Vol. 164 No. 26
SPECIAL SECTION
For sticking to his guns (literally and figuratively), for reshaping the rules of politics to fit his ten-gallon-hat leadership style and for persuading a majority of voters that he deserved to be in the White House for another four years, George W. Bush is TIME's 2004 Person of the Year
(Person Of The Year)
But that's what the Bush family is. So just how has America's most enduring political family endured, and who's next in line?
The President comes from a long line ofachievers, from financiers to judges topoliticians. Today the bonds of familyform a nationwide network of influence
George and Barbara Bush on the highs and lows of having a son in the White House
(Person Of The Year / The Strategist)
No adviser has ever dominated the White House like Karl Rove. So what does the President see in him, and what's he planning to do next?
(Photo Essay)
After his recent annual physical at Bethesda's National Naval Medical Center, the President visited injured troops. TIME photographer CHRISTOPHER MORRIS was there
(Person Of The Year)
A 21st century visionary? A failed adventurer abroad? Six scholars suggest how history will judge George W. Bush's first term in office--and compare him with his predecessors
(In The Arena)
PEOPLE
Sure, they seemed like the right thing to do in the moment--like that fourth drink on New Year's Eve. But now it's clear: these are some of the year's most dubious judgment calls
One Last Goodbye (Milestones)
NOTEBOOK
Universities offer courses on the changing nature of global security
A Season Cursed
From baseball's 'roid rage to hockey's non-season, a year of sports disappointments
The Year In Buzzwords
Backdoor drafts, security moms and up-armoring
Bin Laden's New Message
The al-Qaeda organizer takes a new line of attack in his latest video
Why He Popped The Question
TIME interviews the National Guard specialist who asked Donald Rumsfeld the now-infamous question about armor
Numbers
Milestones (Milestones)
Marketing 2004 Hot Spots
Looking back on a year of advertising innovation
Verbatim 2004
47 Years Ago In Time (Milestones)
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Two truth seekers, a First Lady and her son, Presidents (and wannabes), a marrying mayor and five housewives--all are part of our gallery of those who made a difference. Oh, and just for fun, a horse
(The Bloggers)
How three amateur journalists dethroned an icon and turned the mainstream media upside down, all without quitting their day jobs
Radio had its golden age in the 1930s. In the 1950s, it was television's turn. Historians may well date the golden age of the blog from 2004ζ’¬hen Merriam-Webster.com's most searched-for definition was blog. How long can it last? Who knows? Here's what we discovered about the new medium this year
How Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi transformed the Iraq insurgency into a holy war and became America's newest nightmare
Mel Gibson and Michael Moore made very different movies with the same message: The truth shall make you free
(From The Editor)
A note about TIME's selection of the 2004 Person of the Year
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
It used to be that the only way to build a skyscraper was up. But now the tall building is being totally reimagined and taken in some very unusual directions. Look out below
Going Up ... and Up: When Height Is All That Matters (Architecture)
The quest for the tallest building
O Come, All Ye Fight-ful (Movies)
While audiences go on heist adventurs with Nicolas Cage (in National Treasure) and George Clooney (in Ocean's Twelve), the critics' groups, as usual, are celebrating the holidays with awards for a lot
YOUR TIME
Our perennial interest in losing weight became a national obsession in 2004
Happy New Gear! (Lifestyle)
A forecast of the hot trends, gizmos and DVDs of early 2005
LETTERS
ESSAY
The year 2004 was defined by rebellion all around