Obama Again
December 19, 2012 5:31 AM Subscribe
"For finding and forging a new majority, for turning weakness into opportunity and for seeking, amid great adversity, to create a more perfect union, Barack Obama is TIME’s 2012 Person of the Year."
Runners-up included Malala Yousafzai, Tim Cook, Mohamed Morsi, and Fabiola Gianotti.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- Brandon Blatcher
In before the "they gave it to me" jokeGOD DAMMIT
posted by Think_Long at 5:37 AM on December 19, 2012 [26 favorites]
posted by Think_Long at 5:37 AM on December 19, 2012 [26 favorites]
Big deal, they gave it to Optamystic a few years.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:38 AM on December 19, 2012 [11 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:38 AM on December 19, 2012 [11 favorites]
Big deal. They gave it to me a few years ago.
That reminds me, I need to add that to my CV
posted by TedW at 5:40 AM on December 19, 2012 [5 favorites]
That reminds me, I need to add that to my CV
posted by TedW at 5:40 AM on December 19, 2012 [5 favorites]
Also, didn't Obama just win a few years ago? He should step aside and let someone else have a chance for a change.
posted by TedW at 5:43 AM on December 19, 2012
posted by TedW at 5:43 AM on December 19, 2012
Upon GATFA (Glancing at the Fucking Article), ummmm... did they really, REALLY darken his skin in those photos? Just compare it to any of the photos on the right sidebar....
posted by tzikeh at 5:44 AM on December 19, 2012
posted by tzikeh at 5:44 AM on December 19, 2012
did they really, REALLY darken his skin in those photos?
Tanning-Gate!: Obama Edition
posted by lampshade at 5:49 AM on December 19, 2012
Tanning-Gate!: Obama Edition
posted by lampshade at 5:49 AM on December 19, 2012
No, that is definitely not Tanning-Gate. If anything, it's the opposite.
posted by tzikeh at 6:03 AM on December 19, 2012
posted by tzikeh at 6:03 AM on December 19, 2012
Once again, Time refuses to submit to the will of the people!
posted by history_denier at 6:06 AM on December 19, 2012
posted by history_denier at 6:06 AM on December 19, 2012
This is ridiculous. Malala Yousafzai took a bullet to the head fighting for the right of her fellow countrywomen to access education. Fabiola Gianotti helped discover one of the fundamental building-blocks of the universe. There has to be a limit to America's belly-button gazing, but I guess I don't know where that limit is, if it exists.
posted by 1adam12 at 6:09 AM on December 19, 2012 [23 favorites]
posted by 1adam12 at 6:09 AM on December 19, 2012 [23 favorites]
As much as I like Obama (or what I want Obama to be) giving him this just doesn't fly.
It's like the Nobel.
He just hasn't earned it.
He has not become the person we want him to be.
In the words of Paul Keating: He's all tip, no iceberg.
(Or what 1adam12 said)
posted by Mezentian at 6:12 AM on December 19, 2012
It's like the Nobel.
He just hasn't earned it.
He has not become the person we want him to be.
In the words of Paul Keating: He's all tip, no iceberg.
(Or what 1adam12 said)
posted by Mezentian at 6:12 AM on December 19, 2012
So Time's opinion is suddenly relevant?
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:17 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:17 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
New majority, or new plurality?
posted by blue_beetle at 6:18 AM on December 19, 2012
posted by blue_beetle at 6:18 AM on December 19, 2012
Not surprising in the least. They've awarded Person of the Year to every president since FDR, often twice, with the exception of Gerald Ford.
Disappointing that they'd put up an online feature, and then completely ignore the will of the people. Kim Jong-Un had a commanding lead, and is the real person of the year.
posted by explosion at 6:22 AM on December 19, 2012
Disappointing that they'd put up an online feature, and then completely ignore the will of the people. Kim Jong-Un had a commanding lead, and is the real person of the year.
posted by explosion at 6:22 AM on December 19, 2012
Sadly it appears the President has replaced his tobacco habit with colloidal silver
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:31 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:31 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
They've awarded Person of the Year to every president since FDR, often twice
Well it is fun having POTUS POTY parties.
posted by mazola at 6:31 AM on December 19, 2012
Well it is fun having POTUS POTY parties.
posted by mazola at 6:31 AM on December 19, 2012
This is ridiculous.
