# 2019 Time Person of the Year **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 30, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710 "2019-10-30T19:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/1 "2019-10-30T19:53:23Z")
Since I’m starting my SI Sportsperson of the Year thread over in The Game Room, I thought I’d start one for Time Person of the Year as well. I think it’s one of two people: either Greta Thunberg, or the Whistleblower (whether revealed or remaining anonymous). It _could_ be Trump, as the center of the impeachment talk, but I think they’re saving him, and all of the major Democratic candidates, for next year; IMO, whoever is elected President will be the 2020 Person of the Year - yes, even if it’s Biden. (Almost certainly, if it’s Trump or one of the Progressive candidates.) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/2 "2019-10-30T19:56:05Z")
It should be Nancy Pelosi. No idea who it will be. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/3 "2019-10-30T20:07:20Z")
Agree with TriPolar. Both sentences. I doubt it will be Thunberg. Whistleblower is a possibility, but I think Pelosi is more significant in the narrative. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/4 "2019-10-30T20:26:43Z")
Of the three people named, Greta Thunberg has the best chance but, with a world of possibilities, “other” is the easy choice. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/5 "2019-10-30T20:36:28Z")
Another vote for Pelosi. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/6 "2019-10-30T20:36:46Z")
Per UK bookmakers Greta is 1.4:1 odds Jacinda Ardern (NZ PM) is 9:1 odds Trump is 10:1 odds ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/7 "2019-10-30T20:45:52Z")
Nancy Pelosi, hopefully. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/8 "2019-10-30T20:56:15Z")
My guess: Hong Kong protesters. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/9 "2019-10-30T22:14:19Z")
There’s a lot of protesting going on but I’m not sure how effective they are, or even how effective Greta Thunberg is despite the hubbub. A lot of the change she is talking about has already begun. Nancy Pelosi though, holds a lot in her hands and has been able to shut down opponents several times to great effect. My thought though is “Social Media” which has greatly changed society and continues to have a huge influence for better or worse. Is it a single person or persons? No, it’s made up of practically everybody. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/10 "2019-10-30T22:59:04Z")
I am surprised Vladimir Putin isn’t on the list. He seems to have more influence over **global** affairs than Donald Trump at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/11 "2019-10-30T23:06:13Z")
I don’t think they’d want it to be Trump simply because he’s already been it before. They would want variety. I’d guess Thunberg. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/12 "2019-10-30T23:17:02Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I don’t think they’d want it to be Trump simply because he’s already been it before. They would want variety. They did choose Obama twice (2008 and 2012). ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/13 "2019-10-30T23:29:02Z")
Somebody else; possibly many somebodies. I just have an itch that this year is going to be some sort of class/group thing. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/14 "2019-10-31T00:04:59Z")
I hope to god it isn’t Greta Thunberg. I fully support what she is doing, but that is exactly what she said she doesn’t want. She doesn’t want people acting like she is a hero while we all sit around and do nothing about climate change. Making her person of the year while the world only addresses climate change on the margins is just patronizing to her. She wants action, not nice words. I’m guessing they may pick ‘youth’ or ‘people under 30’ or something. Young people are leading climate change efforts, marching for gun safety, voting in record numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/15 "2019-10-31T00:19:36Z")
Are Greta Thunberg and The (Anonymous) Whistleblower well known enough? Does Time select their Person of the Year based on the demographics of those who read Time, of the public in general or something else? I don’t think (admittedly based on nothing but my gut) that many know who Thunberg or The Whistleblower are or what events are related to them. According to [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Person_of_the_Year#cite_note-9), sales and advertising revenue play at least some part in the selection. There hasn’t been a big name since 2016. I would bet on a big name this year, although I don’t have a guess yet as to whom that would be. Robert Mueller has been a runner-up the past two years, so maybe they’ll go in that direction. Both 2017 and 2018 were groups/classes; I don’t think they’d do that three years in a row. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/16 "2019-10-31T00:55:37Z")
Pelosi was what came to mind for me as well. Possibly Boris Johnson as well. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/17 "2019-10-31T00:59:39Z")
What? No votes for AOC? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/18 "2019-10-31T01:11:11Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > What? No votes for AOC? I like her and all, but she’s hardly the most newsworthy person of the year. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/19 "2019-10-31T02:59:35Z")
I voted for The Whistleblower. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710/20 "2019-10-31T10:53:19Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > I voted for The Whistleblower. So did I, but Pelosi could work, or it might turn out that Alexander Vindman was the key to knocking Trump off his perch. I do like the idea of Hong Kong protestors, too. As with the others, we’ll know better in a year which of these had a lasting impact. Greta Thunberg is a tempting symbol, but I agree it’s just the personalized attention she would rather avoid, rather than focusing on climate issues. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-time-person-of-the-year/842710.md?page=2)