Time Announces Person of the Year: Vladimir Putin

Who would you pick if it were up to you to choose the person of the year? An exceptional journalist risking his life to cover war, a heroic soldier, a local hero who saved lives, none of the above? Would it be Vladimir Putin?

Everyone has different ideas concerning what makes a person worthy of being honored. Time Magazine has determined that Vladimir Putin’s leadership has put him in that position for “taking a country that was in chaos and bringing it stability,” per Managing Editor Richard Stengel as quoted by the Associated Press. Stengel went on to say that Putin is “not a good guy” and even called him “dangerous” according to the National Post. Apparently, as long as the results are good, getting there isn’t a concern, even if it involves a threat to civil liberties. In other words, the end justifies the means. In deciding whom to name as Person of the Year, it was a toss up between an interesting mix of people. Runners up include Al Gore, former U.S. Vice President and creator of “An Inconvenient Truth,” J.K. Rowling, author of the "Harry Potter" series, General David Petraeus who recently came under fire when he testified before Congress, and Hu Jintao, the leader of China, whom Time describes as relying on “both ancient wisdom and communist doctrine as guides to action.” It’s a good thing Putin, Gore, Jintao and the rest weren’t in the running last year, or Time might not have chosen you.