Let me state it upfront: I did not request a photo shoot with Jim Mattis, the US secretary of defence. Nor did he pre-emptively spurn me. That said, the Pentagon chief deserves to be America’s “person of the year”.
In contrast to Donald Trump, who claims to have turned down Time magazine’s photo request for its upcoming person of the year, Mr Mattis does not seek media gratification. The retired general is a model of sublimating ego to a larger cause. He is the second-most important person in the Trump administration. But for Mr Mattis, we would be sleeping even less soundly at night.
His worth stems from character. At Mr Trump’s first full cabinet meeting in June, principals outbid each other in presidential adulation. Mike Pence, the vice-president, said it was the greatest honour of his life to serve a man who was “keeping his word to the American people”. Reince Priebus, the then chief of staff, thanked Mr Trump for “the blessing that you’ve given us to serve your agenda”.