[stumblinmike]

Who do you think should be person of the year for 2008? I pick Muntader al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist/shoe thrower. He showed great courage, essentially spitting in Bush's face, for all the "good" work Bush has done over there. For his courage, he is being tortured by US-backed Iraqi goon squads, who are probably being instructed by Cheney himself! I would be willing to bet there are MILLIONS of Americans that would like to throw shoes, or worse, at Bush. Instead, we must praise this great human being Muntader al-Zaidi, and ask that our State Department intervene on his behalf (not likely!).

[Helmling]

I pick you!

For taking an interesting thread idea that could have actually led to some positive discussion for once and turning it into yet another invitation for endless partisan bickering.

Happy New Year!

[Ted L. Nancy]

Originally Posted by stumblinmike 

Who do you think should be person of the year for 2008? I pick Muntader al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist/shoe thrower.

Good pick!

I say it should be King George Tupou V.

[stumblinmike]

Originally Posted by Helmling 

I pick you!

For taking an interesting thread idea that could have actually led to some positive discussion for once and turning it into yet another invitation for endless partisan bickering.

Happy New Year!

Why thank you, H. If it wasn't me, it would have been someone else...
And a Happy New Year to you and yours!

[besson3c]

I'd say Obama. Regardless of how you feel about him, he's dominated the news and media attention, and he has become very well known in other parts of the world.

[ghporter]

I think besson is right about Mr. Obama. Mr. Biden...not so much. But considering how far we've come in the U.S. to have finally elected him rather than some white guy as president says a lot about him and his determination. I wonder about how the whole Illinois governor slimepit will affect his presidency, but I really think that just getting elected was a great achievement.

[Ted L. Nancy]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

I think besson is right about Mr. Obama. Mr. Biden...not so much. But considering how far we've come in the U.S. to have finally elected him rather than some white guy as president says a lot about him and his determination. I wonder about how the whole Illinois governor slimepit will affect his presidency, but I really think that just getting elected was a great achievement.

Yeah... how HORRIBLE to have "some white guy" as president.

Are there no taker for King Tupou? Look him up! He's accomplished a lot this year. His father still has my sword, by the way!

[ghporter]

The fact that there was an actually qualified contender for the presidency that was not "just another white guy" is what it interesting and striking. It took an awful lot of work on his part for Mr. Obama to even be perceived as a serious candidate early in the process, and this is especially important given his party. Considering the sorry folks who the Democrats have run the last couple of times, I was beginning to believe that they'd completely lost any sort of imagination, let alone drive to support diversity.

[SpaceMonkey]

I predict that Time will wuss out and pick something like "the American voter".

[The Crook]

They picked Obama.

[SpaceMonkey]

D'oh. I haven't been paying attention.

[Monique]

The International Courts in La Haye for finding guilty some horrible people.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey 

I predict that Time will wuss out and pick something like "the American voter".

You mean like their Person of the Year 2006?

[SpaceMonkey]

I will just stop posting in this thread now.

[turtle777]

Well, let's just pick Obama as the Person of the Year for 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and get it over with.

Let's reconvene once Obama is out of office.

-t

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

You mean like their Person of the Year 2006?

I think the last time "the common man" was overall worthwhile (and worth mentioning as a group) was back when Copeland wrote "Fanfare for the Common Man." That was a long time ago: 1942. At the time, "the common man" was part of an national group effort, and everyone shared the common purpose of winning WWII.

Since then we've all gone our separate ways, with different interests, particularly when it comes to politics. Over the last 20 years or so there hasn't been a single political candidate for national office that has even hinted at being a "uniter," being "centerist," or anything like that-they're all divisionist, polarized and polarizing. That sure hasn't helped with keeping our common man all that "common."

[sek929]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Well, let's just pick Obama as the Person of the Year for 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and get it over with.

Your posts are so bitter I can actually taste them.

Obama was the most talked about man for the year of 2008. Whether or not you wanted him in office, having him get picked for person of the year is a no-brainer.

It doesn't have to be a great man (see Hitler as man of the year) but Obama was god of media for a full year, he wins, get some sugar to offset the taste.

[kylef]

Yep, Obama gets my vote too. From zero to 'hero', beating the experienced Clinton ... he's an inspiration.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by sek929 

Your posts are so bitter I can actually taste them.

