Snapshots of the first 100 days of recent presidents
BARACK OBAMA
Legislative win: With strong majorities in Congress — and the economy melting down — wins passage of the $831 billion stimulus package in February. Unexpected crisis: Somali pirates hijack a U.S. cargo ship. Obama has to decide within minutes whether to order Seal Team sharpshooters to kill the pirates. He sends the team. Stumble: Four Cabinet nominees — former Ambassador Charles Freeman (for National Intelligence director), former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (Commerce), former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle (Health and Human Services), and former New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg (Commerce) — withdraw their nominations for various problems.
GEORGE W. BUSH
Legislative wins: Working with a Democratic Senate, makrd progress on a $1.6 trillion tax cut that would be signed in June, and the bipartisan No Child Left Behind education measure, which would pass both chambers by June. Unexpected crisis: U.S. spy plane collides with a Chinese fighter plane off the Chinese coast, raising tensions between the international rivals. Stumble: Pulls out of the Kyoto climate change accords without checking with major U.S. allies first.
BILL CLINTON
Legislative win: In February 1993, signs the Family and Medical Leave Act, which allowed workers to take up to 12 weeks unpaid leave to care for sick family member or new child Unexpected crisis: Car bomb explodes at the World Trade Center, killing six and injuring more than 1,000 people. Kuwaiti religious leader takes responsibility for attack. Stumble: Proposal to let gays to serve openly in the military is blasted by Defense Department and both parties, distracting attention from agenda.