Washington Bureau Chiefs & Correspondents
In April 1996, the Freedom Forum published a book by Chicago Tribune writer Elaine Povich titled, “Partners and Adversaries: The Contentious Connection Between Congress and the Media.” Buried in Appendix D was the real news for those concerned about media bias: Based on the 139 Washington bureau chiefs and congressional correspondents who returned the Freedom Forum questionnaire, the Washington-based reporters — by an incredible margin of nine-to-one — overwhelmingly cast their presidential ballots in 1992 for Democrat Bill Clinton over Republican incumbent George Bush.
KEY FINDINGS
• 89 percent of Washington-based reporters said they voted for Bill Clinton in 1992. Only seven percent voted for George Bush, with two percent choosing Ross Perot.
• Asked “How would you characterize your political orientation?” 61 percent said “liberal” or “liberal to moderate.” Only nine percent labeled themselves “conservative” or “moderate to conservative.”
• 59 percent dismissed the Republican's 1994 Contract with America “an election-year campaign ploy.” Just three percent considered it “a serious reform proposal.”
(This update courtesy of the Media Research Center.)
See these other elements of this comprehensive study:
by Liz Swasey
In 1995, Kenneth Walsh, a reporter for U.S. News & World Report, polled 28 of his fellow White House correspondents from the four TV networks, the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Copley, Cox, Hearst, Knight-Ridder, plus Newsweek, Time and U.S. News & World Report, about their presidential voting patterns for his 1996 book “Feeding the Beast: The White House versus the Press.” Walsh counted 50 votes by White House correspondents for the Democratic entry compared to just seven for the Republican.
KEY FINDINGS
• In 1992, nine of the White House correspondents surveyed voted for Democrat Bill Clinton, two for Republican George H. W. Bush, and one for independent Ross Perot.
• In 1988, 12 voted for Democrat Michael Dukakis, one for Bush.
• In 1984, 10 voted for Democrat Walter Mondale, zero for Ronald Reagan.
• In 1980, eight voted for Democrat Jimmy Carter, two voted for Ronald Reagan.
• In 1976, 11 voted for Carter, two for Republican Gerald Ford.
