With a constitutional amendment forbidding Ronald Reagan from seeking a third term in office, the 1988 US presidential election saw Republican Party nominees George H.W. One American citizen who was particularly distressed about the prospect of George Bush becoming president was R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, as he made abundantly in a 1988 interview with UK music magazine Melody Maker. "I recommend anyone reading this who's a psycho and can buy a gun to shoot George Bush," the guitarist stated in his wildest declaration. As it transpired, on election day, November 8, 1988, quite a lot of people voted for George Bush, enough to ensure that the Republican Party won a third successive landslide victory.