Here are the candidates for man (or person) of the year: They are listed alphabetically.
Chinese Companies: They are not on the list for the good they do. Rather for their incompetence. For awhile, it seemed we had a different Chinese product being recalled for being laced with some poison. In the US, when companies screw up, they get a bailout. In China, the CEO's are shot.
The Dalai Lama: His followers are under Chinese occupation. He still remains a major force.
Mitch Daniels: Barack Obama won his state, but Indiana Republican Governor Daniels was re-elected with 57% of the vote. Watch for him in the future.
Robert Downey Jr.: From addict to Oscar. He was impressive in both Iron Man and Tropic Thunder.
Heath Ledger: He should win an Oscar for The Dark Knight. Too bad he died when we discovered he was really a good actor.
John McCain: 2008 was the last hurrah for the Vietnam generation. McCain put on a spirited campaign despite long odds and bad luck.
The Media: There has never been a campaign in recent history as bad as this one. This is not a criticism of Obama or McCain. The Media's behavior was reprehensible. Pew Research reported that only Fox News was even handed this time around.
Barack Obama: Obama overcame long odds to win the Democratic nomination and then the presidency. He is the first African-American President. Electorally, he is the first Democrat to win the White House with over 50% of the vote since 1964 and he won several states that should never have gone Democratic. He is a great speaker that can inspire. The big question now is can he govern or are we stuck with another Jimmy Carter?
Sarah Palin: She became a superstar to some and a Palin in the neck to others. She drew large crowds that rivalled Obama's. Polls showed that she appealed to many middle class soccer moms. Whether she is a long term player or a flash in the pan is yet to be determined.
The Philadelphia Phillies: They won their first championship since 1980 and second title overall.
and the winner is....
Barack Obama
