# Time Person of the Year 2024 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507 "2024-10-31T17:37:18Z")\ **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 31, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/1 "2024-10-31T17:37:18Z")
I just updated my Sportsperson of the Year post over on The Game Room, so I thought I would start the Time POTY discussion while I was at it. I am going to go with my original thought: the President-Elect, whoever that may be. If Harris wins, it’s almost a certainty, and the only question would be, do they include Walz as well? (My guess: no - it would take away from Harris’s “moment.”) However, if Trump wins, would Time think that naming him would result in a Washington Post-style backlash? I don’t think so. Besides, he would be “the most newsworthy person of the year,” especially after the assassination attempt. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/2 "2024-10-31T18:49:46Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > However, if Trump wins, would Time think that naming him would result in a Washington Post-style backlash? I don’t think so. There is precedent: [![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HbNhwf2wpSU/T1kZtiqI5EI/AAAAAAAAoJw/R5BkiMQJxmY/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/hitler-Time-man-of-the-year.jpg) ](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HbNhwf2wpSU/T1kZtiqI5EI/AAAAAAAAoJw/R5BkiMQJxmY/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/hitler-Time-man-of-the-year.jpg) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/3 "2024-10-31T18:51:53Z")
Yeah-That happened in 1938, and it didn’t make him popular _at all_. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/4 "2024-10-31T18:53:08Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > There is precedent: I think it’s pretty clear that Time wouldn’t pick a highly influential, but also infamous, person in this era. They’d get tremendous PR backlash, even if such a person did meet their stated criteria. In 2001, that person would have been Osama bin Laden. But, being highly infamous, they instead picked then-Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani. ---
**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, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/5 "2024-10-31T19:55:14Z")
It’ll be whoever wins the election, because Time doesn’t even bother trying in election years. “The Essential Workers” should’ve won 2020. ---
**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, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/6 "2024-10-31T21:12:15Z")
Here is a list of Presidential election years where the elected President did not win: 1996 (Clinton #2) - David Ho, pioneer in AIDS research 1988 (G.W. Bush) - “Planet of the Year” Earth 1984 (Reagan #2) - Peter Ueberroth (head of the 1984 LA Olympic Organizing Committee); note Reagan had won in 1983 1968 (Nixon #1) - The Apollo 8 Astronauts 1960 (Kennedy) - U.S. Scientists, although Kennedy did win in 1961 1956 (Eisenhower #2) - Hungarian Freedom Fighters 1952 (Eisenhower #1) - Queen Elizabeth II 1944 (FDR #4) - Dwight Eisenhower 1940 (FDR #3) - Winston Churchill 1936 (FDR #2) - Wallis Warfield Simpson 1928 (Hoover) Walter Chrysler ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/7 "2024-10-31T21:17:31Z")
If it’s not the winner of the 2024 Presidential election, it could be Benjamin Netanyahu. They could give it to Netanyahu/Sinwar, but I’m not sure Sinwar can win now, being dead and all. ---
**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, 2024, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/8 "2024-10-31T21:19:17Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Here is a list of Presidential election years where the elected President did not win But none since 2000. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/9 "2024-10-31T21:51:01Z")
This list is more random than [Nobel Peace Prize laureates](https://www.nobelpeaceprize.org/laureates/). The Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” that we all need: [![](https://cdn.thisiswhyimbroke.com/images/the-big-lebowski-time-man-of-the-year-mirror-merchandiseonline-640x534.jpg) ](https://cdn.thisiswhyimbroke.com/images/the-big-lebowski-time-man-of-the-year-mirror-merchandiseonline-640x534.jpg) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/10 "2024-10-31T23:27:13Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > In 2001, that person would have been Osama bin Laden. But, being highly infamous, they instead picked then-Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani. Maybe they could pick The Unhoused and illustrate it with Rudy. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/11 "2024-11-01T19:41:24Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > However, if Trump wins, would Time think that naming him would result in a Washington Post-style backlash? All Trump would say is “I’m on the cover of TIME!” And then order a bazillion copies. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2024, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/12 "2024-11-04T18:28:22Z")
More likely, his PAC would order a bazillion copies, then “autograph” them and offer them to his minions for “a small donation (fine print: every week for the next four years)” ---
**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:** [December 10, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/13 "2024-12-10T21:40:39Z")
The announcement will be made on Thursday 12/12. Here are the ten finalists: Kamala Harris HRH Catherine, Princess of Wales Elon Musk Yulia Navalnaya (wife of Alexei Navalny) Benjamin Netanyahu Jerome Powell (chair, U.S. Federal Reserve) Joe Rogan Claudia Sheinbaum (president of Mexico) Donald Trump Mark Zuckerberg I’m sticking by my original choice - President-elect Trump ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/14 "2024-12-10T21:49:37Z")
…wow. A shortlist of some of the most horrible people on the planet. Including one person who is under indictment by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. And based on the criteria of “had the biggest impact—for good **or for ill** —on the world over the previous 12 months”, they are likely to win. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/15 "2024-12-10T21:53:06Z")
Not much suspense here; of course they will pick Trump. Not only will they sell a lot of copies, they will avoid having Trump’s IRS audit their top execs. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/16 "2024-12-10T22:17:29Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > The announcement will be made on Thursday 12/12. Here are the ten finalists: > Kamala Harris > HRH Catherine, Princess of Wales > Elon Musk > Yulia Navalnaya (wife of Alexei Navalny) > Benjamin Netanyahu > Jerome Powell (chair, U.S. Federal Reserve) > Joe Rogan > Claudia Sheinbaum (president of Mexico) > Donald Trump You know, if there’s a case to be made that Harris could’ve won against Trump if Biden had stepped down in January instead of in July — such that _he’s_ the difference between selecting Harris from that list and selecting Trump — and then you simply add in everything the Biden administration, well, _did_ between January and now, it seems like there’s a decent argument that you could make for the guy. ---
**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:** [December 10, 2024, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/17 "2024-12-10T23:45:30Z")
Here’s hoping they name Kamala Harris, just so we can all watch Trump’s head explode on camera. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/18 "2024-12-10T23:51:46Z")
Add Tim Walz for “People of the Year” and watch J. D. Vance’s head explode too, and also Elon Musk’s. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/19 "2024-12-11T01:11:59Z")
I only wonder if it will be Trump himself or Trump/Elon. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507/20 "2024-12-11T01:26:24Z")
Why is the Princess of Wales on the shortlist? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2024/1009507.md?page=2)