Who Should Be Time's Person of the Year?

J.K. Rowling is way ahead of Al Gore and Barack Obama on Time Magazine's poll for "Person of the Year." My bet is that Nobel Laureate and 'global climate change franchise owner' Al Gore will be the eventual winner -- but as of today, I confirmed with Time that there still is no decision and that the opportunity to influence the magazine is still open.

My pick would be the "Guantanamo Detainee" because this unresolved problem goes to the very core of what America decides to be in the future.

Lots of other names come to mind -- Ahmadinejad, Putin, Petraeus, Ron Paul, Obama, Schwarzenegger, Sarkozy, George Soros, Angelina Jolie, Dick Cheney, Larry Craig, the Guantanamo Detainees. . .and lots of others no doubt.

I talk about this in the video above -- and look forward to your thoughts on who really ought to be the person of the year. Feel free to post here -- or email me at [e-mail].

I will tally the names here and send them off to Time as well as publish them on both The Washington Note and Huffington Post.

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

Comments

[larry278]

TIME could designate right wingnut trolls as person of the year in a spirit of poetic justice.

[kuulray]

Last year it was "You" which a lot of people interpreted as "Me" so how about this year we make the Person of the Year "It."

[Stockholm]

First of all: It's not an award, and it's not something you win. Who BTW wants to be ranked in the same category as Hitler and Stalin, or even Giuliani?

The American soldier has already been the person of the year twice.

Last year's "you" person of the year was kind of silly, I think. It's much more interesting to name one or a few persons who actually have had an influence on the planet.

The same goes for naming the computer, the planet or any other non-person. Of course one person can't be as influential as globalization, technological change or all the people in the world. That's part of what makes it interesting to name one or a few persons who actually changed the events.

Last year I was rooting for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for their fake news programs changing the way especially young people see the world.

This year I think Al Gore should be the person of the year. It's silly to be against it because you might not like him, his ideas or democrats in general. It's not an award - it's about who has an impact on the world. Like him or not, Gore should be the person of the year 2007.

[Maxbyte]

It definitely has to be Vickie Lynn Marshall, also known as Anna Nicole Smith, for getting her sock stuffed with so much semen it took several universities months to determine who the father of her child is.

As for Gore, his only major accomplishment is getting global warming wrong. It's true that the average temperature of the earth is warming, but it does not follow that warming and cooling at the current rate is an aberration.

So lets simply recognize the contributions of a model and actress who gave media plenty to talk about all year. Without her, the only newsworthy event was Iraq. It was newsworthy for its indiscriminate horror, but Bush kept everything classified to prevent the media from reporting much of anything factual.

[Janco54]

Al Gore absolutely.

[coco/seattle]

Obama definitely ... He is a beacon of hope for this country.

[aepelbaum]

Obama should be the person of the year. Gore didn't so anything to prevent and/or slow down global warming, while the second in Clinton command. He didn't choose to run now, though I strongly believe that his numerous awards were given to him to assure his victory in the current presidential race. I do not expect Clinton (both of them, especially female) to do something really or even not really essential to prevent glocal warming. I-personally have more than terrifying experience with this couple, pertinent to this extremely important issue. So, Obama is the hope that everything possible would be done to prevent disasters connected with climate changing and other urgent issues. I am sure that, therefore, he should become the person of the year.

[Tellmethetruth]

Joe Biden

On more reason to vote for the most experienced candidate on foreign affairs Joe Biden.

www.joebiden.com

We need someone who knows what they are doing. This week the Biden Resolution to End the War in Iraq which had passed the Senate in October of 2007, passed the House of Representatives. The Biden Resolution will now go to Bush to either sign or veto.

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.

[peonyharp]

2007 has undoubtedly been his year: Al Gore

[schwinnrider]

If I don't win again this year, I'll be pissed. I deserve it this year even more than last year.

[SamEllison]

I'll cast a shout out to the Iraqi Sunni Anbaris for standing up to AQI and protecting their family, tribes and towns. Along with the US military that has helped them become the Liberators of Anbar Province.

[klondiker]

I would surprised and disappointed if it's not Al Gore.

[freedom4benne]

For speaking truth to power, Keith Olbermann, "Person of the Year."

[LeRoyRogers]

I would double the nomination for the American Soldier. There are those who are standing up and doing what they are asked and there are those that stand down to speak up. It is too bad that some people need to unite to divide. Is too much to ask that the people see them both and not have to see the two faced people who sent them over there? Those would be the less than curious InTerrorGators. That was my original nominee, but I thought I would flip-flop it.

[dianaluisa]

AL GORE 2008 of course!!!!