Julian Assange, 'Time' Magazine's Person Of The Year? (POLL)

WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange is in the running to be Time magazine's "Person of the Year," and is currently topping the list of contenders.

The New York Times reports that an online collective called "Anonymous" is behind one push to get the WIkiLeaks founder to the top of the list. In a manifesto supporting Assange, the group urges supporters to:

Upvote Julian on the Times Person Of The Year 2010. While this might not aid his cause, it will get him much needed public exposure.

While he has been described as a "high-tech terrorist" by GOP leader Mitch McConnell, that hardly takes him out of the running for a title that has also been bestowed on Hitler. Others have hailed Assange as a hero. Either way, does he deserve it?

Quick Poll

Should Julian Assange be Time's person of the year?

Yes, WikiLeaks is a huge story

No, he doesn't deserve it

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

Comments

[blingladen]

09:55 AM on 12/08/2010

While I think it's great we have the spotlight on the diplomatic doubletalk and political pandering, and while mr. Assange seems to be on some sort of crusade for truth, I don't like the whole "hero" concept. I don't think mr. Assange aspires to it, either.

[OliverTwist]

07:30 AM on 12/08/2010

What's Time magazine?

Some kind of right wing political rag or something?

[Oilygarch]

08:15 AM on 12/10/2010

It is a right of center news magazine that has seen its better times which writes at the 5th grade level. As many magazines of its type do, it attempts to pre-digest and regurgitate stories that are on the top 20 list of popularity with approximately 10 to 15 days of lag. ;-P

[LaHenche]

02:02 AM on 12/08/2010

I'm all for Assange getting the nod...then...

"The Unemployed American"

...really breaks my heart and brings me back down to earth.

[jozzie]

12:10 AM on 12/08/2010

He's 92% and at the top.
The next competitors are: Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert at 82%

I'm a big fan of the later two but they will not have changed the world so deeply and emphatically as Assange has visualized to do. Transparency is the future!

[Indiegirl99]

02:43 AM on 12/08/2010

Yes, I am so happy that thanks to Assange, we now face a more transparent government. So glad for example that some of the Afghans who helped our troops were named in the documents he released. So what if they quite possibly could be killed for helping us, we have a right to know who they are right along with the Taliban who I am sure read those documents quite closely.

[Kaviraj]

01:00 PM on 12/10/2010

Yeah, without computers and on the donkeyback at night in the dark, when they attack the NATO forces and win. (sarc off now)

You don't seriously believe your own post, do you?

[Sol76]

08:56 AM on 12/08/2010

The only reason Assange is on top is because he got the Colbert Bump.

[Oilygarch]

08:17 AM on 12/10/2010

It could also be said he got the Anonymous bump.

[michellbrow]

11:36 PM on 12/07/2010

No surprise there.

[Linda Williams]

07:19 PM on 12/07/2010

It's doggone early but he could end up being the person of the 21st century. He will surely be a candidate.

[Achmed]

05:21 PM on 12/07/2010

Just voted for him!

[David Rozgonyi]

04:55 PM on 12/07/2010

Absolutely he should be!

[daytrip]

04:21 PM on 12/07/2010

World's apart. And why would Israel risk losing all our financial and military support? Just sayin'....

[LaHenche]

02:05 AM on 12/08/2010

...uh, that thing about an "informed American population" ? Ain't gonna happen. I wish it would, but I highly, highly doubt it. Why? Because there's a new iThingy to buy, or there's a door buster sale going on at Wal Mart.

[Cuds]

02:06 PM on 12/07/2010

I swear to God if Sarah Palin wins Person of the Year...

Perhaps a non-person is due this year because no one person really sticks out right now...

[jozzie]

12:12 AM on 12/08/2010

She's not winning the poll, I can tell you that.

Go vote:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2028734_2028733,00.html

[Cuds]

12:35 AM on 12/08/2010

Thanks. Since Facebook became all-consuming this year I voted for Zuckerberg.

[greenlass]

02:18 PM on 12/08/2010

I think only humans are eligible.

[Hank Warren]

01:38 PM on 12/07/2010

Wikileaks is Mossad propaganda to support endless Wars for Israel, it all started nearly a decade ago under a false flag attack.
9/11 and Israel, here:
http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000190526

[JohnDewey]

02:41 PM on 12/07/2010

Or, quite possibly you are an unknowing shill; duped into spreading disinformation due to your eager willingness to believe anything couched in Alex Jones-style language.

It's anybody's guess what's really going on here.

[Ian Mokel]

03:18 PM on 12/07/2010

Please see my posts.

[Kaviraj]

01:08 PM on 12/10/2010

And mine.

[Nadh]

01:13 PM on 12/07/2010

HE IS NOT JUST PERSON OF THE YEAR BUT PERSON OF THE CENTURY.!!!

[Theatrixnyc]

01:49 PM on 12/07/2010

He's unlocked every secret of every crime committed by Govts

[ClarkOHrepub]

01:55 PM on 12/07/2010

What he is is criminal...pure and simple kid.
But go ahead and praise him....follow his lead if you feel you must.
Just remember those you attack can and will make life very tough for you.

[Linda Williams]

07:21 PM on 12/07/2010

Ha! That's what I just posted, too F& you first fan.

[WRH Mike Rivero]

01:06 PM on 12/07/2010

The media are trying to "sell" Julian Assange to the public as hard as they can; reason to suspect that WikiLeaks is indeed a propaganda front intended to wrap the old lies we would never trust from the TV networks in a new sugar-coating called "WikiLeaks" in the hopes the public will swallow instead of spitting them out. That there is an organized campaign to get Assange the TIME Person Of The Year award proves this is all public relations and propaganda.

[thinknauts]

12:39 PM on 12/07/2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYJcrK0S-Ro

A view from above of the WikiLeaks Saga.