The point at which you started caring about Time's person of the year is the point at which things became ridiculous.
posted by shakespeherian at 6:34 AM on December 19, 2012 [5 favorites]
The point at which you started caring about Time's person of the year is the point at which things became ridiculous.
posted by shakespeherian at 6:34 AM on December 19, 2012 [5 favorites]
Really, this is quite a shock. I felt sure that this year the award would go to somebody from American Idol.
posted by wolfdreams01 at 6:35 AM on December 19, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by wolfdreams01 at 6:35 AM on December 19, 2012 [4 favorites]
ALSO before it comes up, although Time tends to dick around with stating this in years when they're trying to be super positive about their choice, the POTY isn't meant to be a gesture of approval or honor or anything, and yes they've had Hitler and Stalin and Kissinger and whoever else as POTY, get over it.
posted by shakespeherian at 6:37 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 6:37 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
They've awarded Person of the Year to every president since FDR, often twice, with the exception of Gerald Ford.
This was Final Jeopardy a week or two ago.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:37 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
This was Final Jeopardy a week or two ago.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:37 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
POTY is no match for Spiderman
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:39 AM on December 19, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:39 AM on December 19, 2012 [4 favorites]
I think more people are inclined to threaten to murder the writer of Spider-Man than the President of those States United what sit between Canada and Mexico, which says a lot about the state of the world.
I like Obama, he has promise, albeit one that has been knackered by the structure of US politics. I'd love to see him kick arse and take names, like any great reformer.
But he didn't deserve the Nobel, and there's nothing obvious for which he deserves this considering the field, unless there is something obvious on the world stage he has done I am not hearing about.
posted by Mezentian at 6:43 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
I like Obama, he has promise, albeit one that has been knackered by the structure of US politics. I'd love to see him kick arse and take names, like any great reformer.
But he didn't deserve the Nobel, and there's nothing obvious for which he deserves this considering the field, unless there is something obvious on the world stage he has done I am not hearing about.
posted by Mezentian at 6:43 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
As much as I like Obama (or what I want Obama to be) giving him this just doesn't fly.
It's like the Nobel. He just hasn't earned it.
Dude, TIME awarded it to you and me a few years ago. What did we do to earn it?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:50 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
It's like the Nobel. He just hasn't earned it.
Dude, TIME awarded it to you and me a few years ago. What did we do to earn it?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:50 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
"for turning weakness into opportunity.."
I'd say that he rather has a gift for turning opportunity into weakness.
That Old Sick Feeling... here we go again. Paul Krugman's post this morning on Obama's fiscal cliff negotiations and concessions.
posted by Auden at 6:54 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'd say that he rather has a gift for turning opportunity into weakness.
That Old Sick Feeling... here we go again. Paul Krugman's post this morning on Obama's fiscal cliff negotiations and concessions.
posted by Auden at 6:54 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
Personally, I think Maria Bamford should have gotten it.
posted by Auden at 6:56 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Auden at 6:56 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
Everyone won a few years ago.
People who have already won shouldn't repeat.
Time should retire this stupid gimmick for at least 70 years.
QED
posted by randomkeystrike at 6:56 AM on December 19, 2012
People who have already won shouldn't repeat.
Time should retire this stupid gimmick for at least 70 years.
QED
posted by randomkeystrike at 6:56 AM on December 19, 2012
If we're assuming the "honor" can be as much about what the person symbolizes as much as about individual impact on the news, it should have been Mitt Romney. Willard symbolized very well, not to say contributed mightily to, the utter implosion of one of America's two major political parties, and we still don't know how far those ripples are going to spread, for better or worse.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:58 AM on December 19, 2012
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:58 AM on December 19, 2012
> Dude, TIME awarded it to you and me a few years ago. What did we do to earn it?
I cleaned up my room. And took the garbage out.
posted by jfuller at 6:58 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
I cleaned up my room. And took the garbage out.
posted by jfuller at 6:58 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
All elections are about change, and 2012’s was as well.
Apparently TIME farmed out the writing to a seventh-grader.
posted by brain_drain at 6:59 AM on December 19, 2012
Apparently TIME farmed out the writing to a seventh-grader.
posted by brain_drain at 6:59 AM on December 19, 2012
Our timeline shattered irrevocably into metaphysical fragments when TIME declared everyone to be the person of the year, and now we're all Barack Obama. So congratulations again everyone.
posted by naju at 7:05 AM on December 19, 2012
posted by naju at 7:05 AM on December 19, 2012
Time should retire this stupid gimmick for at least 70 years.
