What the NBC News poll says about the state of Joe Biden's union

As President Joe Biden readies to deliver his State of the Union address, here's a look at how Americans rated him in the latest NBC News poll, released late last month.

Biden's approval rating has stayed durable across NBC's polling since September, at either 44% or 45% (that includes a mix of polls of registered voters and a broader sample of adults).

That's a significant improvement from the 39% approval adults gave him in May, but still far lower than the 53% approval rating he secured in April of 2021.

Notably, 50% of adults disapproved of Biden in the most recent NBC poll, the lowest since August of 2021.

Just 41% of adults approved of his handling of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the same amount that approved of his handling of foreign policy at large.

Just 36% approved of his handling of the economy, an issue that continues to pop as among the most important to Americans. Only 31% rated him positively on being competent and effective as president, 28% rated him positively on "having the necessary mental and physical health to be president" and 23% rated him positively on "uniting the country."

Biden scored best when respondents were asked to rate him on being "easygoing and likable," with 45% rating him positively and 34% rating him negatively.

Forty-two percent rated him positively on "being knowledgeable and experienced enough to handle the presidency," compared to 43% who rated him negatively on that characteristic.

Like the man he beat in the 2020 presidential race, former President Donald Trump, a majority of registered voters are uncomfortable with Biden running for president again.

Just 32% say they are enthusiastic or comfortable with Biden running for president in 2024, while a combined 67% said they either had some reservations or were very uncomfortable with the idea.