President George Bush, running for re-election in 1992, portrayed himself as an agent of change by supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and voucher programs for education and health-care. But the Savings-and-Loan scandal and the fact that Bush was held responsible for its ballooning costs to taxpayers was also costly politically. Bill Clinton benefitted from a campaign supporter's slogan, " It's the economy, stupid," to help him win the day on November 3.

During the 1992 election, President George Bush came under scrutiny for his role as vice-president during the Iran-contra scandals. Bush claimed to be "out of the loop" about the arms deal. Democratic candidate Bill Clinton made Bush's role a central issue in his run for the White House. Clinton's running mate, Senator Al Gore, referred to notes released by an aide to former Secretary of State George Shultz that belied Bush's claim. As the campaign drew to a close, more information linked Bush to the scandal. One of Bush's last acts as president was his issuance of pardons to Iran-contra figures who had been indicted, pled guilty or been found guilty.

In this cartoon Herblock invokes the mythical figure of Atlas to convey the enormous responsibility that newly elected President Bill Clinton will inherit and sets a hopeful tone for the nation’s new chief executive. A former Rhodes Scholar, Yale University Law School graduate, and four-term governor of Arkansas, Clinton brought impressive credentials, experience, and energy to the presidency. The decisive winner of challenging primary and general election campaigns, he faced issues of global import.