Time magazine has revealed the shortlist of candidates for its annual Person of the Year, a designation meant to recognize the person or group of people who most influenced the news and the world — “for better or for worse” — during the past year.
President Trump is at the top of the roster.
“The 45th president of the U.S., and Time’s 2016 Person of the Year, marked his second year in office through navigating crises involving both himself and his staff, attacking an encircling investigation implicating people close to him, and enacting several controversial policies, ranging from separations at the border to an international trade war with China,” the news organization said.
Also under consideration are “2,000 families were separated at the U.S. border this year under a Trump administration policy aimed at deterring illegal immigration.”
Russia President Vladimir Putin is also on the list, along with South Korean President Moon Jae In, new British royal Meghan Markle, special counsel Robert Mueller, “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler, the late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, March for Our Lives gun reform protesters and California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford.
“Ford, 52, became a symbol for survivors of sexual assault as she testified against in front of senators in September about her allegations against then-Supreme Court nominee and now Judge Brett Kavanaugh,” Time said in its rationale.
The 2018 Person of the Year will be revealed Tuesday morning on NBC’s “Today” show, as well as Time.com.
The first Person of the Year was hero aviator Charles Lindbergh, recognized in 1927.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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