My Person of the Year

CYNTHIA COOPER 2002 >THE AMERICAN VOTER Cooper was an auditor at WorldCom, where she blew the whistle on financial fraud

I would like to suggest the American Voter. The concept of one-person, one-vote spoke loudly at a pivotal time, regardless of party affiliation. The people express their will, and there is a peaceful transfer of power. It's an amazing phenomenon. This election, voters wanted change, and they got it.

JEFF BEZOS 1999 >WARREN BUFFETT Bezos is the founder and CEO of online retailing giant Amazon.com

I would like to nominate Warren Buffett, the legendary head of Berkshire Hathaway. This year Buffett announced that he would donate most of his wealth to a number of worthy causes--including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. For his sense and humility, he should be TIME's Person of the Year.

JILL KER CONWAY 1975 >ANGELA MERKEL Conway, a historian, was the first female president of Smith College, from 1975 to 1985

I would suggest as my nominee Angela Merkel, Germany's first female Chancellor and the first woman to lead the country since it became a modern nation in 1871. She is governing well despite the fact that she finds herself in the tough political situation of having an uncertain political base. CORAZON AQUINO 1986 >MUHAMMAD YUNUS Aquino served as President of the Philippines, succeeding Ferdinand Marcos

I nominate Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi economist who won the Nobel Prize this year for his work in microlending. I am fully convinced that the best way out of poverty is through this kind of financing. I proposed him for Person of the Year in '05 as well--I think his ideas could change the world.