Some Past Honorees Give Their Picks for This Year

DR. DAVID HO 1996 Director, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center

Bill Gates because of the tremendous impact his foundation is making on global health. He has led the world to focus more on major health problems, such as malaria, that have long plagued the poor on our planet. His philanthropy is quietly improving the lives of millions in developing countries.

CORAZON AQUINO 1986 Former President of the Philippines; she ousted Ferdinand Marcos

I think someone like Muhammad Yunus, who founded the Grameen movement, should be TIME's Person of the Year for pioneering microfinancing for poor women, helping dramatically reduce poverty. Unlike men, women can be relied on to pay their debts on time.

BILLIE JEAN KING 1975 Tennis legend, feminist icon (TIME honored her in 1975 as one of 12 Women of the Year)

While Mother Nature is not a person, she is deserving of being Person of the Year. From hurricanes to earthquakes and other natural disasters, she has changed our world and in her own way brought us closer together and shown us that sometimes there are things we just can't control.

KENNETH STARR 1998 Former independent counsel, currently dean of Pepperdine Law School

Even though John Roberts was new to the task, his singular accomplishment was to bring about an orderly and almost collegial transition in the nation's most important judicial seat for the first time in almost a generation. The country felt good about its new Chief Justice. Who would have expected that?