Who Really Are the Most Influential People in the World?

For a state that finds itself as the punch line of too many jokes, Time magazine’s recent list of the 100 most influential people in the world offers New Jerseyans some badly needed ammunition to counter the laughs that people have at our state’s expense.

Governor Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker made the list, as did Newark native Ray Chambers, who has worked hard to revitalize the city and now is focused on eradicating malaria; former N.J. Environmental Commissioner Lisa Jackson, who now heads the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and punk rock pioneer Patti Smith, who grew up in Deptford Township. Not a bad showing for a list that includes just 100 people from all over the world.

More telling, however, is

In Search of the Most Trusted Person in America

After Walter Cronkite passed away last week, I started wondering who would succeed the former CBS Evening News anchor as the most trusted man in America – a label that evolved from a 1980 magazine poll and stuck with him until his death.

In today’s environment, it is hard to imagine that any journalist would be regarded as the most trusted person in America.