Posted by William Neikirk at 1:40 p.m. CST
Just think about this. You made the cover of Time Magazine as person of the year. Yes, you heard it correctly.
It seemed that Time couldn't come up with a single person of the year, and so its editors came up with what they obviously thought was a brilliant choice. The person of the year is YOU.
So are members of your family and your friends and enemies, too. So are felons, drug users, burglars and bank robbers, not to mention every single politician, lawyer and journalist in the country.
George Bush made it, but so did Hillary Clinton, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, and though I hate to say it, so did Uncle Harry. Please, not Uncle Harry. It will go to his head.
You know the guy who towed your car just because it was two inches outside the line? He made it, too. So did all those people you have to call to check on health-care coverage and hang up on you, or the cop who stops you for going five miles over the speed limit.
Of course, some folks will say that this is a cop-out. Time Magazine could have chosen some well-known people as its person of the year, people who mattered, people who were consequential. That doesn't mean they were good people, but that has never been a Time qualification in the past.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and insurgent leaders in Iraq could have been considered as people who were important newsmakers. Even North Korea's President, Kim Jong Il, should have been a strong contender as he got the attention of every person in the world.
Here in the nation's capital, there are many possible candidates for person of the year.
The outgoing House Speaker Dennis Hastert helped the Democrats win a majority. So did Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham, Tom Foley, and Bill Frist, and they are all Republicans.
The incoming House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, will be two heartbeats away from the president, though she couldn't even get her choice for Democratic floor leader elected by her own party.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) deserved consideration because he went on the Oprah Show to say he might run for the presidency, an amazing feat for a person who was in Springfield as a state legislator a little over two years ago.
How about Donald Rumsfeld?
You may not have liked the former defense secretary and his stance on the Iraq war, but clearly he was a powerful newsmaker. Every journalist in Washington is going to miss him.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is making waves about running for president. Former Vice President Al Gore, after making a movie on global warming, is suddenly back in the spotlight.
And then there's Bill Clinton, who manages to create the impression that he should be person of the year every year. President Bush's father has also made some waves in the past year in working with Clinton.
Time's choice means that our democracy has reached a pinnacle. Everyone is worthy of being named the person of the year. That sentiment is definitely uplifting at this time of year. Mediocrity ranks on an even par with superiority.
But how does Time top this next year? If they were unwilling to make tough choices and shy away from "feel-good" picks, a good recommendation might be: Nobody.
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Comments
Cop out.
Posted by: Bill | December 19, 2006 1:46 PM
"Time's choice means that our democracy has reached a pinnacle. Everyone is worthy of being named the person of the year. That sentiment is definitely uplifting at this time of year. Mediocrity ranks on an even par with superiority.
But how does Time top this next year? If they were unwilling to make tough choices and shy away from "feel-good" picks, a good recommendation might be: Nobody."
Time Inc.
The MicroSoft of 'conventional wisdom' stoops to blatant flattery of the American people.
The last time I looked their entire publication looks like some kind of info-mercial in print.
Next year? Throw in the dogs and cats, and every Nativity display, too.
Posted by: c.morris | December 19, 2006 1:48 PM
So the guy who flipped me off this morning because he weaved into my lane while on his cellphone and I honked at him - he's the person of the year???????? I believe I need a drink.
Posted by: Linda | December 19, 2006 1:58 PM
Don't forget the guy who stole my newspaper this morning. Him, too! I wish he would've stolen my copy of "Time" instead...
Posted by: Bill | December 19, 2006 2:31 PM
Linda,
I met the same guy out West, in a big pickup truck.
Same deal; I honked, he flipped. My feelings were hurt.
Posted by: c.morris | December 19, 2006 2:38 PM
If I had feelings, they would've been hurt too!
Posted by: Linda | December 19, 2006 3:43 PM
Maybe S. R. Sidarth should have been the Person of the Year. George Allen's slur of him certainly had a lot of consequence.
Posted by: Dave Brann | December 19, 2006 3:44 PM
It's about "time" they awarded me with this honor...I can't see how I've been overlooked all these years!
Posted by: lochnessmonster | December 19, 2006 4:03 PM
Linda,
I agree on needing a drink, too. I have my eye on the clock right about now. Watching the sun closely.
Posted by: c.morris | December 19, 2006 4:18 PM
Linda,C Mo,sorry,I think that was me with the bird.
Posted by: Raving Loon | December 19, 2006 4:19 PM
Did you expect an intellgent decision made from a liberal magazine?
Person of the Year - The nut case that heads up Iran. Nobody said it has to be a good person.
Posted by: Terry | December 19, 2006 4:32 PM
I wonder if Sidarth is related to Siddhartha? Name spellings can change over the years.
