During a television special on NBC, Bruce Springsteen announced that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been chosen as Time magazine's Person of the Year. The president-elect and vice president-elect will be featured together on the cover of the magazine on December 21. They were selected over other finalists such as frontline health care workers and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the racial justice movement, and President Donald Trump. Time's editor-in-chief, Edward Felsenthal, mentioned the magazine's historical ties to the presidency during the announcement. Felsenthal pointed out that this was the first time the magazine had decided to include the vice president as a person of the year. He emphasized that the choice reflects not only the past year but also the direction the country is heading. He expressed the belief that the next four years will be a crucial test for them and for all Americans to see if they can fulfill their promise of unity. In a recorded segment, Biden stated that if Trump had been reelected, it would have had a long-lasting impact on the American identity. He described the recent election as a pivotal moment. Harris, who initially ran for president, recognized the challenges and expectations that she and Biden would encounter. "We are currently facing multiple crises that have come together," she explained. Despite the struggle of weekly print magazines to stay relevant in today's media landscape, Time continues to generate excitement over their annual distinction. Time's tradition of selecting a person of the year dates back to 1927 when aviator Charles Lindbergh was chosen as the first recipient. Over the years, Time has honored presidents, peacemakers, astronauts, popes, Queen Elizabeth II, American women, and the Earth itself. However, some controversial figures have also been selected, such as Adolf Hitler in 1938 and Josef Stalin in 1939 and 1942. Time's selection process is not based on popularity, but rather on the individual or individuals who have had the most significant impact on the news and society, whether positive or negative. In 2019, Greta Thunberg was chosen as person of the year over other notable figures like Nancy Pelosi, Trump, the Ukraine whistleblower, and the Hong Kong protesters. Trump criticized the decision on Twitter, calling it "ridiculous." In 2018, Time magazine named a group of journalists, which included slain Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, as its person of the year to highlight the dangers faced by independent journalists amidst a climate of misinformation. The group also included the staff of The Capital Gazette, where five people were killed in a shooting in June 2018. The previous year, Time recognized the "silence breakers," women who sparked the Me Too movement by coming forward with allegations of sexual harassment and assault against powerful men. Prior to the 2017 announcement, President Trump took to Twitter to claim he had been informed he would likely be chosen again but stated he declined the recognition. Time quickly issued a statement refuting the president's claim. Despite his surprising win over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, Trump was named Time magazine's person of the year for that year. Unlike the last three presidents who each served two terms, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, Trump was only chosen once during his presidency. A total of nine presidents have been selected multiple times by Time magazine, with Dwight D. Eisenhower being the first in 1944 for his role in leading the Allies to victory in World War II. Franklin D. Roosevelt holds the record as he was named person of the year three times. Text from around 2020 belonging to The New York Times Company.