The Clinton stewardship of the economy, often touted by Lib legacy bootlickers, was a complete fake:
1. The stock indexes were propped up with FAKE accounting at major corporations like Enron, SEC oversight was lacking on Clinton's watch, and the deceit was willfully ignored;
2. The threat of international terrorism was willfully ignored for political purposes despite the WTC being bombed two months after inauguration in 1993. Military preparedness was completely gutted. Peace under Clinton was FAKE;
3. Even the MSM got in on the act with FAKE circulation numbers propping up stock prices and advertising rates.
In conclusion, the Clinton legacy - FAKE.
President Bush, and the economy under him, had to endure countless attacks and complete rebuilding, including managing several Clinton-era financial scandals, massive reinvestment in the military infrastructure, 9/11, war in Afghanistan, war in Iraq, homeland security, biased MSM, etc.
Despite all of these inherited disasters and disadvantages, U.S. economic measures are clawing back to around where they were when Bush took office.
As at January 20, 2001 (Bush Inauguration):
DOW30 Index: 10,587.60
NASDAQ Index: 2,770.38
As at September 10, 2001 (day before 9/11)
DOW30 Index: 9,605.50
NASDAQ Index: 1,695.38
As at September 21, 2001 (market reopens after 9/11)
DOW30 Index: 8,235.80
NASDAQ Index: 1,423.19
As at March 22, 2006 (today)
DOW30 Index: 11,317.43
NASDAQ Index: 2,303.35
A friend of mine used to have a list of the slit-your-wrist statistics that fell in place on that Friday. I can't remember all of them but things like advance/decline ratios the lowest in a hundred years, etc.
That Friday marked the lowest sentiment readings in the history of the market and launched a rally that took the Dow to 10,500. Pretty amazing stuff in the middle of a bear market and following the attack.
Unfortunately the Dow made new lows a year later around 7300 and the S&P didn't cross above its 200 day moving average until April of 03 which is the last line in the sand to get fully invested.
The rest is, as they say, history. All the while we were in "the worst economy since Hoover". LOL.
There is one overriding point--presidents have very little to do with the economy. The business cycle and the global economy are the two biggest drivers of the US's economy. What litle direct input a president has is usually in concert with Congress.
Presidents should get no credit for the economy, nor should they receive blame. The media makes to big a thing in associating the economy with the president--it is a false association.