‘Person of Year’ Honors Go to Mayor Giuliani

In his Christmas Day editorial cartoon, Michael Ramirez objects to Time magazine’s selection of New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani over President Bush as its “Person of the Year.” I happen to agree with Time. While the president rose to the challenge of Sept. 11, Giuliani met and transcended the challenge.

John Lane

Stanton

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Bush was considered, but Time magazine editors recognized that they were looking for person of the year, not boob of the year. Giuliani was a great choice; he was clearly the stabilizing influence following Sept. 11, not just for the people of New York City but for millions of Americans across the land. I’m very pleased that Bush is handling matters better than expected, but his leadership definitely falls a bit short of “Person of the Year.”

Bernard Spear

Placentia

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Ramirez whines that the liberals at Time magazine kept Dubya from his rightful place as “Person on the Year.” Sniffing at Giuliani’s accomplishments after 9/11 is one thing, but claiming that a man who has shown about as much leadership as a hood ornament ought to get the nod is incredible. The president’s underlings have used this terrible tragedy to push corporate welfare, the destruction of wildlife refuges and an expansion of worthless military projects (so long, ABM treaty), all while their “leader” drones on about evildoers.

It’s agonizing to think how much more artfully just about any president of the past century would have handled such a catastrophe. The truth is, the men and women of this country are the ones who are pulling themselves through the terrors of 9/11. Ramirez missed the point entirely: Giuliani acted the way all of us hope we would act in the face of such horror. He didn’t hide behind platitudes; he didn’t let terror stop him. He kept his wits and did the best he could.

John J. Flynn

Culver City

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Thank heaven for Giuliani or the contest would have come down to being between George W. and Osama bin Laden--and who knows how the Supreme Court would have voted on that one? Time’s Jim Kelly said Bin Laden really wasn’t a contender, anyway, because he wasn’t a “charismatic figure” (Dec. 24) like Hitler or Stalin, who were honored by Time in 1938 and 1941. Now, there were a couple of real role models.

Richard R. Roberts

Wilmington

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The Ramirez cartoon is shabby and tasteless. I’ll take Giuliani’s warm, personal touch and his heartfelt efforts to buoy up our spirits in the face of tragedy to Bush’s saber-rattling any day.

Robert C. Lutes

Temple City