Soaked supporters cheered on Bush. And tens of thousands of protesters also made their feelings clear, one in the form of an egg that splattered on his car. One hundred days later, the mood on the streets appears to have brightened considerably for the former Texas governor. Critics say Bush's approach on the budget and the environment has been particularly divisive . Bush's decision to reverse a Clinton administration rule sharply reducing the levels of arsenic in drinking water evoked sharp criticism, as did his support for oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Critics claim the acts enrich corporations and individuals at the environment's expense.
Bush insists staffers dress in business attire , relies on a system of advisers and prides himself on timeliness. April's U.S.-China crisis may have best illustrated the new administration's cautious, comprehensive approach. Bush's handling of the situation got a 72 percent approval rating in the Gallup poll. Bush's chief focus in coming months will be the priorities outlined during the 2000 presidential campaign. It's going to allow us to make a lot of progress in the days to come.