# Time Magazine 2018 Person of the Year **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586 "2018-10-06T23:28:49Z")\ **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 6, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/1 "2018-10-06T23:28:49Z")
Instead of my usual Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year thread (I still think it’s going to be Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant - they’re not going to let three Warriors NBA titles go unrewarded), I’ll start one for the Time Person of the Year. The “obvious” choices are either or both of Justice Kavanaugh and Dr. Blasey Ford, but I don’t see either of them winning; Ford because Time gave it to the #MeToo movement (well, “The Silence Breakers”) last year, and Kavanaugh because it smacks of considering Osama bin Laden in 2001 (i.e. too many people would cancel their subscriptions, and too many companies would withdraw ads). My current pick: Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (assuming she wins), representing the rise of women and progressives in this election. ---
**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 7, 2018, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/2 "2018-10-07T00:32:02Z")
Anything can happen of course, but I’d be surprised. The number of women running for office this year is indeed enormous, especially on the Democratic side. But last year’s award was largely about women as well, and I doubt they’d do the same sort of focus two years in a row. The progressive stuff was bigger in the media than in reality. AOC was a legitimately great story—young progressive woman of color beats old Establishment white man—but it’s probably worth noting that practically nobody voted in that primary. She got something like 16,000 votes, which is not a lot to base a movement on… And in fact, a lot of other progressive candidates failed. In AOC’s home state, Cynthia Nixon got what, 35 percent of the vote? Zephyr Teachout didn’t win the AG nomination and didn’t come especially close. In Illinois, Daniel Biss lost the primary for governor; most progressive candidates in Michigan, Rhode Island, NH, and other states didn’t win despite great expectations; in CA it seems doubtful that Kevin deLeon will unseat Feinstein; etc. The progressive candidates who won were great stories, but it’s hard to see how they represent some kind of incredibly-successful progressive wave. So I don’t think it’ll be progressive candidates either. As for who it WILL be…geez. Maybe Putin and the Russians (after they hack into the TIME editors’ ballots and change them, that is). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/3 "2018-10-07T00:55:05Z")
The POTUS is certainly high on the list of possibilities. Aside from him, perhaps the Parkland kids. Really, I think the results of the mid-term elections will be a big part of the decision. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/4 "2018-10-07T01:56:51Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The POTUS is certainly high on the list of possibilities. Aside from him, perhaps the Parkland kids. Really, I think the results of the mid-term elections will be a big part of the decision. I agree. If the dems win one or both houses it will be the new blood going to Congress. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/5 "2018-10-07T02:03:21Z")
What about Robert Mueller? I’m not saying this to be sarcastic. I think the ongoing investigation has been one of the top stories of the year. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/6 "2018-10-07T02:51:12Z")
Vlad? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/7 "2018-10-07T03:11:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What about Robert Mueller? > > I’m not saying this to be sarcastic. I think the ongoing investigation has been one of the top stories of the year. This was my first thought. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/8 "2018-10-07T16:30:29Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What about Robert Mueller? > > I’m not saying this to be sarcastic. I think the ongoing investigation has been one of the top stories of the year. I think this depends a lot on whether the report is released before the end of the year. If the report comes out, I figure he’s a shoe-in. Even without that, he’d be a solid choice. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/9 "2018-10-07T16:50:28Z")
It’ll be David Hogg, the Parkland high school student who became a gun control activist and political activist. ---
**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 7, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/10 "2018-10-07T17:37:54Z")
What about Mitch McConnell? Or maybe just the Federalist Society? They’ve been pretty instrumental in getting us where we are. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/11 "2018-10-07T18:09:58Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What about Robert Mueller? > > I’m not saying this to be sarcastic. I think the ongoing investigation has been one of the top stories of the year. My first thought was Avenatti, but I like your pick better. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/12 "2018-10-07T20:08:51Z")
I doubt it will be Kavanaugh. Any reason you might nominate him would be trumped by nominating Trump. I also doubt it will have anything to do with the midterms-- the party of the president almost always does poorly in the midterms, so Democrats gaining back the House is pretty mundane. I could maybe see “women politicians” if women score big in the midterms, but even then I’m thinking most likely not. It might even by Kim Jong Un, but I think he’ll have to do something more between now and Dec. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/13 "2018-10-07T20:37:14Z")
If there’s a breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations, how about Theresa May? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/14 "2018-10-07T21:04:10Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What about Robert Mueller? > > I’m not saying this to be sarcastic. I think the ongoing investigation has been one of the top stories of the year. To me the story has mostly disappeared: I expected the story to be about Trump, instead it is about some corrupt business people. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/15 "2018-10-07T23:16:52Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > To me the story has mostly disappeared: I expected the story to be about Trump, instead it is about some corrupt business people. And the story about that guy is really a story about how powerful Russia has become, and it is Vlad in the lead on that. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/16 "2018-10-09T23:15:30Z")
Keep in mind, TIME’s person of the year is not the _ **best** _ person, but the one who did the most to affect the course of events in the year. For that reason, the POTY is sometimes a real jerk. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/17 "2018-10-10T01:41:59Z")
If I had to pick, right now I’d pick McConnell over Mueller. But we’ll see what November brings. If the GOP loses the Senate, it’s gonna take Mitch down a peg. If Mueller comes out with his report, and it’s a blockbuster, I’d bet on him, regardless of the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/18 "2018-10-10T04:10:49Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > If I had to pick, right now I’d pick McConnell over Mueller. But we’ll see what November brings. If the GOP loses the Senate, it’s gonna take Mitch down a peg. If Mueller comes out with his report, and it’s a blockbuster, I’d bet on him, regardless of the Senate. I’m waiting for the results of November elections too; if the Democrats win back the House and Senate it’s a good bet who ever the Democratic front runners are for Speaker of The House and President pro tempore of the United States Senate will be the leading candidates for Time’s Persons of the Year. ---
**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 31, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/19 "2018-10-31T20:07:55Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > I’m waiting for the results of November elections too; if the Democrats win back the House and Senate it’s a good bet who ever the Democratic front runners are for Speaker of The House and President pro tempore of the United States Senate will be the leading candidates for Time’s Persons of the Year. The main reason I don’t think so is, you would think they would have given it to Nancy Pelosi in 2006 for becoming (or would become, at the start of 2017) the first female Speaker, especially over the “generic” choice they made of “You” (with the reflecting front cover). And wouldn’t the Senate Majority Leader be a more likely choice than the President pro tempore of the Senate if the Democrats do take control? I still have a feeling it’s going to be Pressley and/or Ocasio-Cortez, and maybe throw in Pelosi as well if they want to emphasize women, even if the Republicans hold onto the Senate. Other than Justice Kavanaugh and/or Dr. Blasey Ford, I can’t think of anybody who would be anything other than a “surprise” winner (not that POTY hasn’t had those) - the next two on my list are Putin, and the Duchess (and possibly Duke as well) of Sussex, repre-what? Really, do I have to? Okay… Meghan and Harry - representing some resurgence in “Royal watching.” ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586/20 "2018-10-31T20:12:21Z")
You gotta believe whomever they pick, it’s gonna piss off Trump, right? He’s gotta be thinking it should be him. (Every year of his presidency probably!) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-magazine-2018-person-of-the-year/822586.md?page=2)