Posted by: c.morris | December 19, 2006 4:37 PM
Congratulations everybody! Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Bubba | December 19, 2006 4:51 PM
Oh No John D Paulo you are persons of the year
Posted by: Dale Peters | December 19, 2006 5:20 PM
Yes Dale Peters it's true,but to keep in the holiday spirit,I glady pass my reward off to you and c.morris. Go forth and use this for the betterment of mankind.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | December 19, 2006 6:57 PM
Paulo,
Thanks for the shout out!
Posted by: c.morris | December 19, 2006 7:28 PM
Britney Spears? No way. I'm going with Little Johnny.
At least there's no pictures of him on the net minus his undies!!!
Posted by: Raving Loon | December 20, 2006 7:49 AM
You know, this isn't the first time TIME has chosen a group of people as "Person of the Year." There was the American Fighting Man in 1950, Generation 25 and Under in 1966 and Middle Americans in 1969, and the American Soldier in 2003, just to name a few.
It hadn't occurred to me, actually, that TIME has inadvertently named bin Laden "Person of the Year" as well as Al Qaeda since they, too, are Internet content creators. And other terrorist networks who so proudly post their videos on the Internet are also "Person of the Year."
So does that mean Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is also "Person of the Year" anyway? Or just the people of Iran who contribute content to the Internet? Or any other country for that matter?
Posted by: G.M. | December 20, 2006 8:14 AM
FORMER US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said the United States is losing a "civil war" in Iraq and he is not persuaded that an increase in troops would reverse the situation. Instead, he called for a new strategy that would relinquish responsibility for Iraqi security to the Baghdad Government sooner rather than later, with US troop reductions to begin by the middle of next year.
Geez,sounds a lot like John Kerry,a year ago.Good to see the rest of the US is catching up.Kerry,person of the year?
Posted by: Raving Loon | December 20, 2006 8:16 AM
Wow! Now all I need is to be one of People Mags most beautiful people and I can die happy....
Posted by: Andrea | December 20, 2006 8:54 AM
I have subscribed to the print issues of Time and Newsweek for over 25 years. I was not going to renew Time after the softball interview of (m)Ann Coulter. Then they offered a rate of $10 for the year. This year I want it for free.
Posted by: Catherine | December 20, 2006 9:28 AM
"Generation 25 and Under in 1966 and Middle Americans in 1969"
GM,
I've made it three times!! Goody for me!
It looks like sucking up is 'timeless' for Time.
Posted by: c.morris | December 20, 2006 9:51 AM
After due consideration - I will decline my honor and pass it on to Paulo, c.morris, Dale Peters and Raving Loon. It's almost Festivus and I feel this is an appropriate gift.
Posted by: Linda | December 20, 2006 9:52 AM
I read somewhere that Time was actually considering naming North Korea's Premier/Dictator as this year's 'Person of the Year'.
Could you imagine the uproar that would've caused?
It would've ALMOST as bad as if Time had named Cheerleader in Chief Dumbya as thier choice! ;)
I agree that this was a true 'cop out'.
Posted by: B Grice | December 20, 2006 10:12 AM
Linda,
You included us loons with Paulo?
'The first cut is the deepest' , hey?!
Posted by: c.morris | December 20, 2006 11:00 AM
B Grice,
"I read somewhere that Time was actually considering naming North Korea's Premier/Dictator as this year's 'Person of the Year'.
Could you imagine the uproar that would've caused?"
There is an argument to be made that since TIME has named such people as Adolf Hitler and Ayatollah Khomeini in the past, TIME has decided not to name controversial people as "Person of the Year" for fear of backlash of one sort or another.
Should we call that self-censorship? And how can shying away from, or just refusing to, give the "Person of the Year" award to a deserving, if controversial, person be considered good journalism?
Posted by: G.M. | December 20, 2006 1:24 PM
Linda--Time magazine gave me special permission to be-stow my award to Dale and c.morris yesterday...and I did so.
I don't think I can handle another award in just 2 days time...give me time to think about this fine gesture on your part.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | December 20, 2006 1:34 PM
Come on - Paulo makes me laugh - it's the spirit of Festivus for goodness sake! I'll come to my senses later.
Posted by: Linda | December 20, 2006 2:56 PM
Let me consult with my family Linda,the toll may be too great on them with all the travel,parades and glad handing.I need more time.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | December 20, 2006 4:36 PM
GM, Re person of the year; Americans can't take the truth.
Linda; Serenity Now
Hey, we got our copy of Time today! We are really really blurry 'people of the year'! We look like a Picasso picture!
Posted by: c.morris | December 20, 2006 5:26 PM
c.morris - sorry I'm blurry, too much homemade bailey's last night. Celebrating being a person of the year.
Posted by: Linda | December 21, 2006 10:44 AM
Time's Ten Questions section this week were put to a 12 year old child actress.
We are supposed to take these people seriously?
Posted by: c.morris | December 21, 2006 9:30 PM