The media message about the Obama inauguration ceremony was that he was announcing a clear shift to the left. But coverage failed to provide much background on the president's actual policies, which would have challenged that impression.

We're told that the "fiscal cliff" requires spending cuts and more revenue. But there's a simple way to get more tax dollars-- a small "Robin Hood" tax on financial transactions. So why won't the press talk about it?

When it comes to explaining election results, there's no precise way to determine whether voters gave the winner a "mandate"--defined by Oxford as "the authority to carry out a policy, regarded as given by the electorate to a party or candidate that wins an election." That makes it interesting to see how media use the expression--and which presidents they think earned one.