| Traditionally, the news magazine “Time” declares the “Person of the Year” in its last December issue. The nomination of the “Person of the Year” has been awarded since 1927, when this award was given to pilot Charles Lindberg who, for the first time in history completed a trans-Atlantic flight alone.
The Executive Editor of the news magazine “Time” exclusively selects the “Person of the Year”. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, George Bush, an American Soldier, You – an internet user, have been chosen as “Person of the Year” in different years. In 2007, the President of Russia Mr. Vladimir Putin was chosen as “Person of the Year”.
The “Person of the Year” is exclusively chosen by the Executive Editor of the newsmagazine “Time” to reveal the “Person or People” who figured in the news and influenced our lives more than anybody - in a good or bad sense. The public hasn't always agreed with the choice of the news magazine with a “Hurrah”. Adolf Hitler (1938), Ayatollah Khomeini (1979) and even The Computer (1982) were chosen as “Person of the Year” in various periods.
Time has conferred the “Person of the Year” on Stalin (twice - 1939 & 1942), Khrushchev (1957) & Gorbachev (1987 and then in 1989, he was chosen as “Person of the Decade”).
In 2001, the New York mayor Mr. Rudolf Giuliani was chosen “Person of the Year”. According to the news magazine, many suggestions were received from the readers for the candidature of two nominees - Rudolf Giuliani and George Bush. Bin Laden was in third place. Other personalities who were considered for the “Person of the Year” in 2001 include: US Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, John Ashcroft, Minister of Justice and US Attorney General, Donald Rumsfeld, Head of the Pentagon, British Prime Minister Mr. Tony Blair, Ex-Beatle George Harrison and some more famous personalities were also considered.
Explaining the decision of the news magazine, editor-in-chief of “Time” Mr. James Kelly said that Giuliani has especially proved himself in connection with the tragedy of September 11, “touched us emotionally as none other including the president (Bush)”.
In 2002, while choosing “Person of the Year”; Time decided to give this award to three women who were involved in a wave of “corporate scandals” in the USA. However, these women were not at all famous and were unknown. Coleen Rowley, FBI, Sherron Watkins, senior employee of Enron and Cynthia Cooper of WorldCom were chosen as worthy figures for decorating the cover of the last issue of Time in 2002. Watkins and Cooper had unearthed documents confirming large-scale accounting fraud in the companies. Among other nominees for the award of “Person of the Year”, Time has considered Osama Bin Laden, US Vice-President Dick Cheney and New York Attorney General Mr. Eliot Spitzer.
In 2003, the Time news magazine had chosen not a politician, not a businessman, not even a Hollywood star but an American Soldier as the “Person of the Year”. The American Soldier has become “Person of the year” for the second time. The weekly news magazine took a similar decision in 1950, when the Korean War began. Discussions about the military operations of the USA in Iraq were the main events in 2002. Nominees were varied including President Bush and the Minister of Defense Mr. Donald Rumsfeld, but, eventually, but eventually this distinction didn't go to a politician who makes the decisions, but to the ones who execute these decisions and risk their lives daily. The title was called “Man of the Year” in 1950 and was changed to “Person of the Year” in 2003 so as not to offend the women’s section of the American Army with non political correctness.
In 2004, George bush was declared “Person of the Year” (he received this honorary title for the second time). George Bush was chosen as “Person of the Year” for the first time immediately after his first election to the highest post in the country. Above all, the magazine was admired by the president “with ability to convince the majority of voters that he deserves to be elected for four more years”.
Sisters Vika & Olya Kalloagova from Beslan, Illya Lyubimsky, who rescued people during the terrorist attacks in Moscow in 2002 and 2004 were also included in the list in 2004 by Time magazine. The Russian musician Mstislav Rostropovich, for his participation in various socio-cultural projects and also for protecting human rights was also named amongst the heroes.
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Time magazine has named the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke "Person of the Year", and called him "the most powerful nerd on the planet". The magazine said this year's selection is based on the Bernanke's monumental influence on the world's most important economy, and moderately successful steps to bring it to recovery. This honor puts Bernanke, 56, a former professor, in the company of U.S. President Barack Obama, Pope John Paul II and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among other prominent world figures Time magazine has picked in past years.
