President Barack Obama again tops a list that in the past has honored Mark Zuckerberg, Pope John Paul II, the ubiquitous 2011 protester and multiple U.S. presidents before him as figures who have "done the most to influence the events of the year."
Time Magazine on Wednesday named Obama their "person of the year" for the second time. (The last time was in 2008.)
He beat out Apple CEO Tim Cook, Egyptian leader Mohammed Morsi, the Clintons and Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani teen education activist who survived an assassination attempt.
The magazine credited Obama's "unique ability to capitalize" on changing demographics for becoming the first person in 75 years to win a majority of the popular vote twice.
"In an age of lost authority, Obama had managed to maintain his," the magazine's profile on him states. "In group after group, the voters told the researchers they believed the President was honest, lived an admirable personal life and was trying to do the right thing."
On the "Today" show, Time managing editor Rick Stengel likened Obama to Ronald Reagan circa 40 years ago, saying the president is "creating a new alignment" by engaging young voters and minorities.
"I think we will start to see him talking from the heart about things he really cares about," Stengel said.
