There’s a discussion at American Heritage Blog about The Atlantic’s 100 Most Influential Americans. Participants include John Steele Gordon, a member of the panel that selected The Atlantic’s list.
You could try following the debate at the American Heritage Blog main page (scrolling down to the first entry), but here are the six postings to date.
The 100 Most Influential Americans
The 100 Most Influential Americans II
The 100 Most Influential Americans III
The 100 Most Influential Americans IV
The 100 Most Influential Americans V
The 100 Most Influential Americans VI
The 100 Most Influential Americans VII
The 100 Most Influential Americans VIII
The 100 Most Influential Americans IX