Bush, George W. (Administration of)

George W. Bush was the 43rd president of the United States, serving from 2001 to 2009. Bush defeated Al Gore in the closely contested 2000 presidential election, which was highlighted by the controversy surrounding the Electoral College votes in the state of Florida. As president, Bush was able to appoint many conservative judges to the federal bench, including John Roberts as the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. However, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent war on terror largely defined his presidency.