Who should have been Time's Person of the Year?

[American Tragedy]

I personally thought it should have been Karl Rove, since he managed a victory out of the worst and most vulnerable presidential candidate in modern history. He proved that one could win in America by appealing to the worst in human nature, which is a profound statement with terrible implications for the future. Still, Bush plays a vital role in that as well, since those two seem to constitute a symbiotic relationship, as the mask and the intellect of that political persona. It's a very justifiable choice.

I would think that DUers of all people would consider Bush to have greatest influence in the past year. Our view of the election was generally oriented around our fear and hatred of this man and the people who followed him.

[autorank]

1. Jacques Chirac

[da_chimperor]

2. Kleeb. I still remember kleeb-o-mania

It got to the point that the very mention of his name got a thread killed, something I never thought could happen. If that's not influential, I don't know what is.

[PDittie]

3. Yes. Rove.

Without him Bush would be an assistant manager, night shift, for Wal-Mart.

[Eugene]

4. Still the Shrub, like Khomeini, Stalin...

[shance]

5. Howard Dean

n/t

[mcscajun]

6. Howard Dean...

...not for his candidacy, but for the way he transformed politics via the Internet.

Nothing's going to be the same from now on...


And for the record...I backed Clark.

[brainshrub]

7. Kerry.

For losing to the most vulnerable presidential candidate in modern history.

For allowing major issues such as the Abu Grebe prison tortures, the gutting of Medicare and the war in Iraq go basically unaddressed.

For delivering the coup de grace by rolling over like a flip-flopping surrender-money on November 3rd after specifically promising that he would fight to make sure every vote would count.

For showing that the Democratic party is so inept, that despite having over 50 million dollars left over from the campaign... it was up to the Libertarians & Greens to raise funds for a re-count.

For proving that the Democratic party is so desprite, that we hold our collective breaths over notice that Kerry is going to be filing a request... A FUCKING REQUEST ... for expedited discovery and beg the Cons to pretty-please not tamper with evidence.

Yes, Bush might be a wanker... but look at Kerry: He was beaten by a wanker.

So my vote is for Kerry as "Man of the Year."

[AmericanErrorist]

8. Election years tend to be overshadowed by the election...

so maybe John Kerry should also been POTY.

[koopie57]

9. well

bush is more in the line of turd of the year and rove is piece of sh*t of the year. But our military and their families should be person of the year. I know that person of the year is suppose to be someone who was the most influential, but these soldiers and their families never leave my thoughts. They are always there.

[stanwyck]

10. The Bush voter

had the most impact. This is the person who decided to vote for the administration which values oil company profits and the military industrial complex over the safety of our country and our troops. This is the voter who doesn't believe in the importance of protecting our environment, insuring affordable healthcare for Americans, raising the bar in education, respecting science, protecting the rights of all Americans, and carrying out the constitutional promise of the separation of church and state.
This is the voter who doesn't care if the Bushies lied about the WMD intelligence, outed a CIA agent, failed to capture Bin Laden or the anthrax killer, and failed to staunch the bleeding out of our economy.
Bush will fade away. It's the psyche of the Bush voter who haunts us. The person who doesn't question the blatant fabrications of hate radio. The person who hates those who are different by religion, race, or sexual inclination.
We're a world power in a downward slide. It's the Bush voter who is greasing the skids.

[Sara Beverley]

11. Howard Dean or Cynthia McKinney.

But Bush is in good company with Stalin, Hitler, and a few others.

[cire4]

12. Call me crazy, but I would give it to Viktor Yushchenko

What he has thus far accomplished in the Ukraine is remarkable when you think about it. Here you have a post-communist country with a corrupt government, no free press, no free speech, no free elections, and ruled by rich Russian oil companies. But despite this tremendous institutional force working against change, Yushchenko has inspired a popular PEACEFUL revoltion that pretty much has already destroyed the status quo. Kind of like a modern day Lech Walesa. He has already broken the state-owned media, asserted free speech, and successfully challenged a fradulent and corrupt election.Now even Putin, his old Soviet holdovers, and Russian energy magnets are shaking in their boots and coming to the conclusion that Ukraine can't be won. This may lead to a domino effect where countries like Belarus and Kazakhstan fall to liberal democratic reformers as well. Add that to the alleged poisonining and you have a man that has had a big impact on international events.


But, of course, TIME only cares about America and the Ukraine election does little to affect us.

