For a couple of days in December, George P. Burdell was the most important guy in the world. In Time magazine's online reader poll to submit candidates for the Person of the Year issue, Burdell was the leading vote getter at Time.com's Web site with 34.6 percent of the vote (83,362 votes as George P. Burdell) and at fifth place with just shy of another 2 percent of the vote (as George P Burdell — no period after the P). Burdell was trailed in the ratings by another George — George W. Bush — who garnered a mere 4.2 percent (10,112 votes). Others on the list ranged from the infamous — Osama Bin Laden — to the famous — former Tech baseball player and current Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. Voting also put New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, First Lady Laura Bush, the collective members of the Fire Department of New York and the New York Police Department in the Top 10 listing. Time magazine caught on to the prank, however, and by Dec. 13 the poll was pulled and reinstated with no reference to Burdell. President Bush claimed the top spot once Burdell was banished and Garciaparra remained a top candidate on the list. |
