Time magazine Wednesday named Russian President Vladimir
Putin "Person of the Year" for his "extraordinary feat of
leadership in taking a country that was in chaos and bringing it
stability."
The runners-up for 2007 went to Nobel Prize-winner Al Gore and
the author of the "Harry Potter" books J.K. Rowling.
In an article entitled "Choosing Order Before Freedom" posted on
the magazine's website, Time managing editor Richard Stengel
said Putin was chosen for performing "an extraordinary feat of
leadership in imposing stability on a nation that has rarely known
it and brought Russia back to the table of world power."
(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2007)
