Hillary and Bill Clinton’s Political Romance in Photos

TIME Photo Department
Updated
Much of the couple's 40 years of marriage has been in the spotlight

It may be the hardest job in politics: Gazing adoringly at your spouse.

Husbands and wives of candidates at all levels of politics are routinely called on to smile blankly, applaud politely and sit upright while their spouses make stump speeches, watch election results and take oaths of office. In fact, much of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s 40 years of marriage has been spent in the political spotlight smiling, waving and opening their lives to the public eye.

For Bill Clinton, this marital ritual has special significance, as he used to be on the other side of the equation.

Read More: Read Bill Clinton’s Speech At The Democratic Convention

But over the past 16 years, Hillary Clinton ran for U.S. Senate, won re-election, ran for president, lost, served as Secretary of State and then ran for president again, so he’s had more than enough time to practice.

As Bill and Hillary Clinton approach the possibility of being the first husband-and-wife team to be president after her nomination at the Democratic National Convention, TIME looks back at photos of their relationship in the spotlight.

Read More: Bill Clinton Praises Hillary as the Best ‘Change-Maker’