Despite the good headline accompanying a CNN instant poll of reaction to President Barack Obama's address on Syria Tuesday night, the underlying numbers in the poll paint the picture that Obama has still failed to convince a majority of Americans of the need for military action in Syria.
According to the poll, 61% of respondents said that they supported the president's "position on Syria"— a statement that's ambiguous, considering the amount of dramatic developments in the situation over the past two days.
But only 47% of respondents said that Obama made a "convincing case" about the need for military action in Syria, compared with 50% who said he didn't.
Moreover, Americans seem to be putting hope in to the prospects for a diplomatic solution. About two-thirds of respondents said that they thought the situation in Syria would "likely" be resolved diplomatically, while 35% disagreed. Over the last two days, Syria has agreed to a Russia-backed proposal to turn over its chemical weapons to international control after an apparent offhanded remark from Secretary of State John Kerry.
The poll, also, split more Democratic than the general electorate. Its sample size was 37% Democrat, 43% Independent, and only 20% Republican. So it's likely that boosted the President somewhat.