The race that's run before the one for president - that's "the money primary." But more than money must be acquired in the early campaign for president. What's often just as important in securing candidate viability and success is the media coverage garnered during this time, since this is frequently the first decisive test of a candidate's presidential strength. With the 2008 presidential nomination campaign approaching, this study's focus on the early campaigns in the 1988 and 2000 presidential races is all the more timely. These two presidential nomination campaigns are the only ones since the nominating reforms of the 1970's in which an incumbent president was not on the ballot - and 2008 is expected to be the third. If the early campaigns of 1988 and 2000 are a guide, the early campaign for 2008 will be in full swing by 2006, three years before Election Day 2008.