President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday was named a finalist for TIME Magazine‘s 2020 Person of the Year. The shortlist of candidates was announced Thursday morning during NBC’s Today show, with Biden’s name joining fellow candidates President Donald Trump, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci and frontline healthcare workers, and the movement for racial justice.
Confirming Biden as a candidate for the honor, TIME‘s Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsentha noted Biden’s “historic win” in the 2020 presidential election, in which he won “more popular votes than any president in history.” Biden is one of only 11 candidates in U.S. history to defeat an incumbent president. He is currently projected to secure 306 electoral college votes and is set to be sworn in on Jan. 20 as the oldest president in the nation’s history. Felsentha also recognized the former vice president’s “very different message than we’ve seen the last four years emphasizing empathy and unity.
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The magazine has selected a Person of the Year since 1927 and notes that the honor typically goes to “an individual but sometimes multiple people who greatly impacted the country and world during the calendar year.” Young environmental activist Greta Thunberg was named Person of the Year in 2019, and Trump received the honor in 2016. The 2020 Person of the Year will be announced Thursday night during the first-ever TIME Person of the Year broadcast special on NBC at 10 p.m. ET.
Wait, why is the Time Person of the Year announcement a big deal? I thought it was Joe Biden by default, like every other election winner?
— Joe Parlock (@joeparlock) December 10, 2020
Person of the Year should definitely go to either The American Healthcare Worker or the Movement for Racial Justice (sorry Fauci). Save Biden for 2021’s.
— ari (@Aristocatte) December 10, 2020
if TIME chooses Trump or Biden as person of the year I’m losing it
— 希 (@ki_v_) December 10, 2020
Neither Trump nor Biden deserve the person of the year award. Give it to the frontline health care workers.
— NBA YouTuber Kogostomus Wellins (@kogostomus) December 10, 2020
I think Time Magazine’s 2020 Person of the year has to be Fauci and the Frontline workers. The biggest story, the one that changed things the most in 2020, is COVID, Biden hasn’t had the chance to act on it, Trump refused to act.
— Donald Brown (@GadgetDon) December 10, 2020
I love Biden, but I don’t think he deserves Person of the Year. I say either Fauci or healthcare workers in general.
— ByeDon. Biden is my President. (@Flush_The_Turd) December 10, 2020
If Tr u mp or Biden are Time’s Person of the Year, I’m quitting America.
— Michelle 😷 (@eatniks) December 10, 2020
surely its gonna be biden dont they always make the president-elect person of the year? https://t.co/OMkMLnUHhW
— aimé (@treifwater) December 10, 2020
TIME Magazine Person of the Year?
— Ralph The Liberal 🇪🇺🇺🇲 (@RalphTheLiberal) December 10, 2020
Only Joe Biden!
I hope @TIME makes Joe Biden the person of the year for the lulz.
— Jenpocalypse17 🌊 (@Jenpocalypse17) December 10, 2020
Neither Trump nor Biden deserve to be named Time’s Person of the Year.
— Abby (@abbythetweet) December 10, 2020
I’m glad Biden won the presidency, but I think it is pretty clear that Biden and Trump shouldn’t be finalists.
— Matt Haupt (@matthaupt) December 10, 2020
Racial Justice Movement
Fauci & Healthcare Workers
They are leaps and bounds above the rest in terms of Person of the Year. Either one I would be happy with. https://t.co/pIC3svEw6T
Times person of the year should be Joe Biden
— Radcial Retard 🇺🇸🌐 (@KennySchippler) December 10, 2020
Let’s be real though, the real competition is healthcare workers and Biden. We all know there is a 0% chance Trump is being Person of The Year.
— ERonian🇪🇺⚔️🎄 (@eronian) December 10, 2020
