Foreign Policy: 2009’s Top Thinkers
Email Who would be your pick for top "thinker" of the year? The upcoming issue of Foreign Policy magazine ranks a list of the "100 Top Global Thinkers" . . . and their #1 pick is Ben Bernanke. The magazine credits the Fed chairman with “single-handedly reinventing the role of a central bank” and “preventing the collapse of the U.S. economy.” President Barack Obama is #2 on the list – “for reimagining America’s role in the world.” Also making the list: Zahra Rahnavard (#3), the wife of Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, for orchestrating Iran’s Green Revolution; economist Nouriel Roubini (#4) for accurately forecasting the global economic crisis; former President Bill Clinton (#6) for his philanthropic work; Islam critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali (#48); and economist Paul Krugman (#29) — a member of our “This Week” powerhouse Roundtable. The magazine surveyed the top global thinkers asking them to project what will be next year’s biggest global crisis (Iran led the survey); which country is the most dangerous (54 % said Pakistan); and what was the most significant underreported story of 2009 (the economy, water scarcity and China topped the list). You can take the survey yourself HERE and see how your answers stack up.
-George Stephanopoulos
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It was Ben Bernanke and Alan Greenspan that put us in the tank in the first place,even now Greenspan sort of admits it. They in their efforts to prop up the failing stock market caused most of this economic downturn.
Posted by: earl | November 29, 2009, 6:24 am 6:24 am
Nouriel Roubini #4? I’m sorry, but that is laughable. Put 100 economists in a room and ask for their predictions, half will be right, half wrong. Take the 50 who were right and do it again…..and so on and so on. Economists are very smart people, but Roubini just happened to get a hit on this one. Count how many misses has he had? Hmmmm, I wonder?
Posted by: Mark H. | November 29, 2009, 7:49 am 7:49 am
The most under reported story of the year is Climategate, leftist scientists collaborating by cooking the books to hide the fact that climate change is not man made.
Posted by: jturskyenet | November 29, 2009, 9:12 am 9:12 am
I would reverse the top two, but that’s just me. Of course those on the “right” would not think …. actually they just would not think, period.
Posted by: Bob M | November 29, 2009, 10:20 am 10:20 am
In would reverse the top two. Although, I am sure the “right” would not think …… Actually, they would not think, period.
Posted by: Bob M | November 29, 2009, 10:22 am 10:22 am
I bet there won’t be any Nobel Peace Prize Committee members on that list!
Posted by: TexBork009 | November 29, 2009, 11:12 am 11:12 am
No. 2. will be the first and No.1
comes second.
His leadership has rescued us all
from the economic catastrophic
we faced back 2008. When some throw blames to him the must also give him credit when he deserves it!
Posted by: ST | November 29, 2009, 11:26 am 11:26 am
George shame on you for mentioning bill and not Hillary as she was tied with her husband for number 6. From the mag “This year, she has tirelessly broadcast the administration’s banner diplomatic message: The United States under Obama is a smart power, a participant in a “new era of engagement based on common interests, shared values, and mutual respect.” But Clinton is also aiming to remake the State Department itself. The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review she initiated promises a thorough, ongoing assessment of the massive bureaucracy in order to create a leaner, more responsive State Department capable of being the engine of Washington’s new diplomacy. “
Posted by: Rachel | November 29, 2009, 11:30 am 11:30 am
Smart People are THINKERS.
Posted by: sara | November 29, 2009, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
For the naysayers about global warming, compare the satellite images of inside the arctic circle to the north pole in 1970 to those of today. If the contrast of the photographs is not convincing, conclude whatever you like.
Posted by: wilfred mundy | November 29, 2009, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm
It reads like a who’s who of the communist party rooster list. Georgie your colors are showing again.
Posted by: VeryPainfulTruth | November 29, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
i never heard of this magazine, but OMG when i seen who they thought were ‘gobal thinkers’ i had to laff.. BO, a global thinker??lol.. talk about an oxymoron…well, we know what political affiliation these clowns hold…
Posted by: realman1963 | November 29, 2009, 5:13 pm 5:13 pm
Wow… I’m sad. I really thought that Sarah Palin or G.W. Bush would be on this list…:-(.
Oh… wait a minute… it was the “Top 100 Global Comedians” List I was thinking about.
Posted by: X-Republican Because of Bush | November 29, 2009, 6:04 pm 6:04 pm
I will agree with them that Ben Bernanke is a top thinker although not someone who should be given any glory. Someone like him HAS to be a top thinker. Think about it: The spokesman for the private Federal Reserve whose obvious mission by all they are doing is to destroy America economically to usher in the New WOrld Order. He knows what he is doing yet he has to delicately hide it as best he can and the lies, obfuscations, and BS that come from his lips can only be that of a top bullcr@p artist or thinker!!