Is there even going to be a Time in 70 years? Newsweek is gone, and US News and World Report only exists to put out their college ratings book every year.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 7:05 AM on December 19, 2012
Is there even going to be a Time in 70 years? Newsweek is gone, and US News and World Report only exists to put out their college ratings book every year.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 7:05 AM on December 19, 2012
Always a human. Never a cat. #bias
posted by Wordshore at 7:05 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Wordshore at 7:05 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Onion's Person of the Year is No One.
posted by FJT at 7:06 AM on December 19, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by FJT at 7:06 AM on December 19, 2012 [3 favorites]
It's like the Nobel.
He just hasn't earned it.
I thought he was awarded the Nobel just for not being George W. Bush?
posted by ZenMasterThis at 7:11 AM on December 19, 2012 [3 favorites]
He just hasn't earned it.
I thought he was awarded the Nobel just for not being George W. Bush?
posted by ZenMasterThis at 7:11 AM on December 19, 2012 [3 favorites]
Also, didn't Obama just win a few years ago? He should step aside and let someone else have a chance for a change.
What do you mean? He did everything in his power in these four years to step aside: Engaging in drone warfare, passing a watered down health insurance act, keep economic recovery anemic, let his opponents define him as a socialist, throw the first debate, etc.
posted by FJT at 7:14 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
What do you mean? He did everything in his power in these four years to step aside: Engaging in drone warfare, passing a watered down health insurance act, keep economic recovery anemic, let his opponents define him as a socialist, throw the first debate, etc.
posted by FJT at 7:14 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
ZenMasterThis: "It's like the Nobel.
He just hasn't earned it.
I thought he was awarded the Nobel just for not being George W. Bush?"
That's good enough for me.
posted by Splunge at 7:29 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
He just hasn't earned it.
I thought he was awarded the Nobel just for not being George W. Bush?"
That's good enough for me.
posted by Splunge at 7:29 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
This is ridiculous. Malala Yousafzai took a bullet to the head fighting for the right of her fellow countrywomen to access education. Fabiola Gianotti helped discover one of the fundamental building-blocks of the universe.
To be fair, both of them won it in 2006.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:36 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
To be fair, both of them won it in 2006.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:36 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
Man, it would have been really funny if Morsi had won. It would be like giving some world leader a Nobel Peace Prize only to have him remote-bomb a bunch of weddings and schools. Awkward!
posted by cthuljew at 7:37 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by cthuljew at 7:37 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
Here he comes now, say POTY POTY
Shoot 'em down, turn around, come on POTY
Time picked Obama and it just ain't right now
It makes me toss and turn in the middle of the night
Cuz the POTUS won again and I feel like shite
I say yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah)
Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah) Yeah
It make me feel (ride the POTY)
Like (ride the POTY)
Shite (ride the POTY)
Yeah, I feel like shite
Cuz it just (ride the POTY)
Ain't (ride the POTY)
Right (ride the POTY)
Yeah, it just ain't right
I say yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah)
Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah) Yeah
Oo, we got a POTUS PO PO POTY
Oo, we got a POTUS PO PO POTY . . .
posted by Herodios at 8:04 AM on December 19, 2012
Shoot 'em down, turn around, come on POTY
Time picked Obama and it just ain't right now
It makes me toss and turn in the middle of the night
Cuz the POTUS won again and I feel like shite
I say yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah)
Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah) Yeah
It make me feel (ride the POTY)
Like (ride the POTY)
Shite (ride the POTY)
Yeah, I feel like shite
Cuz it just (ride the POTY)
Ain't (ride the POTY)
Right (ride the POTY)
Yeah, it just ain't right
I say yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah)
Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah) Yeah
Oo, we got a POTUS PO PO POTY
Oo, we got a POTUS PO PO POTY . . .
posted by Herodios at 8:04 AM on December 19, 2012
The fact that Morsi was even on the shortlist is just ... Words actually fail me.
posted by mykescipark at 8:19 AM on December 19, 2012
posted by mykescipark at 8:19 AM on December 19, 2012
They've awarded Person of the Year to every president since FDR, often twice, with the exception of Gerald Ford.
