Each year sees Time Magazine name its Person Of The Year, someone who has shaped the news and garnered the most headlines over the course of the past 12 months. There’s really no surprise who received it this year.

Barack Obama went from being a virtual unknown even in his home country (America not Kenya) to becoming the President of the USA and known and admired around the world.

I personally think this was an obvious choice, although as the video above shows there were a few alternatives, including the awful Sarah Palin. But becoming the first black President of America surely makes Obama a deserving winner.

The thing is Obama hasn’t actually done anything yet, apart from being elected. It could be that 2009 is the year when he actually starts to make a difference in real people’s lives. Maybe he’ll win the accolade next year too.