Handicapping the Race for Time's 2007 "Person of the Year"

Time's "Person of the Year," in recent years, has lost some of its sparkle. According to Wikipedia, Time magazine's "Person of the Year" selections have included the following since 2002:

2002: The Whistleblowers
2003: The American Soldier
2004: George W. Bush
2005: Good Samaritans
2006: You

While some past selections have generated controversy, these selections, culminating in last year's absurdity, have generated boredom and the occasional scoff. After the widespread ridicule that Time's selection of the entire world (or at least the entire readership of Time) created, the editors will likely follow a different path in this year's selection. This will likely mean two things: a choice of a specific person, which always provokes more interested discussion than a faceless group could, and an eye toward provocation. With this in mind, I will list what I see as the leading candidates, by category, with odds for each.

The Obvious Choice

Al Gore: 2/1

Al Gore has transformed himself from being a failed politician to becoming a Nobel laureate (along with a UN Panel that has received far less attention), an Oscar winner, a surprisingly un-stiff presence, and the smug leading voice of the global warming jeremiad. In a year in which his face graced every red carpet event, his accolades brought the inevitable backlash about his own energy consumption and tendency to at times overstate his case. In fact, he is so clearly the choice for this year's selection that it will probably go to someone else.

Bursting Onto the Scene

J.K. Rowling: 5/1