[American Tragedy]

18. I've definitely come to admire him.

It's too early to measure his global impact, and I've never been able to pinpoint his actual political stances, but I'm very impressed with his character and fortitude.

Yushchenko had the courage to directly challenge the old Soviet status quo, which was exemplified in the Russian government's anachronistically proprietary attitude toward Ukraine. He paid a heavy price for it, but still did not back down. I think all Americans on every side of the political spectrum can respect that.

[TyeDye75]

54. Agreed

I was going to post about him but you already made a great case for me.

[iamjoy]

13. Karl Rove

Dubya (though he won't admit it) likes the flattery and attention.

But Rove is like a cockroach - he tries to hide from the (lime)light.

Or, if you think MOTY should be honorary, Victor Yuschenko.

[Caledonia]

14. Al Zarqawi

He has been blamed for everything.

But nobody knows who he is!

[Zooza]

15. Ohio voter who stood in the rain for hours

These are the people deserving "Person of the Year".

[Caledonia]

17. Zooza

You could be right. It worked for the Ukraine. When all is said and done, you might be one of the next TIME People of the year.

[Caledonia]

37. What humour?

Al Zarqawi has been in the news nearly as much as Bush. Also I have yet to see any proof of what this mystery man has done or not done. If you can show me exact proof that he is behind anything at all, it will be more than anyone else has.

[crabcake2020]

43. Zarqawi...

Berg’s body was found in Baghdad on May 8. He had been decapitated and his murder was videotaped and posted on an Islamic Web site. The murderers said his killing was in response to the abuse of Iraqis at Abu Ghraib prison.

The video clip was titled “Sheikh Abu Musab al-Zarqawi slaughters an American infidel with his own hands.” Al-Zarqawi is an extremist whose group is thought to sometimes work with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida group.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4953015

Here... watch the video titled "Sheikh Abu Musab al-Zarqawi slaughters an American infidel with his own hands," by the monsters responsible for Nick Berg's horrific murder. Then, explain the humor to me.

http://armor.typepad.com/bastardsword/files/iraq2vediow.zip

[newyawker99]

45. Hi crabcake2020!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[crabcake2020]

48. Thank you...

It is always nice to be welcomed.

[Caledonia]

40. sorry

I wrongly directed an answer to you. I apologise.

[newyawker99]

44. Hi Zooza!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[crabcake2020]

33. I fail to see the humor...

al Zarqawi is an absolute monster. Most people I know (even mouth breathing repubs), are aware of Zarqawi. Should I post the link to the beheading videos?

[Az]

16. I am not sure it was the wrong choice

Of course the right is going to trumpet it for the wrong reason. But the chimp has been at the center of some of the most drastic changes the world has seen this year. We just don't happen to like the changes. But as we all know the man of the year is not about who was the best man of the year. It is simply about who made the biggest difference. And George W Bush made a terrible difference.

[Caledonia]

19. Yes

It is not an honour, per se.

[American Tragedy]

20. My problem with picking someone like Dean or Kerry

is that their political significance always seems to stem from George W. Bush. All candidates were forced to define themselves according to Bush's policies, including the war, and in general the reaction to the implications of a second term for Bush drove the Democrats and progressives this year. They wanted someone 'electable' who would eliminate him, and that theme virtually dictated the course of the primaries.

[ChairOne]

21. What, *specifically*, is the stated goal of TPotY?

I always thought it was aimed at the most influential person, or something like that, by contrast with the nicest, coolest, most helpful or anything else along those lines. Being *influential*, full stop, is, of course, *completely* silent on issues like good/bad, or smart/stupid.

If that's even close to right, then I'm pretty sure I'd choose bush. I don't know enough, *beyond speculating*, about Rove's influence. And while I like the "bush voter" idea, that seems to diffuse to me. I could see voting for a couple, or a small group, but not 1/2 the voting public... that's just going too far to deserve the appelation "person", imo...

[Az]

24. I am reminded of Valdemort

In the story of Harry Potter it was said that Valdemort did many amazing things. Terrible things but amazing none the less.

[American Tragedy]

32. Of course. The title has always been morally neutral.

Unfortunately, the most powerful influence in a given year is not always benevolent.

[Lefty48197]

22. That swiftboat liar, the guy who funded him, or Rove

I can't decide.

