<p>Just checked the whole list, and in 2001 it was Giuliani. That was clearly a cop out, since the person who had the most impact, for good or for ill, was Ben Laden. Person of the Year is not supposed to be an honor, it’s supposed to be a recognition of impact, pure and simple. But people just don’t seem to accept that, and so I think Time felt they couldn’t name Ben Laden. </p>
<p>And speaking of cop outs, since 1993, “Person of the Year” has included American women (as a group), whisteblowers, the American soldier, and now “you”. If this is what they’re doing, why even bother?</p>
<p>They should go back and look at real impact after the fact. For instance, in 1953, they named Elizabeth II as person of the year (the year she ascended to the throne). But now, looking back, we would say it was the team of Watson & Criquie (sp?), who discovered the composition of DNA. And how about the person who invented the vacuum tube?</p>