What's bitter about it ?
I'm just getting tired of all the Obama celebrations. It's old news.

We'll see soon if he has real solutions for the country's problems, or if we all just got suckered into the greatest campaign show evar.

See, I have no problems with him becoming Person of the Year in 2009 if he showed that he can actually act and achieve results. But so far, it's all just cheap talk.

Feel free to post more "bitter" comments. I just imagine what would have happened if he had lost. Now that would have caused some comments deserving the term bitter.

-t

[The Crook]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

See, I have no problems with him becoming Person of the Year in 2009 if he showed that he can actually act and achieve results. But so far, it's all just cheap talk.

Since when is "acting and achieving results" a prerequisite for becoming Time's Person of the Year?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by The Crook 

Since when is "acting and achieving results" a prerequisite for becoming Time's Person of the Year?

Oh, sorry, that assumption of mine was rather silly.

So, now in light of this new development, yes, Obama fits the bill quite well for someone who is famous but hasn't actually done anything and hasn't achieved any results.

Awesome. Kinda like ... a celebrity.

-t

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

What's bitter about it ?
I'm just getting tired of all the Obama celebrations. It's old news.

We'll see soon if he has real solutions for the country's problems, or if we all just got suckered into the greatest campaign show evar.

See, I have no problems with him becoming Person of the Year in 2009 if he showed that he can actually act and achieve results. But so far, it's all just cheap talk.

Feel free to post more "bitter" comments. I just imagine what would have happened if he had lost. Now that would have caused some comments deserving the term bitter.

-t

If I didn't know any better, it sounds like you're backtracking just a tiny bit in regards to Obama. What happened to all the Communism, Socialist, Nazi, (and the rest of the list) ?

[ebuddy]

As others have mentioned, regardless of your political alignment with Obama; he is indeed worthy of "Person of the Year".

Not long ago this man was an absolute unknown, somewhat obscure Chicago figure; of an ethnicity that had not yet been given serious consideration for this capacity. To African Americans in this country, he is likely the most important figure in history. He is affirmation that you truly can be that which you desire and that your contribution to society is important regardless of skin color. What separates success from failure is often those things you can develop, not the things you have no control over. He ran probably the most effective campaign in history, overcame historical obstacles including to some, his very name.

Person of the year could easily be given to anyone who wins the Presidency during an election year, but in Obama's case it is a no-brainer IMO.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

If I didn't know any better, it sounds like you're backtracking just a tiny bit in regards to Obama. What happened to all the Communism, Socialist, Nazi, (and the rest of the list) ?

My hope is that he doesn't do ALL the things he said he would do. If he did, IMO, that would make things even worse than they already are.

However, there is a possibility that he now suddenly says "To heck with my campaign promises, let's do what's right." In that case, I'd be the first to admit that I was wrong about him.

It won't take long to show. The Detroit Three is one of the first pressing issues, we'll see how he handles it. If he falters, and let them dictate the terms, and agrees to an everlasting bailout, he basically admitted defeat from the get go.

-t

[Monique]

But he has not done anything.

Al Gore is even a better choice; he won what the Nobel price for peace for what again for proving that global warming exist, for wanting to save the planet for all children.

[chris v]

Originally Posted by Helmling 

I pick you!

Thanks, but I was already person of the year in 2006. I should pass on the honor.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Monique 

But he has not done anything.

Al Gore is even a better choice; he won what the Nobel price for peace for what again for proving that global warming exist, for wanting to save the planet for all children.

Actually, Al and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the prize. That's a big distinction. I believe that Mr. Gore's contribution was mainly as a speaker, and while he was quite good at it, his own less-than-stellar green record (mentioned in another thread in this forum) sort of scuttles serious accolades he might garner from his work on climate change. Oh, and that was a 2007 prize too.

Mr. Obama has indeed done something. He's mobilized millions of people to make a difference in their country. He's managed to undo years of political malaise and inertia and indifference, generating one of the highest turnouts of the last 40+ years. And he gave a lot of people something they thought they'd never really have: hope. Hope, at least, that he could make a difference as president. While his performance a president remains in the future, his performance as a candidate is indeed something to celebrate.