Posted by: W. Wallace | November 29, 2009, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
Obama #2?! Bwaaahaaa. yeah right. This must be a list made up by Americans and that represents America’s interest which is why it’s so bad. Leaders from Iran, China, Russia, India, Brazil and even the pita Chavez should be in all the top spots and Obama should be off the list. We have fallen so far behind in the past decade, we are just struggling to catch up.
Posted by: Gigi | November 29, 2009, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
I always think of Bill Clinton as a good friend to the American People. Smart but didn’t put on an heirs about it, looked out for ordinary working people, kept the wars limited too. Obama needs to quit the image game, needs to make decisions that shortcut to the point, trust in himself and throwout the bumbo jumbo.
Posted by: Bruce | November 29, 2009, 7:58 pm 7:58 pm
What is this – the Fascist Political Magazine (FP?). This whole list is a joke. Bill Clinton as #6… for his charity works.. puhlease… there are a ton of people outdoing him… Gates, Jolie, heck – even Oprah would make that list before him…. at least they GIVE money – not take it.
Obummer for #2? Really – what has he successfully done so far? APOLOGIZED for his country, LOST the olympics bid, got NOTHING from China, FAILED his allies in Europe over the missle shield (assuring Russia they could regain Georgia and the rest of the east block), FAILED to be decisive on Afghanistan (resulting in RECORD number deaths of our soldiers every month in that country – and record number deaths of Palistinians and Afghani Citizens), ANGERED the UK PM, ANGERED the French President, ANGERED the UK Queen, BOWED to the Saudi King, BOWED to China’s Chairman,IGNORED the cries for support from the students protesting for freedom in Iran, FAILED to gain the 3 American’s captured in Iran’s freedom, FAILED to get Iran to negotiate away Nukes (they are doing the reverse of that), ANGERED Israel, ANGERED the Vatican… etc etc… So WHAT – pray tell – has Obummer accomplished? In the works of SNL – JACK & SQUAT.
Posted by: clr | November 29, 2009, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm
I guess “thinking” about job creation, the economy, Iraq, Afganistan, Iran, and about a hundred other concerns may be what qualifies Obama for this list. But I’d really like to him DO SOMETHING!
Posted by: Steve C | November 29, 2009, 9:38 pm 9:38 pm
When will the media fall out of love with Obama? #2? Oh, please. Obama has accomplished nearly nothing. Even his staunchest supporters are starting to get embarrassed.
Posted by: KiddingMe? | November 29, 2009, 10:17 pm 10:17 pm
puhleez…You sure this isn’t the Council of Foreign Relations Rooster list….oh wait IT IS!
Posted by: Bondservant1958 | November 29, 2009, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm
ST…”His leadership has rescued us all from the economic catastrophic we faced back 2008.” Are you drunk or what? We have the worst unemployment numbers since Carter, while outspending ANY OTHER PRESIDENT IN HISTORY in the first year of his term!! OMG, you make me laugh!!!
Posted by: WhatAJoke! | November 29, 2009, 11:36 pm 11:36 pm
earth to george, earth to george! obama is a moron. earth to george!
Posted by: earth to george | November 30, 2009, 1:16 am 1:16 am
WhatAJoke: I think you are not fully aware how bad our economy
was back 2008. If it could had continued to deteriorate, I do not think you and me we could even been
here blogging. Give a man a credit, he deserves it.
Posted by: ST | November 30, 2009, 3:01 am 3:01 am
FP should just put the entire globalist elite on the cover… looks like they and the rest of the media are in the tank for them for them anyway.
Posted by: Tony | November 30, 2009, 5:06 am 5:06 am
not that it matters, but if bill clinton is on the list, shouldn’t george h. bush be on it also? haven’t they worked hand in hand for the last few years on all kinds of charitable endeavors?
Posted by: davidfrat21 | November 30, 2009, 7:32 am 7:32 am
“reimagining” the u.s. in the world? what is that?
Posted by: davidfrat21 | November 30, 2009, 7:33 am 7:33 am
I am also from one the global thinkers.
Posted by: Jan scote | December 3, 2009, 2:33 am 2:33 am
I would say the thinker of the year (or even the century) is Bernard Madoff (the Jewish investment manager) who single handedly rubbed over $120 billions of the investors life savings in just a couple of years!
Posted by: Kiumars | December 6, 2009, 9:19 am 9:19 am