lifestyle leader

IPE Journal looks back at the people who, behind the scenes and often without great fanfare, shaped the events that defined 2008.

-Nicolas Sarkozy: Super Sarko got things done in 2008. His leadership (national, European, and international) exceeded that of any other world leader. His hyperactivity, once the subject of ridicule and criticism, drove European action and coordination in response to the financial crisis. His performance as EU president is universally praised, and let us not forget that it was his insistence that pushed Bush to call the G20 meeting in November (although Bush outflanked Sarko by calling a G20, not G8, meeting). Case in point: a critical EU summit, with Lisbon's revival top of the agenda, began on Thursday December 11th with heads of state and ministers hunkering down for marathon, weekend-long negotiations. A "three shirt" summit? Not with Sarko in charge. They were headed home the next night with compromises on everything from Lisbon to climate change to the financial crisis. The French president was big in 2008.

-David Plouffe and Howard Dean: Plouffe, Barack Obama's campaign manager, and Dean, the Democratic National Committee Chairman, orchestrated a 50 state strategy in the 2008 US Election (which Dean laid the groundwork for in 2006) that brought historically Republican states into the Democrat's column. Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, etc. More importantly, Western states with growing, young and Hispanic populations have swung decidedly democratic. The national political map is now deep blue, and if history is any indication, it will be a generation before Republicans get it back. This strategy is as responsible as any factor for Obama's victory (just look to Iowa, where it all began).

-Lord Peter Mandelson: Mandy returned to Whitehall in 2008, drafted by his old friend turned enemy Gordon Brown (now frenemy?) to join the House of Lords and assume the business portfolio in Brown's cabinet. Mandy's impact on British politics and the government's response to the financial crisis has been substantial: he sits on 31 of 39 Parliamentary committees, has been Brown's point man for negotiations with the banking sector and auto firms and reportedly holds private meetings with the Prime Minister more than once a day. Also, Labour's internal revolt against Brown disappeared at exactly the moment Mandy returned. Coincidence?

-Kamal Nath: The Indian commerce minister/trade negotiator's "destructive intransigence" is blamed by many for Doha's collapse. He is praised by others for defending the interests of Indian farmers. Whatever your opinion of him, he made an inarguable impact on the DDA in 2008.

-Zhang Yimou: The Chinese filmmaker left an indelible impression on the world as choreographer of the Olympic opening ceremonies. The spectacular display marked China's "return" to the global stage and instantly made Yimou a hero in his homeland.