Biden's favorability on the rise as majority of Americans think he's handling transition well

President-elect Joe Biden will take office Wednesday with high expectations and largely positive reviews of how he has handled the transition, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS. But those rosy assessments of Biden come as negative perceptions of how things are going in the United States are at the highest level since 2009.

Biden will take office with a store of goodwill in his corner: Two-thirds of Americans approve (66%) of the way Biden is handling the presidential transition, and his favorability rating has climbed 7 points compared with a pre-election poll in October (59% view him favorably now, compared to 52% then). The public is less positive about the way the rest of elected Washington is handling the transition. Most disapprove of President Donald Trump's combative handling of the time since the election (70% disapprove), and his fellow Republicans in Congress earn similarly negative reviews (66% disapprove). About half (51%) approve of the way Democrats in Congress have handled it.