[bobthedrummer]

23. Hugo Chavez n/t

[ckramer]

25. Nobody mentioned bin Laden?

[Bucky]

26. Bin Laden was, like, SO 2001, dude.

"I don't know where bin Laden is. And frankly I don't care."I'm not forgetting

[ckramer]

27. except that John Kerry said he (bL) took away his election this year

[American Tragedy]

29. His influence lies in his ability to inspire fear in the American people

and this year, that specter dissipated, in no small part due to the Bush administration's systematic downplaying.

He should have been the Man of the Year for 2001, without question. The choice of Giuliani was absolutely ridiculous, since all of his notoriety that year was entirely consequent of bin Laden's atrocity. He was merely an incidental presence compared to the man who everybody was really talking about, who most directly affected 2001 and the ensuing years.

[Cooley Hurd]

28. Jesus Christ...

He's influencing politics more now, than in the last 150 years...:shrug:

[Az]

30. Not so sure it's Jesus putting the fluence on the process

As the atheist bumper sticker says. Lord - Protect me from your followers.

[Cooley Hurd]

31. He's not leaning on anyone, if that's what you mean...

;)

[Az]

36. No I am saying its those that profess to speak for Jesus

If I ever met Jesus, based on what I have read about him, I am sure I would quite like him. But some of these people claiming to speak for him are quite scary.

[LibDemAlways]

34. If the criteria is who had the

greatest inflence or impact this year, I'd have to say the mainstream media -- for their total whoredom and chimp ass-kissing that once again allowed him to get close enough to steal it, and also for their dedication to diversionary tabloid shit like Scott Peterson, which gives chimpco plenty of cover to get away with its own murder and mayhem.

[American Tragedy]

39. Very good point, but rather an unlikely stance for Time magazine

of all things. :)

[DemBones DemBones]

35. How about. . .

Anybody But Bush?

[AngryAmish]

38. Mick Foley

he has been snubbed so many times...

Actually, around the year 2000 he won the online poll until he was disqualified, then it was Ataturk who won.

[njdemocrat106]

41. John Kerry

My main man! Say what you want about how well his campaign was run. I still think it was an extremely positive campaign and I still think he would make a great President (with a capital P). If any of the other fine candidates from the primary were nominated and were in the same situation as Kerry, a lot of us would still be saying the same things (He didn't fight for us like he said he would!). I still support Kerry, and let's face it, he's still a BILLION times better than Bush and almost every other Republican.

[chicagiana]

50. I agree with John Kerry as man of the year ...

... because he lost an election against the weakest opponent in a LONG time.

In general I'd have to give a big stinker award to the Democratic leadership for being spineless incompetent fools who have zigged where they should have zagged.

The Democrats are quickly becoming the political equivalent of the New Jersey generals. If they lose one more round, it will be time to form a new team.

[kittykitty]

42. Kristin Breitweiser and the Jersey Girls

Without them there would be no 9/11 Commission or Intelligence reform.

[G_j]

46. Medea Benjamin (&Code Pink)

Who along with Code Pink managed to unfold many a banner in places they were 'unwanted'.


http://www.globalexchange.org/getInvolved/speakers/12.html

Medea Benjamin is Founding Director of Global Exchange. For over twenty years, Medea has supported human rights and social justice struggles around the world.

Medea is a leading activist in the peace movement and helped bring together the groups forming the coalition United for Peace and Justice (see http://www.unitedforpeace.org/ ).

She is also the co-founder of Code Pink: Women for Peace, a women's group that has been organizing against the occupation of Iraq and pushing for a reorientation of budget priorities in the US to focus on heath care, education and housing, not war. Code Pink now has over 100 chapters throughout the United States (see http://www.codepink4peace.org/ ).

Medea has traveled several times to Iraq to establish the Occupation Watch International Center in Baghdad. The center monitors the military occupation forces and foreign corporations, hosts international delegations, and keeps the international community updated about the occupation forces' activities through a new website, http://www.occupationwatch.org . Medea most recently visited Iraq in early December accompanying the military families delegation (see http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/iraq/familiesreport.html ).

In September 2003, Medea was in Cancun, Mexico challenging the policies of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in November in Miami protesting the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), and highlighting the coalescing of the global peace and economic justice movements.

In 2002, Medea accompanied four Americans who lost loved ones in the September 11th terrorist attacks on a trip to Afghanistan to meet people there who lost relatives during the US bombing of Afghanistan. Their extraordinary journey received such international attention that the US Government was pressured to discuss civilian casualties and to create a compensation fund for Afghan victims.

