Union address a week ago. His forceful arguments - many extemporaneous - were an effective way to allay even bona fide fears that he was physically or mentally frail.
On average, since 1988, approval ratings have risen half a point the week after a speech, and within a month any improvement has disappeared. A Washington Post and University of Maryland poll last year showed that most Americans get their news outside the traditional media system. Three in 10 Republicans said the right-wing channel and its website are their preferred news source.