Portraying the President: The White House and the News Media

This is a first-rate book, especially on people and practices in recent years. It is based on extensive interviewing, personal observation, and careful analysis of the content and tone of print and broadcast reporting. The authors see the relationship of press and President as more cooperative than antagonistic. They conclude that presidents must learn that "the media play the central role in their struggle for control of political institutions" and that "news organizations must recognize that as the refracting lens for the public, they are a vital ingredient in the political system."