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A Half-Century of George H.W. Bush on the Cover of TIME

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George H.W. Bush, Men of the Year, on the Jan. 7, 1991, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Gregory Heisler.
George H.W. Bush, Men of the Year, on the Jan. 7, 1991, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Gregory Heisler.TIME Magazine
By TIME Staff
Updated: | Originally published: ;

When President George H.W. Bush, who died on Nov. 30 at the age of 94, eight months after his wife Barbara, first appeared on the cover of TIME in 1970, it was as a knight battling for a Senate seat in Texas. Bush was part of a wave of Republicans seeking office in that chamber at the time — one whose sense of humor made an impression on the magazine:

Chronicling the travels and travails of Texas’ George Bush, Correspondent Leo Janos reports that one afternoon they landed at a private airport in Fort Worth only to find the place deserted. “Well, what does TIME think of this warm and friendly reception?” Bush asked. “Positively Humphreyish,” replied Janos. “No,” grinned the candidate. “Bush-league.”

Bush lost that race, but over the nearly 50 years that followed he would prove that his political skills were anything but amateur. From Senate candidate to President of the United States to political patriarch, Bush appeared on the cover of TIME in all those guises, nearly two dozen times during his life. With his death, that list gained an entry.

Here’s a look back at that evolution.

 

George H.W. Bush, pictured during his run for a Texas Senate seat, on the Oct. 26, 1970, cover of TIME. Illustration by Mort Drucker.
George H.W. Bush, pictured during his run for a Texas Senate seat, on the Oct. 26, 1970, cover of TIME. Illustration by Mort Drucker.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush, pictured as part of Gerald Ford's team, on the Nov. 17, 1975, cover of TIME
George H.W. Bush, pictured as part of Gerald Ford's team, on the Nov. 17, 1975, cover of TIME.TIME Magazine
Ronald Reagan & George H.W. Bush on the Jul. 28, 1980, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Neil Leifer.
Ronald Reagan & George H.W. Bush on the Jul. 28, 1980, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Neil Leifer.TIME Magazine
Ronald Reagan & George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 27, 1984, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Dirck Halstead.
Ronald Reagan & George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 27, 1984, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Dirck Halstead.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush, top left, with Geraldine Ferraro, Walter Mondale and Ronald Reagan, on the Oct. 22, 1984, cover of TIME. Illustration by Edward Sorel.
George H.W. Bush, top left, with Geraldine Ferraro, Walter Mondale and Ronald Reagan, on the Oct. 22, 1984, cover of TIME. Illustration by Edward Sorel. TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush, pictured among other presidential contenders, on the Feb. 29, 1988, cover of TIME.
George H.W. Bush, pictured among other presidential contenders, on the Feb. 29, 1988, cover of TIME.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush on the Mar. 21, 1988, cover of TIME. Illustration by Daniel Schwartz.
George H.W. Bush on the Mar. 21, 1988, cover of TIME. Illustration by Daniel Schwartz.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 22, 1988, cover of TIME. Cover photo by William Coupon.
George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 22, 1988, cover of TIME. Cover photo by William Coupon.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush and Dan Quayle on the Aug. 29, 1988, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Dennis Brack.
George H.W. Bush and Dan Quayle on the Aug. 29, 1988, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Dennis Brack. TIME Magazine
October 24, 1988 cover of TIME magazine. Cover photos: 1960 debate by Paul Schutzer, 1988 debate by Steve Liss.
October 24, 1988 cover of TIME magazine. Cover photos: 1960 debate by Paul Schutzer, 1988 debate by Steve Liss. TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush on the Nov. 21, 1988, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Cynthia Johnson.
George H.W. Bush on the Nov. 21, 1988, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Cynthia Johnson.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush, with Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, on the Dec. 19, 1988, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Dirck Halstead.
George H.W. Bush, with Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, on the Dec. 19, 1988, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Dirck Halstead.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush on the Jan. 30, 1989, cover of TIME. Photo credit by Dirck Halstead.
George H.W. Bush on the Jan. 30, 1989, cover of TIME. Photo credit by Dirck Halstead.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 21, 1989, cover of TIME.
George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 21, 1989, cover of TIME.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev on the Dec. 11, 1989, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Diana Walker.
George H.W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev on the Dec. 11, 1989, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Diana Walker.TIME Magazine
Saddam Hussein and George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 20, 1990, cover of TIME. Cover photo credits: Dirck Halstead (Bush); Thomas Hartwell (Saddam).
Saddam Hussein and George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 20, 1990, cover of TIME. Cover photo credits: Dirck Halstead (Bush); Thomas Hartwell (Saddam).TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush, Men of the Year, on the Jan. 7, 1991, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Gregory Heisler.
George H.W. Bush, Men of the Year, on the Jan. 7, 1991, cover of TIME. Cover photo by Gregory Heisler.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush, with possible vice-presidential candidates, on the May 20, 1991, cover of TIME. Computer-altered State of the Union photo by Diana Walker.
George H.W. Bush, with possible vice-presidential candidates, on the May 20, 1991, cover of TIME. Computer-altered State of the Union photo by Diana Walker.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 24, 1992, cover of TIME. Photo credit by William Coupon.
George H.W. Bush on the Aug. 24, 1992, cover of TIME. Photo credit by William Coupon.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and H. Ross Perot on the Oct. 12, 1992, cover of TIME Cover photos: George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot; Bush by Diana Walker, Clinton by Steve Liss, Perot by Shelly Katz-Black Star.
George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and H. Ross Perot on the Oct. 12, 1992, cover of TIME Cover photos: George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot; Bush by Diana Walker, Clinton by Steve Liss, Perot by Shelly Katz-Black Star.TIME Magazine
Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush on the Oct. 19, 1992, cover of TIME. Photo by Cynthia Johnson.
Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush on the Oct. 19, 1992, cover of TIME. Photo by Cynthia Johnson.TIME Magazine
The 'Bush Dynasty' on the Aug. 7, 2000, cover of TIME.
The 'Bush Dynasty' on the Aug. 7, 2000, cover of TIME.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush, Jeb Bush and George W. Bush on the Mar. 16, 2015, cover of TIME. Cover photo: George Bush Presidential Library and Museum/Corbis.
George H.W. Bush, Jeb Bush and George W. Bush on the Mar. 16, 2015, cover of TIME. Cover photo: George Bush Presidential Library and Museum/Corbis.TIME Magazine
George H.W. Bush Time Magazine Cover
Photograph by Richard Avedon © The Richard Avedon Foundation

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