Medea's previous work has focused on improving the labor and environmental practices of US multinational corporations, and the policies of international institutions such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

For much of 2001, Medea focused on California's energy crisis, fighting the market manipulation by the big energy companies and rate hikes that cause hardship for low-income ratepayers and small businesses. She headed a powerful coalition of consumer, environmental, union and business leaders working for clean and affordable power under public control.

Medea was the Green Party candidate for US Senate from California in 2000. Her run for U.S. Senate succeeded in mobilizing thousands of Californians around platform issues such as living wage, schools-not-prisons, and universal healthcare.

During the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle in December 1999, Medea's organization, Global Exchange, helped fix world attention on the need to place labor and environmental concerns over corporate profits.

While critical of unfair global trade policies, Medea has promoted "fair trade" alternatives that are beneficial to both producer and consumer. She helped form a national network of retailer and wholesalers in support of fair trade and was instrumental in pressuring coffee retailers such as Starbucks to start carrying fair trade coffee.

Medea is a key figure in the anti-sweatshop movement, having spearheaded campaigns against the giant sports shoe company Nike and clothing companies such as the GAP. In 1999 Medea helped expose the problem of indentured servitude among garment workers in the US territory of Saipan (the Marianas Islands), which led to a billion-dollar lawsuit against 17 US retailers.

After several fact-finding visits to China, Medea co-sponsored with the International Labor Rights Fund an initiative to improve the labor and environmental practices of US multinationals in China. The ensuring Human Rights Principles for US Businesses in China have been endorsed by major companies such as Cisco, Intel, Reebok, Levi Strauss and Mattel.

In 1999, San Francisco Magazine named Medea to their "Power List" as one of the "60 Players Who Rule the Bay Area." She serves on the board or advisory council of numerous organizations, including the United National Development Program, the Interhemispheric Resource Center, the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness and Green Empowerment.

Medea helped build US support for the movement to oust General Suharto in Indonesia and for the right of self-determination for the people of East Timor. She supported the Peace Process between the Zapatista rebels and the Mexican government, fought to lift the embargoes against Cuba and Iraq, and was active in cutting US military aid to repressive regimes in Central America. She has been an election observer and led fact-finding delegations to dozens of countries.

She is author of eight books, including "Bridging the Global Gap, The Peace Corps and More," and the award-winning book "Don't Be Afraid, Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks from the Heart." She helped produce various TV documentaries such as the anti-sweatshop video Sweating for a T-Shirt.

Medea received a Masters degree in Public Health from Columbia University and a Masters degree in Economics from the New School for Social Research. She worked for ten years as an economist and nutritionist in Latin America and Africa for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization, the Swedish International Development Agency, and the Institute for Food and Development Policy.

[mithnanthy]

47. Sibel Edmonds..

or Kirsten B. and The Jersey Girls

[Cat Atomic]

49. Cheney would've been good.

[saltpoint]

51. Two considerations.

The cynic in me chooses George Orwell.

The citizen chooses Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, for his principled stand in the U.S. Senate against the mindless immorality of the Bush war policy.

[DireStrike]

52. George Washington - The Dollar.

[lpbk2713]

53. Michael Moore

Everywhere you looked he was the subject of RW slander and acrimony. They obviously feared him tremendously. There was so much newsprint consumed re MM that I don't see how he didn't get the award.

[journalist3072]

55. The Jersey Girls

The Jersey Girls definitely get my vote.

They turned their unspeakable grief into activism, by coming to Washington, DC to speak truth to power.

They DEMANDED that a Commission be created to study how the attacks on 9/11 were allowed to happen, and in the process, learned how our government works, and learned a lot about political cowardice in Washington, DC.

They did not simpy wallow in their grief, wrap themselves in the American flag, and say, like some other 9/11 families, that there was nothing the Bush administration could have done to prevent 9/11.

They demanded answers and accountability. When they went to Capitol Hill to lobby lawmakers, they caught Rep. Porter Goss hiding from them behind his office door.

God Bless the Jersey Girls. If it were not for them, there never would have been a 9/11 Commission. We would probably have NEVER known about the Aug. 6 PDB.

They are my "Persons of the Year."

[leftchick]

56. Michael Moore

for obvious reasons.