Numbers: Our Data Library

Media assessments of Bush in his first two months in office were strikingly positive when the subject was his character. When the subject turned to ideology, while coverage was more neutral than not, the tone became more negative.

The media framed its early coverage of George W. Bush largely around policy and was less likely to see the new President through a tactical lens than was true eight years earlier of Bill Clinton. 

The media coverage of Bill Clinton's first two months in office were mostly neutral, but became somewhat more positive and less negative over time.

Editorial and op-ed columnists were more positive toward Bill Clinton in his first two months in office than they were toward George W. Bush.

Media treatment of both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush tended to be neutral in their first two months in office, but there was less positive said about Bush's first days.

George W. Bush's budget plan was the subject that received the most negative media coverage of his young presidency--the only major story where coverage was more negative than neutral.

Stories about Bill Clinton's first two months in office tended to almost as often negative as neutral, but his plans for gays in the military receive the most critical treatment.

The tone of newspaper stories of Clinton's and Bush's first days in the White House was similar, though Clinton's tended to be more negative.

In his first months in office, the budget dominated the press coverage of George W. Bush's presidency.

In his first months in office, the budget dominated press coverage of Bill Clinton's presidency.