This study focuses on questions of knowledge and belief in terms of public assumptions about President Clinton. Data from a national survey reveal the widespread assumption that Clinton is more liberal than his record would indicate. The data suggest that while people may not structure their own beliefs along conventional ideological lines, many interpret contemporary politics in terms of broad ideological frameworks, even if those frameworks lead to misleading conclusions. Thus while Clinton's liberal side is well‐known (or correctly assumed), his conservative side is not: indeed, most respondents associate him with liberal indicators in nearly every area. This point is explored in the context of the relation between traditional indicators of political knowledge and ideological assumptions. The authors conclude by speculating how the notion of a uniformly “liberal” Clinton may have its origins in media coverage.