The 2009 TIME 100 Finalists

Cast your votes for the leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and thinkers who deserve a spot on this year's TIME 100. — By Brian Raftery

Meredith Whitney

Brendan McDermid / Reuters / Corbis
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AGE: 39
OCCUPATION: Banking analyst
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 0

PRO: She was an early adopter of credit-crisis concern, warning of troubles with the likes of Citigroup and Merrill Lynch way before it became cool. Now she's worried that credit-card companies will start shrinking their credit lines, a move that could hurt consumer spending.

CON: She's smart, fearless ... and a complete downer.

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