In 2004, for the second time in four years, Time named George W. Bush Person of the Year. Both occasions followed national elections in which Bush prevailed. The issue in 2000 was the disputed election itself, which Time predicted would be the subject of debate in political science classes for years to come. The major question looming during Bush's reelection campaign was the war in Iraq: Was America more secure? Could the Iraqi people embrace liberty and democracy as peaceful paths to coexistence? In spite of polls showing many Americans to be pessimistic, Bush was emboldened by both the war and the recent election. In contrast with the 2000 election, he now felt as if he had a mandate: "I've got the will of the people at my back," he claimed after his victory.