No respect, ever, for the man. Kind of sad.
posted by blucevalo at 8:19 AM on December 19, 2012
No respect, ever, for the man. Kind of sad.
posted by blucevalo at 8:19 AM on December 19, 2012
The fact that Morsi was even on the shortlist is just ... Words actually fail me.
Really? What he's done in Egypt is important. Bad, but important.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 8:29 AM on December 19, 2012
Really? What he's done in Egypt is important. Bad, but important.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 8:29 AM on December 19, 2012
My choice would be the Lone Gunman: Representing murderers such as Holmes, Loughner, Page, and Lanza. This is for both the shooter itself and the puffed up infamy that the media builds around the person.
Or is that too subtle?
posted by FJT at 8:32 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
Or is that too subtle?
posted by FJT at 8:32 AM on December 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
The fact that Morsi was even on the shortlist is just ... Words actually fail me.
The "Person Of The Year" does not necessarily mean that person did something good. It is awarded to the person whom TIME deems had the most impact on events of that year, for good OR bad. They picked Hitler in 1938, and then Stalin in 1939.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:34 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
The "Person Of The Year" does not necessarily mean that person did something good. It is awarded to the person whom TIME deems had the most impact on events of that year, for good OR bad. They picked Hitler in 1938, and then Stalin in 1939.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:34 AM on December 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
Is there even going to be a Time in 70 years?
I'm in my 40's, so this is unlikely to be a practical consideration for me. :-) Replace "70" with "5" and you've probably still got a valid question...
posted by randomkeystrike at 8:47 AM on December 19, 2012
I'm in my 40's, so this is unlikely to be a practical consideration for me. :-) Replace "70" with "5" and you've probably still got a valid question...
posted by randomkeystrike at 8:47 AM on December 19, 2012
There has to be a limit to America's belly-button gazing
The award is for the person who "most affected the news", not the most admirable person or any other definition you imagine it to be. While Obama may not be THE person who most affected the news (certainly from a US journalism perspective), he is at least on the short list. But this is not about some neat person you think deserves more coverage; quite the opposite.
as much about what the person symbolizes
Eh? Maybe for the Nobel Peace Prize (to its detriment, if you ask me), but this is an annual sell-more-magazines gimmick with a somewhat different focus.
Disappointing that they'd put up an online feature, and then completely ignore the will of the people.
Wait, they promised the people's choice contest would determine the outcome? [citation needed]
posted by dhartung at 9:17 AM on December 19, 2012
The award is for the person who "most affected the news", not the most admirable person or any other definition you imagine it to be. While Obama may not be THE person who most affected the news (certainly from a US journalism perspective), he is at least on the short list. But this is not about some neat person you think deserves more coverage; quite the opposite.
as much about what the person symbolizes
Eh? Maybe for the Nobel Peace Prize (to its detriment, if you ask me), but this is an annual sell-more-magazines gimmick with a somewhat different focus.
Disappointing that they'd put up an online feature, and then completely ignore the will of the people.
Wait, they promised the people's choice contest would determine the outcome? [citation needed]
posted by dhartung at 9:17 AM on December 19, 2012
Well, they once gave it to "The Computer", so machines are in play.
This year they should have given it to a gun.
posted by benito.strauss at 10:18 AM on December 19, 2012
This year they should have given it to a gun.
posted by benito.strauss at 10:18 AM on December 19, 2012
The award is for the person who "most affected the news", not the most admirable person or any other definition you imagine it to be.
If that were true, Osama bin Laden would have won in 2001 instead of Rudy Giuliani.
posted by brain_drain at 10:19 AM on December 19, 2012
If that were true, Osama bin Laden would have won in 2001 instead of Rudy Giuliani.
posted by brain_drain at 10:19 AM on December 19, 2012
Thank you for posting this! As I mentioned in the 2010 thread, the Time POTY is a longstanding joke between my dad and I. Because this was posted so early in the day, I was able to get him this year. Calling my dad and telling him I have terrible news is so much fun.
posted by troika at 11:45 AM on December 19, 2012
posted by troika at 11:45 AM on December 19, 2012
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posted by Optamystic at 5:35 AM on December 19, 2012 [16 favorites]